The Fruits of Listening

“As westernized theological education is being exported globally and uncritically, this careful study on the need for indigenous and contextualized voices, for teaching in ways which engage people with the mission imperative in their own cultures, is welcome and necessary. Its conclusions call for theological educators to resist the temptation of adopting homogeneous western structures, pedagogies, and curricula, and instead listen and respond to the stories of the soil.”


—Peter Rae, vice principal, Nazarene Theological College, Manchester





“Listening yields lasting fruit! This book is a must-read for anyone who desires to see theological education flourish. Dr. Weaver’s work provides students and professionals with tools to sharpen their listening skills. Employing The Fruits of Listening is indispensable at a time when theological education is examining its roots in pursuit of a preferable future.”


—Ronald W.  Freeman, director of theological institution support, One Mission Society





“Colleen Weaver's work encapsulates the importance of listening, a skill that is needed in our time. For theological education to impact people's lives, it must begin with attentive listening to the community, taking the time to understand their dreams, hopes, and aspirations as this opens doors to contextualize teaching and learning in meaningful ways. This book is a valuable resource for theological educators and researchers committed to entering the sacred space of listening and responding thoughtfully.”


—Phoenicia S. Datu, academic dean, Faith Bible College, Philippines





“Ironically, theological schools teach students to observe and respond to society, but we often fail to do that ourselves when developing our curricula or teaching model. For all of us teaching theology outside of the culture in which we were raised or in which we studied, The Fruits of Listening gives essential insights and examples to challenge us to take time to humbly think about how we can better contextualize our schools to be more effective in developing Christian workers who can impact society where they are.”


—Mark P. Nelson, dean, Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary, Estonia