The author writes this as one enters the period of the year dedicated to self-reflection and assessment. It is both gratifying and humbling to read the responses of distinguished colleagues to his article in the "Journal". Their comments serve as stimuli for much reflection and re-thinking as he continues to grapple with the themes addressed in…

Michael Rosenak uses the twin metaphors of "language" and "literature," borrowed from Oakeshott and Peters, to argue that the goal of education is initiation into a language. This goal transcends the study of literature in that language. It includes, as well, the development of the capacity both to critique literature and to…

In their essay "Failures of meaning in religious education", James Conroy, David Lundie, and Vivienne Baumfield report findings from their recent project "Does Religious Education Work?", during which ethnographic studies in 24 British schools were conducted. In this response I first highlight the importance of the character of…

International research shows that the curricula of Catholic secondary schools are increasingly becoming dominated by the pressures of conforming to the requirements of nation states. These requirements are generally expressed in economic and utilitarian terms and evaluated by criteria of measurable outputs. As a result of these pressures, Catholic…

Increasing numbers of college students enrolling in religion courses in recent years are looking to develop their religious faith or spirituality, while professors of religion want students to use and appreciate scholarly tools to study religion from an academic perspective. Some scholars argue that it is not possible to satisfy both goals in the…

This author states his belief that Jon Woocher's essay is the latest in a long line of jeremiads bemoaning the state of Jewish education. Kelman believes that, though a bit more sanguine than the other "withering portraits" he cites, Woocher's essay falls very much in their tradition of critique and corrective; "Here's what's wrong," argues each…

This article examines whether religious education plays a role in the promotion of harmonious international relations, arguing that a broad religious education with a dialogical approach goes to the heart of what it means to be a citizen in a global community. Christian theologian Hans Kung argues in his book "Judaism: Between Yesterday and…

In their essay, Patricia O'Connell Killen and Eugene Gallagher focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning in theology and religion, which, they say, is "identifiable" though "varied," and "exhibits standards of excellence recognizable in other forms of scholarship." Their purpose is descriptive, in large part, to share what they have…

A powerful scholarship of teaching and learning may well be one of the best counters to the instrumentalist and reductionist impulses in the educational reform movement today. The author believes an opening exists in the conversation on the scholarship of teaching and learning that is mentioned only in passing by Killen and Gallagher. About a…

Religious studies classrooms are microcosms of the public square in bringing together individuals of diverse identities and ideological commitments. As such, these classrooms create the necessity and opportunity to foster effective modes of conversation. In this essay, I argue that communication attuned to shared human needs--among them needs for…

Religious education (RE) is under serious political and professional pressure to justify its existence and, for some, positive psychology seems to offer a more compelling route to well-being. In response, this article establishes a case for the inherent value of the subject whilst showing that the well-being of pupils, in the broader sense of…

As the author reads through Dr. Woocher's article, she was inspired and excited by his call to reassess goals and by the possibilities he describes. At the same time, she felt overwhelmed by the complexity of the issues and the breadth of potential solutions educators face as Jewish communities in 5773. Woocher points straight to the heart of…

Matthew Clayton claims that "comprehensive enrolment"--raising one's children in accordance with one's own conception of the good--is illegitimate. In his argument against comprehensive enrolment, Clayton refers to Rawls's idea of public reason. In a recent response to Clayton, Christina Cameron not only rejects…

I consider Liam Gearon's critique of what he calls the politicisation and securitisation of religious education, focusing on his criticisms of a European research project, the Religion in Education: a Contribution to Dialogue or a Factor of Conflict in Transforming Societies of European Countries? (REDCo) project funded by the European Commission…

This article analyses some of the common assertions made in the public debate about the merits and disadvantages of faith schools and tests them against actual research findings. It argues that there is a growing body of evidence showing that current policy and practice in faith schools creates social division and that faith schools need to do…