PROFESSIONAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: THE TRAINED 



LAYMAN 



BY FRANK KNIGHT SANDERS 



[Frank Knight Sanders, Dean of the Theological Faculty of Yale University, and 

 Professor of Biblical History and Archseology. b. Batticotta, Jaffna, Ceylon, 

 June 5, 1861. A.B. Ripon College, 1882; M.A..ibid. 1884; D.D. ibid. 1901; 

 Wesleyan University, 1903. Professor of Philosophy and English, Jaffna 

 College, Ceylon, 1882-86; Assistant in Semitic Languages, Yale University, 

 1889-91; Instructor, ibid. 1891-92; Woolsey Professor of Biblical Literature, 

 ibid. 1892-1901; President of American Institute of Sacred Literature; 

 President of Religious Education Association ; Member of American Oriental 

 Society; Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis. Author of Messages of 

 the Bible Series; Library of Ancient Inscriptions Series; Outlines of Biblical 

 History and Literature; Messages of the Earlier Prophets; Messages of the Old 

 Testament Sages; The Teacher's Life of Christ; The Teacher's Life of Paul.] 



THE theme assigned to me for discussion is the importance of the 

 trained layman in religious education to-day. So extended has 

 already become the religious activity of an educational character 

 expected from the laity and freely allotted to them, so diverse are 

 the forms through which such activity finds expression, and to such 

 an extent is it still in the experimental and unorganized stage of 

 development, that while there can be no question in any rational 

 mind regarding the promise, the present efficiency, or the wisdom of 

 the general movement which has encouraged the layman to assume a 

 constructive responsibility in religious education, it is none the less 

 a difficult task to make an adequate presentation. I shall omit for 

 the most part any extended discussion of the origin or history of the 

 organizations for laymen which are active in religious education. 

 Nor will it be profitable to introduce the detailed statistical infor- 

 mation which necessarily underlies this discussion. I shall in large 

 measure take an acquaintance w r ith it for granted. If this survey 

 seems superficial, one can only wish it were possible to do better. 

 I have aimed to make clear the signifincace of a professionally trained 

 laity, wholly apart from the ministry, and to offer some suggestions 

 regarding its coordination with the ministry. 



The trained layman is at least a noticeable factor in the religious 

 life and religious leadership of to-day. Reliance is readily and 

 customarily placed upon his services not alone as a participant in 

 activities directed by others, but as an administrator of such work 

 or as an originator. The value of his own contributions to religious 

 progress is being recognized. The scope of his free participation 

 enlarges year by year. It may even be fairly said that by reason of 

 the high standards of achievement which have already become fixed 

 along many lines of religious activity, commonly committed to lay- 



