Inspiring Faith in Schools: Studies in Religious Education

Inspiring Faith in Schools addresses the privileging of secularism that affects RE in countries influenced by modern western thought. The authors argue that a more engaging form of RE would emerge if religious life were to inhabit center stage. Currently it is made to hover in the wings awaiting the call to face the inquisitorial challenge of the modern day enquirer. The consequent relationship between pupil and object of study is then already intrinsically irreligious, as indicated in Job by putting God in the dock, whereas it is the pupil who should be examining his or her life. What are the ways of exciting and engaging the young so that they begin to entertain the possibility of the religious life? Leading scholars in philosophy and theology from the UK, Australia, Canada and the USA come together to address these questions together with RE experts. Marries Felderhof writes an Afterword summing up the challenges faced by such a re-visioning of RE.