Set against the background of mid-nineteenth century concerns about an erosion in the denomination's standing and influence, this article highlights the differing responses to the matter from parties within the Church of England, which determined their degree of sympathy with proposals for an education act. Specifically, we point out that the…

In times of social crises, Public Religious Pedagogy is emerging as "a new paradigm in the field of Religious Pedagogy" (Manfred L. Pirner). This paper aims to strengthen this approach through a critical review. To achieve this, the theoretical foundations of Public Religious Pedagogy will be examined more closely in order to investigate…

Catholic schools serve both the family, community and society by educating children, young people and adults to contribute to the common good by becoming active and caring members of the communities, cities, and nation in which they live. Service is an important part of Catholic school tents and it helps students equate the relevance of living the…

The Muslim world has witnessed the emergence of several Islamic-based institutes and universities in the last four decades, in keeping with some of the recommendations of the World Conferences on Muslim Education. Yet there has not been a comprehensive study of the system as operated in various contemporary Muslim settings, with a view to…

Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century, education existed in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) with the goal of introducing young people into the society by teaching children the traditions and values of the community, as well as the meaning of life. However, Great Britain, during colonization, implemented their own form of education…

There has been a rise in claims of LGBTI youth in schools generally across the UK with a surge in young people self-identifying. This is a 'theme' or 'matter' or 'question' that has been insufficiently ventilated in relation to the Catholic school. It is shrouded in inhibition, confusion, evasion or fear. Burying our heads in the sand is not…

The Education (Scotland) Act 1872 offered the different Christian denominational schools the opportunity to transfer their schools and become non-denominational Board schools. This option was rejected by the Catholic and Episcopal churches. There were serious anxieties about issues such as the loss of denominational status and the proposal that…

This paper addresses the question of what should determine whether students' answers to closed questions are marked as correct or incorrect in the context of formal religious education, and when their answers to open ended questions should be given more or less credit. Drawing on insights from Craig Bourne, Emily Caddick Bourne and Clare Jarmy, I…

A recent global reconnaissance of Christian higher education found a number of key themes that shaped current developments, such as the pressing challenges of secularization and nationalization but also the advantages of privatization and massification. This article provides an update to this older analysis by taking a birds-eye view of trends…

The spiritual formation of teachers in Church-based schools is of great importance but doesn't always receive the attention it deserves. In the 1920s and 30s, the British writer in spirituality, Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), gave three Addresses to teachers and one lecture at Oxford University, discussing the teacher's spiritual life, and the…

In recent years, many scholars have drawn a distinction between procedural and programmatic secularism. Procedural secularists seek to build communities wherein 'competing concepts of the good life' are afforded opportunities for expression. Programmatic secularists seek to limit the influence of religion within the public sphere. The 1870…

This article draws on the experiences of Ireland and England, which support different conceptions and practices of religious education (RE), in order to provide a normative framework for the organisation of RE in multicultural states. This analysis consists in an assessment of three conceptions of RE: the liberal conception, which emphasises…

One of the major contributions of the Catholic school to the formation of people and to the mission of the Church is religious education. In the diversity of school systems in Europe, it is possible to identify three models: the politico-conciliar, the academic-curricular and the ethical-value-based. These models evolve in line with the religious…

Despite the increased interest and research into the concept of vocation or calling, students are still prone to a reductionist understanding of vocation as primarily their job or career (Kleinhans, 2016; Moser & Fankhauser, 2018; Setran, 2011). Christian higher education institutions have a unique opportunity to help students navigate these…

While Fiji was a British colony, in the early twentieth century, education to Indigenous Fijians was delivered by missions including the Methodist Overseas Mission of Australasia. As argued here, education delivery was influenced by policies for African Americans. Policies from Tuskegee Institute in the American South were transposed to Nausori,…