The philosophy of schooling and the pedagogy of schooling over the past two to three centuries has been in a state of constant flux. As we enter the 21st century, the age old debate between religious education pundits and those who advocate humanistic education rages on. The debate, then, centers around those who will or should have the right to…

David Carr argues that the intelligibility of spiritual development as an educational activity is dependent upon there being a framework of propositions that relates to spiritual experience and that there is a methodology for establishing their truth. These propositions and the accompanying methodology need to be constructed along the lines of a…

This article presents responses from Thomas C. Hunt, James L. Heft, S.M., and Ronald J. Nuzzi to the report of the Notre Dame Task Force on Catholic Education's (2006), "Making God Known, Loved and Served: The Future of Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in the United States." Hunt analyzes the 12 recommendations offered by Notre…

This article builds on the foundations and evaluations laid recently by Symes and Gulson in their 2005 article, "Crucifying Education: The rise and rise of new Christian schooling in Australia." It evaluates the warrant of Christian schooling within a liberal democracy and offers a rejoinder for defending the rights of Christian…

Inspired by Charles Taylor's recent quest for the meaning of religion today, this article concentrates on the question of the meaning of religious education (RE) today. The focus is not so much on the "what" but instead more on the "where" (the locus) and the "how" (the function) of RE. The view on what is held to be a pedagogically tenable…

Against a formidable national discourse that emphasizes academic standardization, accountability, and high-stakes testing in educational policy, "Character and Moral Education: A Reader" seeks to re-introduce and revive the moral mission of education in public conversation and practices in America's schools. With contributions from a…

Discusses the significance of Thomas Merton's life and work for education. Describes Merton as a Trappist monk who originally sought spiritual self-containment through monastic life only to reemerge to participate in the world through his writings. Suggests that Merton's contribution to education is the idea of orienting education along spiritual…

In this article the author argues that for 150 years Jewish education has negotiated the tensions between modernity and Judaism by means of liberal religion, ultra Orthodoxy, and secular Zionism. All three are in crisis today due to the rise of postmodernism. Jewish educational thought therefore needs to create new syntheses between Jewish and…

This article examines the notion of spiritual development as it was conceptualised for state schools in Britain through the Conservative Government's education reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, reforms which also introduced the National Curriculum. The article puts forward the argument that spiritual development was conceptualised in such a way as…

Until his retirement in 1982, Philip Phenix exercised significant influence on students at Teachers College, other branches of Columbia University, and the Union and Jewish theological seminaries. The role in which his impact was probably greatest was as philosopher in service to professionals in a wide range of educational settings. (MT)

Discusses implications of Whitehead's process thought (the primacy of becoming/process over being/product), especially in terms of relationship building and recovery of mind and heart in teaching. Suggests how a process approach to adult religious education can offer a more inclusive vision of spirituality. (SK)

This article examines the theological perspective known as Body Theology in order to reflect on its implications for how we do religious education. Part one provides a summary of the viewpoint s basic arguments and part two both suggests broad pedagogical implications and offers examples of specific instructional practices directly generated from…

Since the publication of "Ex Corde Ecclesiae" (John Paul II, 1990), Catholic colleges and universities have become more deliberate and intentional regarding their institutional and Catholic identity. This article continues the conversation about Catholic identity as it relates to student outcomes, and proposes some preliminary strategies for…