The aim of this research was to get a better understanding of the work of school-based religious education leaders (SBREL) by examining the issues and challenges they face as well as how they are supported. SBREL were surveyed and interviewed, and they took part in focus groups. SBREL, in general, felt supported in their role. A major issue…

This paper takes up concepts from John Henry Newman's work to support contemporary educational personalism. Newman's ideas are developed in light of his sharp critique of the pragmatic educational model. This essay focuses on the transcendence assigned to the theological and philosophical foundations of Newman's pedagogical ideas, as well as on…

In light of the history of immigration during and after the Vietnam War, Vietnamese American families are struggling to live between two worlds: their old culture and nation and their new life in the United States. Parents face a dilemma in raising their children, either to maintain the Vietnamese tradition or to adapt to the new American culture.…

This article aims to report on research that explored the role of perceptions of Directors of Religious Studies (DRSs) in Catholic secondary schools in the Hamilton Diocese, Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ). The DRS position was established to preserve the Catholic special character of these schools after integration with the state education system with…

Children and adolescents need a vision of hope and success that will motivate them to take action. This discussion describes some ways of pondering the mandate in the Bible to care for the earth and for each other.

This article examines the 2013 apostolic exhortation "Evangelii Gaudium" by Pope Francis in terms of its significance for addressing LGBT + issues in Catholic learning environments. Using the 10 capabilities necessary for human flourishing as outlined by Martha Nussbaum in her "capability approach" to civil society and…

The development and implementation of a trial Religious Education (RE) curriculum within a Catholic diocese of Australia was characterized by the scriptural metaphor "into the deep." Commentary (5300 words) from teacher developers (n = 40) and implementers (n = 85) were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Findings…

This paper examines Catholic RE curriculum documents from 2 jurisdictions to assess how well they present Jews and Judaism. It finds that their representations of Jews and Judaism rely on structures of thought, reinforced by normative Catholicism, that enable the conditions to reproduce supersessionist thinking and attitudes. Its conclusion argues…

This article addresses a gap in research on LGBTQ inclusion in Catholic schools that has largely been silent on the experiences of non-heterosexual Catholic teachers. I consider how Judith Butler's conception of precarity sheds light on the complex positionality of LGBTQ Catholic (religious) educators in the heteronormative setting of Catholic…

The Synod of Catholic Bishop's 1971 document, "Justice in the World," articulates boldly that "action on behalf of justice is a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel." Fifty years old, it is timely to assess this document today especially as religious educators address the many forms of inequality in the world.…

This essay explores a tension in the Catholic theological classroom brought about when teachers aim at dismantling racial injustice with resources from antiracist pedagogy. Where Catholic social thinkers package together reflection, judgment, and action, antiracist educators recommend forestalling the last step--action. The essay's primary aim is…

Since the publication of Pope Francis' landmark encyclical (2015), "Laudato Si," there has been a robust discussion among religious educators concerning the notion of ecological conversion. Drawing on this rich scholarship, this paper strives to move from the "what" of ecological conversion to the "how"; that is, how…

Thomas Groome suggests good teaching begins with experience in particular times and places. His work focuses on a community that is "losing" many of its members at this particular time and in places like the United States. This article suggests the hermeneutic central to shared praxis provides a helpful lens through which to understand…

One strand in the scholarship of Catholic school identity perceives that it has deteriorated since Vatican II (1962-1965) and therefore needs restoration. Unfortunately, this perception is based on an assumption that there is a "singular" Catholic identity. This article demonstrates a basis in theology, social theory, and educational…

This paper argues that educational communities of faith and learning (e.g. Catholic colleges and universities) are especially primed to face into the pain and reality of the sex abuse crisis in honest and constructive ways. Citing the need for strategic collaboration between mental health professionals and religious educators, it calls for…