Suggests a playful approach to religious education that is not dismissive of orthodox points of view. Notes the literary, theological, and pedagogical aspects of the book of Job. Discusses the use of irony in teaching. Rejects any single approach's claim to exclusive truth about God. (DSK)

Considers the role of lay vocation (here broadly defined as the servanthood of nonordained persons within and without the church) in everyday life and religious education. Discusses the relationship between lay vocation and the holiness movement, a perfectionist doctrine that arose in U.S. Protestantism in the late 19th century. (MJP)

Articulates an ethical and theological basis for ethnographic research in faith communities. Interviews with nine ethnographers reveal that both research and researcher are changed by the research act. Argues that ethnography is an opportunity for ministry that is empowering and educational. (MJP)

Argues that too often liturgy and religious education posit an idyllic notion of the reign of God and fail to address the injustice, oppression, and violence endemic to much of modern life. This amounts to a dichotomy between the sacred and the secular. Proposes several corrective measures. (MJP)

Examines and defines the world of play for children and considers what lessons and applications this might have for adults and their spirituality. Particularly notes that the "what-if" and "as-if" dimensions of play can be used as energizing and liberating aspects of a more active adult spirituality. (MJP)

Observes the pitfalls and possibilities of using feature films as educational tools for religious exploration. Praises film for its ability to synthesize a number of cultural, moral, and narrative elements. Lists several simplistic and reductionist approaches to be avoided. (MJP)

Formulates a pedagogical position that articulates religious experience as complementary to formal-rational thought. Recent postmodernist criticism has located secular thinking as a coequal position to subjective religious experience on the now-leveled philosophical playing field. Explores what this newfound (academic) respectability means for…

Explores three characteristics of the Catholic tradition that offer students ways to become more attentive to role of faith in their lives. These include the juxtaposition of faith and reason, the movement towards inclusivity, and an understanding of sacrament as the mediation of the Divine through bodiliness. (MJP)

Defines evangelization as a cooperative religious educational experience regarding the efficacy of the gospel. Considers its role in the lives of young people. Concludes that evangelization must incorporate and address current social concerns as well as questions of belief and unbelief. (MJP)

Identifies authenticity as the idea that there exists an innate and knowable self. Discusses this concept and how it relates to social, philosophical, and religious thought. Compares the Western concept of self, autonomous and individualistic, with the more interdependent and enigmatic Eastern ideal. (MJP)