Description

We live in an era where new and new methods of religious
and priestly formation are being experimented. The old
methods are often rejected and sometimes held in contempt.
Many have recourse to techniques developed by psychology.
Sometimes the candidates are given only a psychological
formation. Some seem to think that a degree in psychology may
qualify a person to become a formator. At this juncture one may
ask few questions. What is the method of formation used by
God in the Bible? What are its traits? Does the divine pedagogy
of formation have any relevance for modern times? The articles
in this book do not directly deal with these questions. It is left
to those who are being engaged in the area of formation to
evaluate and adduce the logical conclusions. I restrict myself to
the field of Bible. There we find that God employs adventurous
and challenging methods to give formation to the called ones of
the Old Testament. In this study we analyze the divine pedagogy
in forming Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samson,
Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos,
Jonah, Tobit-family-friends and Esther and Judith.
All the divine endeavours did not achieve success due
to the non- cooperation of the formees. Saul’s story is an
example. In Samson we find the tragic- comic end of
formation. Solomon was a formee who began well. The
study ends with the story of Esther and Judith who deserve
the designation “devout and daring disciples.”