Table Of ContentMULTICULTURAL CHRISTIAN EDUCATION:
EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHURCH
A Professional Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the
School of Theology at Claremont
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirement for the Degree
Doctor of Ministry
by
Linda Lee Pickens-Jones
May 1993
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(§) 1993
Linda Lee Pickens-Jones
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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This professional project, completed by-
Linda L. Pickens-Jones
■■ — ■ — — ---------1
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Theology at Claremont in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
Faculty Committee
y)r\aLM S,
' Date U Dean
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Permission to make use of copyrighted material has been
granted for the following.
James A. Banks. Multiethnic Education; Theory and Practice.
2nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1988.
Permission is granted upon the condition that one
bound copy of the thesis is sent to James A. Banks
upon its approval by the thesis committee and
accepted by the School of Theology at Claremont.
Charles Foster, ed. Ethnicity in the Education of the
Church. Nashville: Scarritt Press, 1987.
Glenn Hopkins. The Winter Wonder Land Rap Song.
Performance permission should be sought from Glenn
Hopkins at 11882, Texas Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
90025.
Howard Thurman. Jesus and the Disinherited. New York:
Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1949. Permission is
granted from Anne Thurman, Howard Thurman
Educational Trust, 2020 Stockton Street, San
Francisco, CA 95206.
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ABSTRACT
Multicultural Christian Education:
Emerging Opportunities for the Church
by
Linda Lee Pickens-Jones
The multiracial, multicultural communities of the major
cities of the United States provide a challenge and
opportunity for the church and the Christian education
process. The central focus of this work is to seek
paradigms for Christian education in a rapidly changing
context. Christian education is approached as a process
which leads persons to wholeness through their faith
encounter with the redeeming love of Jesus Christ.
In Chapter 1 the context of multicultural community is
established, with specific reference to the dynamics of
diversity in Los Angeles, California. Issues of the local
church in relationship to diversity are discussed. Several
perspectives on the intent and content of multicultural
education are explored. In Chapter 2 the work of a variety
of Christian educators in discussing multiethnic,
multicultural and ethnic specific education is presented.
The development of multicultural education in community
context is described. In Chapter 3 the
multicultural/multiethnic theory of James Banks is
comprehensively developed, and then reflected on in
relationship to the Christian community. Chapter 4 presents
theological concepts as points of dialogue with Christian
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education, exploring the ways in which theology is informed
by and contributes to multicultural educational issues.
Developing local theology is introduced as a method useful
to multicultural Christian education. Chapter 5 is the
presentation of a local church educational program, designed
to be multicultural in all dimensions of school life. A
description of the program provides a commentary and
critique. Chapter 6 addresses the integration of theory and
practice, while defining issues and tasks for multicultural
Christian education. Some implications and proposals are
made, in light of the previous discussions and study.
Multicultural community is seen as hope and promise for
the church, as an illustration of God's community in
relationship. Concepts are explored which express diversity
as reflective of the nature of God; which seek human
dignity; and affirm the worth of all persons as created by
God. Some insights are provided for local churches, mono-
or multicultural, which are raising theological and
sociological questions about their relationship to the rest
of humanity.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work is only possible because of the care, love
and commitment of many people.
I am especially thankful for the people of Wilshire
United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, who struggle daily
with the hope of living as a community of God which reflects
the diversity of God's creation.
With honor and deep respect I thank my professor,
mentor, and friend, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Moore, whose
"teaching from the heart" has been empowering to me and to
so many others.
My deepest thanks I give to my husband and partner,
Alan, for his cross-cultural ways of living, and for the
many ways he believes in me; and to my children, Emily and
Daniel, for the gift of time they have given me as I spent
many hours "in my office."
iii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
1. Introduction and Context for
Multicultural Christian Education.............. 1
Limitations of the Study....................... 3
The Context of Los Angeles as a Setting
for Multicultural Education.................. 4
Multicultural and Multiethnic Concepts
in Education: An Introduction............... 11
Searching for a Vision of Multicultural
Community....................................18
2. Addressing Multicultural Issues in
Christian Education........................... 21
Multicultural Christian Education Is
Defined Within Communities................. 24
The Response of Different Communities to
Multicultural Interaction.................. 30
The Formation of Multicultural Christian
Education...................................35
Multicultural Curriculum in the Church.......37
Community Insights Which Inform
Christian Multicultural Education..........40
Multicultural Education in the Church........50
3. James Banks' Model of Multicultural/
Multiethnic Education........................ 52
Theory of Multicultural Education:
Defining Multicultural Education...........52
Overview of Multicultural Education........54
Goals of Multicultural Education...........57
Five-Phase Development of Multicultural
Education................................66
Multicultural Education: Developmental
or Transformative Education?............69
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Issues for Church and Community:
Cross Cultural Competency.................. 73
An Exploration of Models of Diversity
in the Context of the Church...............78
Some Implications of Banks' Theory
for the Church............................. 84
Implications for Curriculum................84
Implications for Social Action.............86
Conclusion................................... 87
4. Exploring Theological Concepts Within
Multicultural Education...................... 89
Theological Expressions Which Undergird
Multicultural Education:
Samuel Rayan............................... 94
Kosuke Koyama.............................. 98
Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki.................. 104
Howard Thurman............................ Ill
Gustavo Gutierrez......................... 121
Contextual Theology as an Educational
Methodology for Multicultural Community...126
Summary Observations........................ 133
5. A Local Church Multicultural Educational
Program......................................135
Development of the School................... 136
Theological and Educational Premise.........138
The Multicultural Premise of the School 140
The Teaching Staff and the Training
of Teachers............................... 145
Curriculum.................................. 156
Evaluation.................................. 190
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6. Integrating Theory and Practice: A Dialogue....202
Defining Some Issues and Tasks..............204
Some Practical Implications and Proposals
for the Church............................ 213
Appendix
A. Staff Questionnaire and Responses...............219
B. Curriculum Bibliography.........................227
C. Winter Wonder Land Rap Song.....................229
Bibliography..............................................231
vi
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