BECOMING VULNERABLE, BUT NOT AFRAID: A TASK OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN CREATING A “HOSPITABLE LEARNING SPACE” FOR EDUCATION IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT

In the multiple presences of authority claims from different cultures, the context of Christian education in today’s global world is characterized by the ever growing need to acknowledge mutual respect and understanding as well as to recognize interconnectedness and interdependence for one another. In order to engage in a meaningful education in this global context, the four challenging characteristics are identified and analyzed-(1) unequal distribution of power and educational resources, (2) the expanding horizon of information acquisition, (3) the multiple presences among different authorities, and (4) a need of searching for the common roots beyond individual particularities. One of the tasks of Christian education is to educate God’s people to create a ‘hospitable learning space’ through faithful Christian practice. Hospitality nurtures mutual respect and trust that are essential in the relational learning process and also provides a more holistic mode of epistemology that integrates belief and ethics in the context of global education.