Intergenerational Ministry—a Forty-year Perspective: 1980–2020

This article traces the historical development of the field of intergenerational Christian education and formation over the past forty years with the aim of demonstrating its steady growth in scholarship and ministry and its promise for the future of congregational life and discipleship. The article highlights significant movements, terms, figures, publications, and ministry expressions that surfaced over two twenty-year periods, each part set in the narrative and from the perspective of two different scholars. This article concludes with a brief address of the implications for preparing educational and ministry leaders. Although far from exhaustive, this article offers the reader an abbreviated primer of the past four decades of intergenerational ministry and scholarship.

Doing theology with children in a South African context: Children as collaborators in intergenerational ministry

The vision of Child Theology Africa is to advance a child-friendly continent by doing theology with, for, about and through African children. In this article we would like to explore the voice, role and position of the child in church and society, as important and integral to authentic intergenerational church praxis. This is based on the presuppositions that children should be regarded as collaborators in doing theology; children should be engaged not merely as objects but as subjects of research and knowledge generation; children articulate their own experiences with God; and the biblical imperatives to listen carefully to and engage with children.

Seen & Heard: A Theology of Childhood

What are the central tenants of a theology of childhood? In this article I consider a perspective that sees children and young people as active agents of faith. I argue that this requires a theological shift to enable children and young people take a fuller place among the community of the baptised as participants, leaders and theological educators themselves. I locate this argument in a matrix 'intentional intergenerational ministry', which I suggest requires consideration of ecclesiology and sacramental theology to provide this intentional dimension