An analysis of the theoretical orientation of religious education administrators

Two types of religious education administrators serve the parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The professional religious education administrator is commissioned by the ELCA, and the paraprofessional religious education administrator was noncommissioned. This study examined the theoretical orientation, skill level, preparation, and preference for alternative religious education models of religious education administrators. Two hundred professional and two hundred paraprofessional religious education administrators comprised the sample population for this study. The survey study was guided by two research questions: (1) What is the prevailing framework adopted and applied by religious education administrators, i.e. traditional, social cultural, contemporary and social science models? (2) Are there differences between professional and paraprofessional religious education administrators in preparation for their work, their theoretical orientation, and their perception of their skill level and work? Results of the study identified the contemporary model as the preferred religious education model. The social science model was second, followed by the social cultural and traditional models. No significant differences were found between the professional and paraprofessional religious education administrators in their preparation, theoretical orientation, and their perception of their skill level and work