Resistance, spiritualities and hope

challenges for evangelical theological education in Costa Rica

Abstract

This reflective essay is the result of participation as an intern in the project "Educations, Spiritualities and Resistances: Pedagogical and Socio-Religious Experiences," affiliated with the Ecumenical School of Religious Sciences at the National University of Costa Rica. This experience raised concerns about the pedagogical and social challenges faced by evangelical theological education in Costa Rica. Through significant dialogues, interaction with members of the Central American Resistance Network, and publications related to the project, some of their experiences are explored, thereby understanding the resistances and spiritualities manifested within the project. The insights gained and the methodology adopted by the project could encourage a review and future improvement of evangelical theological education in the country. From the experiences of the network members, contributions are sought to aid in the review of theological education in Costa Rica. Results shows that some criticisms of evangelical theological education emerge, but important contributions are also recovered, perhaps one of the most significant being the differentiation between religion and spirituality. The collectives preferred to speak of spirituality to avoid dogmatic connections, whether Catholic, evangelical, or any other religious representation. In conclusion, it is argued that Costa Rican evangelical theological education must engage in dialogue with social collectives, surpassing the traditional exclusive reference to the ecclesial sphere. In this sense, theological education must learn to listen to diverse voices and respond to multiple social demands.