Does Religious Education Have a Future?: Pedagogical and Policy Prospects

Does Religious Education have a future in English schools? What is it for, what does it aim to do and why do some religious and secular people feel passionately about the survival of RE? This book, written by two leading practitioners of RE, argues for a radical reform of the subject based on principles of pedagogy set free from religious concerns. RE is a fragile subject for two reasons: first because it is a loose coalition of disciplines with very different pedagogical assumptions, for example those who see RE as an objective study of religious phenomena and those who see it as an opportunity explicitly or implicitly to nurture faith. Secondly the fragility comes from the legal arrangements for governing RE, which are different from other curriculum subjects. These arrangements are often ramshackle and are in urgent need of reform or replacement. Until RE reforms its legal machinery, establishes its pedagogical and academic credentials and revises its founding documents, it will continue to be fragile and marginal to the curriculum. If it succeeds in renewing itself, it has the potential to be one of the most powerful and life-changing learning experiences for young people. The book will aim to offer readers fresh, provocative and expertly informed critical perspectives on: the global context of RE, debates about religion in public places, faith schools, violent extremism, science and secularism the evolving educational rationale for RE in schools the legal arrangements for RE and their impact on the teaching of the subject the pedagogy of teaching approaches in RE and their effect on standards and perceptions of the subject the educational commitment of faith/belief communities, and how this influences the performance of RE. This is a #xE2;#xAC;#xDC;must read#xE2;#xAC;" for any teacher, adviser, academic or policy maker who cares about the future of the subject and its potential to enrich learning.