Using the resources of the Catholic theological tradition to develop a new approach to Catholic religious education

Stoer, John Edmund (2020) Using the resources of the Catholic theological tradition to develop a new approach to Catholic religious education. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis makes the case for a different approach to classroom religious education in Catholic schools to that currently in use in England and Wales, and Scotland. It builds its case through an examination of the guidance of the universal Church on religious education, an analysis of current social and ecclesial conditions, and an evaluation of the Religious Education Curriculum Directory (2012), for use in England and Wales, and This is Our Faith (2011 & 2015), the programme for Scotland. It argues that both sets of local guidance when evaluated in the light of the guidance of the universal Church and current social and ecclesial conditions are inappropriate and that a new approach is needed.
The new approach that is developed in this thesis is rooted in the educational guidance of the universal Church and the Catholic theological tradition. The guidance is used to argue that Catholic religious education is an academic subject suitable for all young people, regardless of religious affiliation and, at the same time, it is open to faith development and the search for meaning. Its content is the Christian message which must be related to the life experience of young people in the classroom and the “lived reality” of Christian life. Catholic religious education must therefore take account of current social and ecclesial conditions which includes diversity and plurality both within the Catholic community and in wider society. The Catholic theological tradition, in particular Church teaching on other religions, its guidance on inter-religious dialogue and the work of the Catholic theologian David Tracy, is used to help shape and form the new approach to Catholic religious education.
The principal aim of the approach is to help young people in Catholic schools to know and understand the Christian message and, in doing so, engage with and interpret or draw meaning from it. A subsidiary aim encourages engagement with and interpretation of other religions and non-religious ways of thinking. In furthering these aims, general or cohering themes are proposed that should be present in schemes of work and lessons, as well as key skills, experiences and attitudes; and the essential content of the Christian message. Given the levels of diversity outside of and within the Catholic community, advice is provided on how disagreement with Church teaching in the classroom could be addressed, and how Judaism, other religions and non-religious viewpoints could be taught.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Religious education, Catholic, dialogue, interreligious, Scotland, England.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BR Christianity; L Education > LB Theory and practice of education; L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2361 Curriculum
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > Theology and Religious Studies
• Supervisor's Name: Clague, Ms. Julie and Stephen, Prof. McKinney
• Date of Award: 2020
• Depositing User: Mr John Stoer
• Unique ID: glathesis:2020-80259
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 01 May 2020 09:08
• Last Modified: 05 Oct 2022 15:29
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/80259