Colleen M. Griffith and Hosffman Ospino bring together ten prominent authors to reclaim a richly formative purpose for Catholic theological education.  A formative education moves away from cognitive knowing alone in matters of faith to relational understanding and communal belonging, while keeping the whole person in view. The book’s goal includes opening up dialogue amongst theological educators, providing access to formative education practices, and offering a foundation for emerging discussion. Griffith and Ospino divide the book into three sections, one, “Grounding the Discussion,” two, “Foundational Commitments,” and three, “Hope and Outcomes” with the objective of providing new insights, methods, and tools for the college classroom.

The first section, containing three chapters, examines how Catholic thought espouses formative education. Chapter one, “Formative Education: Bringing a Vision into Focus,” by Colleen M. Griffith, proposes a three-fold vision that connects formative education and the Catholic context. Griffith brings together Ignatian-based principle cura personalis, care for persons, practical Salesian spirituality, and the Benedictine way of community to demonstrate how these Catholic approaches encompass formative education. Chapter two, “The Way of Knowing Sought: A Biblical Reflection,” by Andrew R. Davis explores theological knowing in the Hebrew Bible. Davis explains that we are known and formed by God, and knowledge of God should be embodied in students’ communal settings. Chapter three, “Formative Factors in Talking About God,” by Richard Lennan offers three interrelated features, one, decentering the human, two, faithful receptivity to grace, and three, membership in a faith community. According to Lennan, “Structures of education that give voice to this formative theology will be sources of wisdom, encouragement, and hope …” (43). These three thinkers begin the discussion between educators of theology, regarding their classrooms, formative education, and Christian thought.

Section two addresses the practical aspect of application within the classroom. Thomas H. Groome, in chapter four, “The Horizon of Theological Education: Formation in Faith,” examines theological education as an “ontological affair, aimed at forming people’s very being (the Greek ontos) as good citizens” (51). Groome offers the professor questions for reflection throughout the chapter designed to aid in classroom application. Chapter five, “The Primacy of Cultural Contextuality,” by Hosffman Ospino establishes the importance of our cultural selves and the relationships this establishes within and outside of the classroom both current and historical. He asserts that formative theological education needs to recognize the increasing diversity in churches and societies. Chapter six, “Educating in a Way of Justice,” by Nancy Pineda-Madrid expands on the prior chapter by looking at human diversity and the need to cultivate “reverence for God, reverence for every other human life, and reverence for the whole of the created order” (81). Pineda-Madrid points to a praxis of solidarity and openness to conversion as key in creating a formative classroom.  This section illuminates the importance of formative intent in teaching theology.

The final section focuses on the hopes and outcomes of formative education for Catholic theological education. In chapter seven, “Fostering Communities the Pray and Celebrate,” John F. Baldovin, SJ focuses on the experience of liturgy and liturgical formation. He sees formative education in theology as a practical, helping students to situate liturgy within theological and ministerial goals, such as pastoral care and life in the Christian community. Chapter eight, “Theological Education That Promotes Resilience,” takes a scientific turn. Melissa M. Kelly uses neuroscience, social science, and pastoral theology to demonstrate how developing resilience in students connects us to Christian life and faith. Formative theological education becomes the vehicle to resilience for Kelly. Chapter 9, “Cultivating Relationality: Mentoring for Transformation,” by Theresa O’Keef sees the aim of theological education as transforming the student from observer to participant. She proposes a two-step movement in the transformation process, one, being part of a faith community and two, recognizing diverse experiences of God and church. The final chapter, “A Practice of Freedom: Imagination in Theological Education,” by L. Keefe-Perry surveys the role imagination plays in formative education and how this applies to the life of faith. He states, “formative theological education is concerned with ‘care of the whole person,’ I suggest that it would benefit from consideration of imaginative capacities” (139). This final part articulates distinctive hopes that formative education can offer theological education.

This book, intended for Christian theological educators, is not a step-by-step implementation of formative education into our classrooms, but an invitation to discuss the importance of formative education for our students. Although this book focuses on the Catholic undergrade and graduate classes it has application to any Religious Studies class.