Theological-relational pedagogy: Winnicott, Rahner, and the development of a theological perspective on relational pedagogy

ABSTRACT

This paper attempts to move beyond a critique of historically dominant ways of thinking about teaching and learning relationships to offer a conceptualization of relational pedagogy from a theological perspective. It offers commentary on the potential of relational pedagogy for Christian faith-based schools informed by the scholarship of German theologian Karl Rahner and the dialectical child psychotherapy of D. W. (Donald) Winnicott. An argument for a theological-relational pedagogy is outlined, followed by discussion of three features linking Rahner, Winnicott, and relational pedagogy: realizing our human-ness through relationships with others; the role of a dialectical unity between self and other; and the mystery of human subjectivity. The paper concludes by signalling some of the implications for faith-based curriculum and pedagogy arising from our argument, centred on the emergence of a new theology of childhood.

KEYWORDS:

• Relational pedagogy
• theology of childhood
• Winnicott
• Rahner

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joce Nuttall

Professor Joce Nuttall is Director of the Teacher Education Research Concentration in the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Faculty of Education and Arts, at Australian Catholic University. Her research describes, implements, and theorizes effective interventions in professional learning in schools and early childhood settings, particularly in childcare. Most recently this work has focused on capacity building among educational leaders in early childhood and junior school settings, using system-wide analyses and actions. orcid.org/0000-0002-2571-7839

James Gerard McEvoy

Rev Dr James Gerard McEvoy is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy at Australian Catholic University, lectures in systematic theology, and is a priest of the Adelaide Archdiocese. For almost two decades prior to 2014 he taught at Catholic Theological College and Flinders University Department of Theology. His doctoral thesis was in the fields of theological and philosophical anthropology, studying the works of Karl Rahner and Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor. His current research studies the place of religion in the contemporary West and the church’s understanding of its role and social relationships in that context. orcid.org/0000-0002-2735-9115