Development of a method used for missionary education in a Chinese rural environment : experimenting from a dental health care platform

• Main Author: Doyle-Davidson, Veronica
• Published: University of Birmingham 2009
• Subjects: 266
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.532278

The thesis provides a case-study model of the ideal of an indigenous selfcontextualising church initiative. At the same time it also presents a post imperialist approach to mission in rural China. These both come about through an innovative tool used for missionary education in rural China. This tool is a particular training method which is not merely culturally adapted but more importantly, combines the two non-related fields of dental health care training and theological education. The thesis describes the development of the training method as it engages with the teaching and learning cultural norms and simultaneously avails of contemporary adult education theory. The training method is evaluated in light of the results using tools for self, peer, and/or third-party assessment. The findings show that training participants were enabled to acquire the necessary skills, knowledge, and attitudes appropriate to the dental profession and/or responsibilities of Christian ministry. The thesis makes its claim for presenting a post imperialist mission method in that the training participants also took responsibility for both the dental work and development of the Christian ministry on their own terms.