Global Perspectives on Catholic Religious Education in Schools

This book covers theoretical aspects of Catholic Religious Education in schools and examines them from multiple theoretical and contextual perspectives. It captures the contemporary academic and educational developments in the field of Religious Education while discussing in detail the challenges that Religious Educators face in different European, Asian, African, Australian, American and Latin American countries. The edited collection investigates how to pass on a Catholic heritage as a "living tradition" in diversely populated schools and communities. In this way it explores and asserts the proper identity of Catholic Religious Education in dialogue with Catechetics and with the wider discipline of Religious Education.

As the different articles of this publication demonstrate - through a series of interesting and critical points of view - Catholic Religious Education is confronted with many challenges from the risk of marginalization to the confusion produced by a religious indifferentism leading to a strictly comparative or neutral method in the study of religions. It is essential to take into account in our research perspectives that Catholic Religious Education is not only a subject but also a mission in the light of the diakonia of truth in the midst of humanity.

H.E. Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, Prefect, Congregation for Catholic Education, Holy See, Vatican City

Religious education teachers cannot by themselves overcome the ills of society, but religious education...can help to create better citizens of the world as some authors argue throughout this collection. could not ask more from such timely and provocative collection. It is a gift to the profession and to Catholic Religious Education.

Prof. Gloria Durka, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA

Inhalt

Foreward; Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski.- Preface; Gloria Durka.- 1. Introduction: Contextualising the Catholic Religious Education Project; Adrian-Mario Gellel and Michael T. Buchanan.- Part 1: Theoretical Foundations.- 2. The Progression of Religious Education since the Second Vatican Council as Seen through some Church Documents.- Mario O. D'Souza.- 3. The interdisciplinary imperative of Catholic Religious Education; Adrian-Mario Gellel.- 4. How much and which theology in religious education? On the intimate place of theology in the public space of the school; Hubertus Roebben.- 5. Problem or Paradox: Teaching the Catholic Religion in Catholic Schools.; Kieran Scott.- 6. The aesthetic dimension of believing and learning; Stefan Altmeyer.- 7. Positive Youth Development and Religious Education; Chris Hackett.- Part 2: Issues Emerging From the Context.- 8. Leadership Sustainability: Supporting Religious Education Leaders in the School Context; Michael T. Buchanan.- 9. "To thine own self be true": Respecting both religious diversity and religious integrity in contemporary Australian early childhood religious education; Jan Grajczonek.- 10. Religious Educators: Championing the spirituality of sustainable living; Shane Lavery.- 11. Religious Education in Hong Kong Catholic Schools: Past, Present and Future; Francis Nai-kwok Chan.- 12. Contemporary Engagements and Challenges for Catholic Religious Education in South East Asia; Rito Baring and Rebecca Cacho.- 13. Aren't they too young? The challenge of hermeneutical and inter-religious learning in Catholic Religious Education - a Flemish Perspective; Annemie Dillen.- 14. Addressing diversity and individualism: The contribution of Catholic religious education to the educational project of Catholic schools in the Netherlands; Theo van der Zee.- 15. Catholic Education in Scotland: Bridging the gap between teacher education and curriculum Delivery; Roisin Coll.- 16. Catholic Religious Education in German schools: An ecumenical and inter-religious Perspective; Reinhold Boschki.- 17. Catholic Religious Education in Schools in Poland: Historical Perspectives and Contemporary challenges; Elzbieta Osewska.- 18. A Theological Reflection on the Catholic Policy on Christian Religious Education in Nigeria; Mary-Chizurum Ugbor.- 19. Catholic Schools and Religious Education in South Africa; Paul Faller.- 20. The Teaching of Religion in Catholic Schools in the United States: One Faith amidst competing Ecclesiologies; Ron Nuzzi.- 21. Religious Education in Canadian Catholic Schools; Richard Rymarz.- 22. Investigating Hermeneutical Structures in Catholic Religious Education Curriculum from a Canadian Perspective; Margaret Myrtle Power.- 23. Religious Education in Brazil: An overview of pedagogical developments; Sérgio Rogério Azevedo Junqueira.- 24. Let's talk about Teacher Professionalism: the teaching of Catholic Religion in Chile; Rodrigo Fuentealba Jara and Patricia Imbarack Dagach.