Looking back on his vocational journey, the author explores three "conversations" among academic and local church religious educators originating in teaching practice that culminate in a discussion of religious education as a field of study. These conversations focus attention on teaching in the transformation of persons and communities, on…

Nearly every school in Hong Kong claims to provide ethics/religious education as part of the curriculum, but teachers find it difficult to teach values and attitudes without having students find ethics/religious lessons boring. While much has been said about how students learn, it remains that it is the teacher s task to provide the relevant…

Considers the defining role of ritual liturgical practices (hymn singing, prayer, sacred meal) in establishing and maintaining the faith of a religious community. Argues that liturgical practices (acting as formative and catechesis agents) are critical, constitutive, and normative for persons and communities of faith. (MJP)

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)

Suggests that contemporary films can be used by educators to engage people in religious exploration. Argues that viewers should engage in a conversation with film at the levels of content and cinematography. Discusses four types of film study and examples of films that can be used in each. (DSK)

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview and analysis of attitudes of Israeli K-12 educators and bible teachers toward religious studies. Teachers' attitudes toward bible teaching as a mandatory subject are, on the whole, positive throughout the country. The present study addresses the absence of systematic research into the opinions…

Compares values and ethics related courses in three types of colleges. The study included three variables: Total Values Courses Required, Contemporary Values Courses Required, and Nonreligion Values Courses Required. Discovers that, although Evangelical colleges require greater coursework, instruction is often one-sided. (MJP)

Asserts that the manner in which congregations understand their nature as groups is critical to how they make meaning and take action in relation to their faith. Presents sociological categories that can help congregations clarify their understanding of each other as group members. Outlines supporting efforts for religious educators. (MJP)

Examines how a Canon (body of ideas, doctrines, and practices) becomes embodied in religious communities, how that experience forms the faithful in the tradition, and how that experience modifies the Canon of that tradition. Explores this phenomenon within the Jewish, Catholic, and Lutheran communities. (MJP)

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)

Examines the ways in which African Americans link personal stories with biblical and heritage stories to decide future life directions. Maintains that these activities help people develop a spirituality of hope and restore relational contexts for storytelling and story listening in an age where these contexts have disappeared. (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)