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 book arose from commissioned research by the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) on the alignment and effectiveness of 'A Framework for Formation for Mission in Catholic Education' (NCEC, 2017). It articulates contemporary best practice, and traces the experience of the Catholic Church in pursuing formation as integral to mission.…

A strong current in contemporary Catholic thought -- the theology of interreligious or interfaith dialogue -- stresses the importance of dialogue and collaboration with followers of other world faiths. This article proposes that religious education in Catholic schools, particularly at post-primary level, needs to engage more with this theological…

The much documented sociological and cultural developments which offered significant challenges to Catholic education in recent decades have played no small part in changing the composition of the Catholic teaching force. A weakening of religious practices and an increase in more personalised understandings of spirituality are now especially…

This article gives voice to students of minority faith and worldview regarding their lived experiences of attending Irish post-primary schools with a Catholic ethos. The importance of listening to students' voice is supported by Article 12 of the United Nations Charter on the Rights of the Child (1992). The research methodology was qualitative,…

The intersection between schools and the higher education institutions that prepare graduates for teaching in schools is driven by secular agendas. These agendas showcase knowledge transfer as a key indicator of effective learning and teaching. However, the preparation of graduate teachers for service in Christian schooling systems cannot be…

Religion classes are found throughout the entire school system in Chile. These are mostly conducted by Catholic teachers who form their own professional identity from internal demands (imposed by the Catholic Church) and external demands (imposed by the school culture, social media, students and their families). This paper presents a reference…

This article examines why liberation theology needs to be a core resource in religious education settings, especially in Catholic secondary schools. It will first touch on key tenets of liberation theology and the reasons why it was silenced and underused. It will then analyse poverty in the Jewish tradition as an interfaith resource and…

The fourth national survey on the teaching of the Catholic religion in Italy (2015-16) was not limited to state schools, but as in the previous (2004-05) also involved Catholic equivalent schools. This study will focus on the results of the latter, even if the data will be examined in relation to the state subsystem. In summary, it can be said…

This study reports on findings from an online survey which was carried out in Ireland, in May-June 2019, as part of the Adult Religious Education and Faith Development (AREFD) research project being conducted at the "Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education," Dublin City University. Data provided by 738 respondents to the survey are…

Pope Leo XIII's encyclical "Rerum Novarum" is considered one of the first major works to introduce Catholic social thought on a global level. A key message undergirding "Rerum" is the concept of supporting the needs of others, leading to empowerment and self-sufficiency. The purpose of this study was to create a list of…

Xenophobic, racist, and linguistically hegemonic discourses undermine the common good in our pluralistic communities. This article focuses on how these discourses adversely affect one subset of the population in the United States -- those who are culturally and linguistically diverse -- and how schools can disrupt this. Specifically, it explores…

In divided societies, the promotion of cross-cultural contact through the education system has been central to efforts to improve intergroup relations. This approach is informed by an understanding of the contact hypothesis, which suggests that positive contact with a member of a different group should contribute to improvements in attitudes…

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…

Recent educational reform in England occasioned new interactions between the state, universities, faith communities and schools. In 2016, a suite of new public examinations testing the academic ability of English students matriculating at 16 and 18 years of age was introduced. In Religious Education, these state-driven changes deliberately…