CROSSING FRONTIERS
A CONTEXTUAL MODEL OF EDUCATION

By Guidoberto Mahecha

One of the greatest necessities in Latin America, and also one of the top priorities, is access to education. For Christian communities, that priority is for access to religious education. The traditional educational models used in Latin America have been copies of efforts made in other continents. The model of banking education, a term used by Paulo Freire, assumes that the professor knows and the students dont know, regardless of their age or experience, and are only vessels that must be filled with a determined type of knowledge. This model must be changed. For the last thirty years, the Latin American Biblical University has explored new models of education, until finally arriving at a model that crosses at least three frontiers: the geographic frontier, the methodological frontier, and the sociocultural frontier.

Crossing the geographical frontier. In spite of having elements that are traditionally considered to unite it, such as language (except for Brazil and some Caribbean countries), religion, and its Indigenous and Afro-latino inheritance, Latin America suffers from internal separation caused by ancient conflicts and by interests created by economic systems. In the face of this situation, UBL presents an educational model that recognizes the different heritages, giving space to afro and indigenous influences both as cultures and religions. The model permits the bringing together of different cultures in courses that are taken together at UBL in San Jose, and at the same time recognizes the individuality of each country to create and give its own programs in each of the ten centers with which it has an organic relationship and eight more through fraternal relationships. The model also solves the problem of tuition and travel costs for students who cannot afford to travel because both professors from San Jose as well as those from the centers travel to the students.

Crossing the methodological frontier. The banking model of centralized education is expensive and inadequate for many people who work as pastors or are leaders in their communities and have jobs and families to take care of. UBLs decentralized model of education permits students to do their studies without having to abandon either their work or their families. The major part of their theological studies are done in the local centers where they meet one or two times a week for interchanging ideas and discussing themes using the materials prepared by UBL professors. When the students are in the process of completing their degrees, they travel to San Jose for a period of two months to write their thesis and/or take final courses. UBL looks for resources to give these students scholarships for their tuition and living expenses while in San Jose. The students themselves are responsible for their travel costs. UBL feels that this model of education is more focused on the students and attempts to respond to their needs.

Crossing socio-cultural frontiers. For centuries in Latin America, as in many other places, women, persons of African decent, the poor, and the Indigenous, have been discriminated against and excluded from education, even theological education. Most of the large churches in Latin America still exclude women from the ministry, and many of the poor and Afro-latinos are excluded because they are not able to obtain an education. When they do manage to obtain education, many times they are not offered a place to carry out their vocation. UBLs model puts a priority on giving an education to all who are excluded by the system and who want to serve God and the Church as a pastor. We currently have 565 students enrolled in bachelors, licentiate, and masters programs in conjunction with the satellite centers and 200 more through fraternal institutions. In the Biblical/Pastoral institute, which has been developed for pastors and community leaders that do not have the qualifications to participate in formal education, we have 1600 students studying in 23 centers. Our satellite centers are in Guatemala, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Bolivia.