Moral Development as a Curriculum Emphasis in American Protestant Theological Education

Abstract

The study was an exploratory investigation of the contribution that graduate seminary curriculum (broadly conceived) makes to the moral development of Protestant ministerial students, as perceived by faculty. Personal interviews were conducted with 24 faculty members from six midwestern Protestant denominational graduate schools of theology. Clusters of faculty responses identified five factors which influence students' moral development: 1. challenging and diverse off-campus field and work experiences; 2. personal example of faculty and close faculty-student relationships; 3. sustaining a growing, devotional relationship with God through chapel attendance, prayer and Bible study; 4. stimulating peer dialogue and structured group experiences; and, 5. exposure to or discussion of moral issues. As identified by the faculty, factors which may hinder students' moral development relate to: (a) trappings of an academic, institutional setting and (b) faculty assumptions about and limited interaction with students. Recommendations are presented for the improvement of theological education.