In the Bible, the prophet Nathan used a story about lambs to help King David recognize his errors with Bathsheba. Why did he take that approach rather than being direct? In this episode, Dr. Stephan Taeger shares his research on the power of teaching using the concept of “distance” in stories to help learners recognize truth and overcome self-deception, leading to positive Christ-like change. 

Publications:

“Alive to the Other: Using Distance to Help Listeners Overcome Self-Deception” (Homiletic, 2023)

“Using Narrative Distance to Invite Transformative Learning Experiences” (Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 2020)

“Using Elements of Narrative to Engage Students” (Religious Educator, 2015)

Click here to learn more about professor Stephan Taeger