"Martyrs" and "Spectators": Transformative Theological Learning through International Travel Seminars.

Through a church-sponsored travel seminar, a Canadian delegation desired to build a sense of solidarity with their sister congregation in El Salvador. The adult theological education process used in the seminar involved transformative learning to facilitate a shift from a traditional missionary theology toward a theology of accompaniment with the poor. This article recounts the journey of learning to bridge two profoundly different realities- the self-described Salvadoran "martyrs" and the self-described Canadian "spectators." This article concludes that the pedagogy resulted in a liberal-oriented rather than liberation-oriented transformation. It theorizes how the ideology of individualism and class protectionism in Canada tends to dissipate the passion and politicization that occurs on travel seminars, thus perpetuating elements of "spectatorship." It shares reflections regarding further theological education possibilities that could have continued the shift toward active accompaniment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]