Christians are called to view all of life, including their vocations, through the lens of Scripture. This is all the more critical for language teachers, who are instructing students in a medium that is at the heart of God's identity as a Trinitarian, speaking God. Language teaching in itself is a theological endeavor. The essays in this volume bring out critical issues for Christian English language teachers to consider - from biblical foundations for language teaching, to creative interactions with language theory, to reflections on biblical methodology and pedagogy, to a theological ground for dialogue. They are not merely a welcome contribution to the field of Christian English language teaching; they are, in my opinion, required reading for Christian English teachers who want to approach their calling with biblical integrity. If you are a Christian involved in language teaching, let me put it tersely: please read this book.
Pierce Taylor Hibbs
Associate Director for Theological Curriculum and Instruction,
Westminster Theological Seminary, USA
What does language teaching have to do with theology? This book will convince you that for the Christian language teacher, the answer might well be . . . everything! With theological insights pertaining to language, teaching, second language acquisition, and the unique field of English language teaching, the chapters in this text explore how biblical theology might undergird and inform our vocation. A broad range of theological positions, educational perspectives, and teaching and learning contexts provides plenty of food for thought, and concrete applications in nearly every chapter address practical ways to live out our theology in the classroom. This volume will challenge Christian readers to grapple with how our faith commitment both reflects and is reflected in our language teaching, and should be required reading for anyone who is a committed Christian and is called to language teaching.
Jan Edwards Dormer
Author of Teaching English in Missions
Associate Professor of TESOL, Messiah College, USA
The contributors to this volume provide Christian teachers with ideas that are both theological and practical, informed by their rich experience around the world. This book will help readers in the field of language teaching discern their calling, choose methods, design materials, write lesson plans, manage their classrooms, and more - from a well-considered Christian perspective.
Kitty Purgason
Author of Professional Guidelines for Christian English Teachers
Professor of Applied Linguistics and TESOL,
Cook School of Intercultural Studies, Biola University, USA