Note: I created these guidelines for curating religious resources while on the staff of the Center for the Ministry of Teaching (now Lifelong Learning) at Virginia Theological Seminary, in collaboration with Robbin Brent Whittington and the Center for Spiritual Resources. Since the CSR is no longer in operation, I have obtained permission to republish them here under a Creative Commons license.
Suggested attribution: “Guidelines for curating religious resources” by Kyle Oliver (CC BY 4.0)
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There are so many free and low-cost resources online for people who teach religion and theology or are responsible for faith formation in religious communities. How do you decide what to share?
Curating resource collections is now a big part of the job description in a wide variety of spiritual and religious vocations. Here are some sample criteria for making sure you pass along the good stuff.
You’ll notice that the values implicitly and explicitly represented in these guidelines correspond to a Mainline Protestant sensibility and my particular groundedness in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition. Feel free to adapt as appropriate for your context.
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Audience appropriateness — Resource demonstrates obvious utility to one or more core audiences: individual seekers; participants in Christian formation programming at home, at church, at camp, or online; group leaders; and school or congregational leaders.
Theological sensitivity — Resource creator(s) share a commitment to a broad and generous Mainline Protestant/Roman Catholic perspective. Resource shares the good news of God in Christ while “respecting the dignity of every human being.” Mainline Anglican/Episcopal resources are especially appropriate.
Biblical groundedness — Resource demonstrates an explicit or implicit engagement in the Bible and other significant Christian texts. Resource creators model a hermeneutic that allows for a variety of interpretations based on recognized and transparent methods of Biblical scholarship.
Lifelong faith formation — Resource affirms, explicitly whenever possible, a commitment to lifelong growth in the knowledge, service, and love of God in the context of intentional Christian communities shaped, often but not always, by baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Holy Eucharist/Communion).
Social justice — Resource strives to represent humanity in its full diversity, including of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, socioeconomic status, and place of residence—recognizing that gospel values make no accommodation to oppression. Resource seeks to transcend or at least acknowledge the necessarily limited perspective of its creator(s).
Liturgical awareness — Resource includes strategies for incorporation in or inclusion alongside the liturgies/worship traditions of the church, or includes standalone prayers or liturgies/worship services. Not all users will be concerned with this criterion, but Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Roman Catholics in particular tend to approach formation through the lens of worship (lex orandi, lex credendi–praying shapes believing) and the context of liturgical seasons.
Editorial responsibility — Resource creators and curators value attention to the details of usage and grammar, web design, and copyright compliance. Curators (and creators when the creator submits an original resource) are committed to “signing” their posts with initials linking each contribution to the appropriate collaborator’s bio.
Practical value — Resource encourages users to be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers” (James 1:22) and engages the “how” of mission and ministry and not just the why. Use of action-reflection models of practical theology is especially appropriate.
Non-expert accessibility — Resource avoids unnecessary religious, pedagogical, and technological jargon and can be used by expert and novice practitioners.
Image credit: Valentin Antonini via Unsplash.