Critical Issues in Religious Education.

Critical Issues in Religious Education. CRITICAL ISSUES IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OLIVER BRENNAN, ED. VERITAS HOUSE, 2005 $12.44, 124 pages Critical Issues in Religious Education is a book that takes intoconsideration the cultural context of today's society and providesa new perspective on religious education. A series of three experts inreligious education investigate the following areas: the characteristicsand influences of our modern day culture, the pre-existing approaches toreligious education, what it means to teach religion, and the connectionbetween the study and practice of religion. The final section of thebook challenges the current belief of the Trinity in the Church andintroduces a post-modern interpretation. In the first chapter, Brennan describes the factors that have adirect influence on culture, such as the move toward economic growththat inevitably contributes to societal so��ci��e��tal?adj.Of or relating to the structure, organization, or functioning of society.so��cie��tal��ly adv.Adj. change. The author then goes onto identify the distinct characteristics of the pre-modern, modern, andpost-modern eras. The premise for the rest of the book is centered onthe current post-modern day culture in which Murphy emphasizes "arenewed sense of the importance and irreducibility ir��re��duc��i��ble?adj.Impossible to reduce to a desired, simpler, or smaller form or amount: irreducible burdens.ir of community does notdeny the significance of the individual; rather, the conception is thatthe individual cannot be understood apart from his or her role in thecommunity" (p. 23). This understanding of the cultural context ofthe present provides insight to the attitudes and ideas that youngpeople value. In educating today's youth, it is important to beaware of the fact that they are searching for a more personalized per��son��al��ize?tr.v. per��son��al��ized, per��son��al��iz��ing, per��son��al��iz��es1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner.2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. approach to religion that moves away from institutions toward a morediverse view of religion that is accepting of multiple perspectives. The next section carefully analyzes the purpose of religiouseducation in Ireland and identifies the problems with the current model.The book explains, "Religion needs to be central to family life,work life and leisure life. Indeed, coming from the Latin religio, theword religion means tying together, knitting together, that is, bringingtogether all the different facets of our lives" (p. 41). This leadsto two goals of religious education: to teach the beliefs and practicesthat help people to be religious and to expose individuals to theacademic subject of religion. It is the responsibility of the communityof faith to introduce children to the traditions, values, and rituals ofthe faith. The study of religion, on the other hand, is another subjectin the curriculum that students learn in school. In the United States United States,officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. ,the teaching of religion is placed solely in the hands of variousreligious institutions. Ireland, however, relies on schools to providereligious education to the children. This area in the curriculum is notseen as a priority, and schools lack sufficient resources for religiouseducation. Irish educators also vary in their interpretation of theterm, religious education, and its main purpose. To address theseissues, a well-known religious educator, Moran, who has been active inthe field for over 30 years suggests, "religious education has adual nature: formation in being religious and understandingreligion" (p. 57). Moran believes that there is a valuableconnection between the family and the community's efforts tosupport a child's religious lifestyle and the classroom, whichcontributes to his or her knowledge about religion. Chapter 3 investigates the role of the teacher in regard toreligious education in the Republic of Ireland The Republic of Ireland's education system is quite similar to that of most other western countries. There are three distinct levels of education in Ireland: primary, secondary and higher (often known as third-level or tertiary) education. . According to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. Scott, theschoolteacher facilitates learning with students by allowing them theopportunity to explore their own understanding of the world. Theclassroom is a place where discussions on various perspectives arewelcomed and shared. The school environment invites questions andcriticisms in an effort for the teacher and students to search for truthtogether. This model of learning complements the cultural context thatwas previously discussed because it allows children the freedom toexplore different viewpoints and formulate their own understanding ofthe world. Scott states, A schoolteacher's vocation is not to tell people what the truth is or to tell them what to believe; a schoolteacher's modest task is to explore the meaning of what is written from the past and to help students articulate their own convictions.... The teacher of religion teaches the subject matter. He or she aids in the understanding of texts. What the student does with this understanding (affirm or dissent) is up to the individual student. The personal faith of the student or teacher is not an assumed part of the academic process nor its intended goal. (p. 75) According to this viewpoint, there is a need for schoolteachers tobe more objective in their approach to religious education and to allowstudents the opportunity to develop their own understanding. In orderfor this to occur, teachers must encourage students to explore theirreligious values and traditions in relation to other belief systems. The fourth section begins with a discussion on the religioustension involved with the traditional teachings of the Church in aculture that is postmodern post��mod��ern?adj.Of or relating to art, architecture, or literature that reacts against earlier modernist principles, as by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style or by carrying modernist styles or practices to extremes: . With the youth in Ireland moving away fromChurch traditions, there is a need to develop a system in religiouseducation that recognizes the contemporary culture that goes beyond theclassroom setting. The book suggests that the most effective approach toreligious education is for the community of faith, which includes theparish and family, to actively live the values and beliefs of the Churchfor the children, while the teacher provides the students with anopportunity to study the subject of religion from various points ofview. Although this reviewer re��view��er?n.One who reviews, especially one who writes critical reviews, as for a newspaper or magazine.reviewerNouna person who writes reviews of books, films, etc.Noun 1. understands the value of exposing studentsto different perspectives and challenging them to develop their own waysof thinking, it is necessary for children to be firmly rooted in thevalues, traditions, and practices of their own faith before venturinginto the actual study of other religions in the formal classroomsetting. Indeed, there is a need for people to learn about variousreligions of the world, especially in a post-September 11th period whenmajor conflicts center on religion; however, people would be better ableto compare their religion and other religious perspectives if they havea clear understanding of their own. In fact, guidelines guidelines,n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. pending beforethe United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB USCCB United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (Washington, DC)) prohibit pro��hib��it?tr.v. pro��hib��it��ed, pro��hib��it��ing, pro��hib��its1. To forbid by authority: Smoking is prohibited in most theaters.See Synonyms at forbid.2. teaching a free-standing class on world religions in Catholic highschools for this very reason. The critical issues that are addressed in this book are not asapplicable to the United States. The religious model that wasestablished in England and Wales England and Wales are both constituent countries of the United Kingdom, that together share a single legal system: English law. Legislatively, England and Wales are treated as a single unit (see State (law)) for the conflict of laws. in the 1940s has influencedIreland's approach to religious education. The study of religionhas been adopted in these areas of the world as part of the standardcurriculum. With the political issues that have created a distinctseparation between church and state in our country, only religiousinstitutions have the freedom to provide a foundation for religiouseducation to children. This book would provide useful information foryouth ministers and high school religion teachers who are eager to gaina better understanding of the realities of today's youth, and theinfluence that it has on their view of religion. It would also allowthese educators to reflect on their own perspectives on the purpose ofreligious education programs in comparison to another part of the world. Reviewed by Jocelyn Pierre-Antoine Jocelyn Pierre-Antoine is a third-grade teacher at St. EdwardSchool in Newark, CA.