The Corona crisis is forcing scholarly circles of religious education in Europe not only to answer local organizational questions, but above all to start a more general self-reflection on what the fundamental contribution of religious education at school could be in times of deep social and existential crises. In this paper a narrative and…

Modern historical research challenges religious education by undermining the arguments in favour of the existence of a supreme power who is responsible for patterns of reality. This article explores how the new generation of history textbooks of Religious Zionism, one of Israel's ideologically most influential populations, cope with this dilemma.…

This article argues that listening to stories of community leaders and activists as well as writing a Eucharistic liturgy to practice together were effective elements of a pilgrimage that had the goal of educating Christian college students about racial justice. Together these practices helped students imagine new possibilities of building…

In June 2019, the Vatican published its first-ever document on gender theory. This document was directed at Catholic educational institutions and draws on theology and philosophy, while excluding science on gender identity and testimonies from transgender people, to suggest gender theory is an ideology endangering the family. The case of Jane, a…

Our point of departure in this paper is the observation that in many secular societies--which may be so in variable degrees, especially in the West--as well as in societies emerging out of religious conflict, there may be the perception that educational systems ought to promote civic values while sidestepping religious or cultural values. This…

This response to David T. Hansen's 2016 plenary address to the Religious Education Association tests the viability of educational cosmopolitanism for religious education. Using a Deweyan methodology of understanding an idea through its consequences, Hansen's proposal is analyzed using dialogues with interreligious and Islamic pedagogies. The…

Given the complex and messy contexts of schooling, conversations between religion and schooling can be "admitted" as examples of the sort of situated conversation that goes beyond the "false necessity" of universal state-controlled school-based education. There are distinct claims to be made about religion and schooling in…

This paper is a reply to Mary L. Rasumussen's paper, "Critical Exchange: Religion and Schooling: What Should Their Relationship Be?" In this paper, Julian Stern makes three claims: (1) the need for a messy conversation; (2) the need to include "whole" people in schools; and (3) the need to consider existentially significant…

Released time religious education has a long history in the United States, but not all programs have been successful, and others have not even been legal! In this article, the legal history and cases involving religious education are explored with particular emphasis on the three prong Lemon test (named for one of the litigants). Practical…

An 18th-century parable based on the Adam story offers a model of moral education rooted in communitarianism. Individual conscience arises from social norms, with a vital role for shame and pride. Emphasizing the nobility of being created in the divine image, this model overcomes shortcomings of rationalist, Enlightenment education. Moreover, the…

Biographies of Prophet Muhammad extol his distinguished life, noting his achievements as a healer, diplomat, and general. Among these successes, it is especially as a teacher that Muhammad's exemplarity shines through. However, Muhammad's educational leadership arose not only out of his considerable capacities but also out of his limitations.…

This article advocates that education ought to be movement toward a unity of conflicting but complementary forces in the life of the congregation/parish. This paradox is captured best in the two divergent forms of imagination, namely, the sacramental and prophetic, both of which are grounded and united in their commitment to seeing ultimate…

In this article we examine the profiling of human rights and children's rights in religious education (RE) and its secular alternative in Finland. We use the term 'worldview education' to describe the combination of these subjects. We analyse what kinds of human rights and ethical issues are raised in Finnish worldview education. One specific…

Background: Over the past decade, courts increasingly have considered cases that involve clashes between public, secular private, and religious institutions in education. Such clashes appear to have intensified as recently as the 2019-2020 Supreme Court term, and the confirmation of Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Court in 2020 suggests…

The Religious Education Association (REA) selected as its theme for its 1969 National Convention, "Our Divided Society--A Challenge to Religious Education," addressing, among other topics, issues of race and racism. Previously, the REA presented a mixed legacy in addressing racial injustice, remaining largely silent on such issues during…