New Perspectives on Religious and Spiritual Education (eBook)

Contents 6
Meeting the needs for new perspectives of thought and practice in religious and spiritual education 8
An interdisciplinary approach 9
A balance between explanation and interpretation 10
Relation with other fields of interest 11
References 12
I. An interdisciplinary approach 14
Does body-based learning lead to a better retention of religious education knowledge? 16
Abstract 16
Introduction 16
1. Body-based learning in religious education 17
2. Research question, methodology and sample 21
3. Empirical results 24
4. Discussion 29
References 32
Developing students’ willingness to encounter difference 40
Teachers’ practices in Islamic education Abstract 40
Introduction 40
1. Different approaches to dealing with diversity in religious education 42
2. Empirical research into teachers’ practices in Islamic education 44
3. Results 45
4. Discussion 53
5. Conclusion 54
References 55
Thinking about the afterlife 58
A cognitive science perspective on what children tend to believe Abstract 58
Introduction 58
1. Theoretical reflection 60
2. Empirical research 62
3. Method 62
4. Results 64
5. Conclusion and discussion 67
References 69
Abstract 72
Introduction 72
1. Theoretical perspectives 73
2. The Norwegian context 76
3. The texts and tasks 77
4. Three texts about Jesus 79
5. Conclusion and concluding remarks 83
References 85
Interfaith education and phenomenological method 88
Abstract 88
Introduction 88
1. Foundational epistemological and methodological thought 89
2. Dewey, Habermas and phenomenology 91
3. The origins and distinctiveness of phenomenology 93
4. The complementary ends of phenomenology 94
5. Phenomenology and the spiritual exemplar 96
6. Phenomenology as method for interfaith education 98
7. Conclusion 99
Abstract 102
Introduction 102
1. Theoretical background 103
2. Empirical research into morality, religion and spirituality in educators’ voices 104
3. Results 107
4. Conclusion 111
References 112
II. A balance between explanation and interpretation 116
‘Ears to hear’ – the Bible, the Sower and performative Christianity 118
Abstract 118
Introduction and research questions 118
1. Parts and wholes in and out of context 119
3. Localising the global: The Sower in Solentiname 125
4. Re-distributing the local: The sower in the classroom 129
5. Conclusion 131
References 132
Personal projects among students of theology 134
Motivational variations between different study phases 134
Introduction 134
1. Theoretical background: The personal worldview as a dynamic context for goals and intentions 136
2. Empirical research 138
3. Results 139
4. Discussion 144
5. Conclusion 146
References 146
Religious myth as the leading discourse in religious education 150
A reflection based on the Abrahamic religions Abstract 150
Introduction 150
1. Culture and multiculturalism 151
2. Religion and religious pluralism 152
3. The pivotal role of myth 154
4. The Jewish myth 155
5. The Christian myth 157
6. The Islamic myth 160
7. Implications for religious education 161
8. Further research 163
9. Conclusion 164
References 164
Imagination’s role in religious and spiritual education 166
Abstract 166
Introduction 166
1. “Corporate images” and the Christian world of meaning 167
2. Imagination: Operating processes 172
3. Imagination: Implications for religious and spiritual education 176
4. Conclusion 177
References 177
Rethinking the role of religious education in a knowledge society 180
A Shia Ismaili Muslim perspective Abstract 180
Introduction 180
1. Relevant literature background 183
2. An interdisciplinary approach to religious education 185
3. A cosmopolitan ethic through religious education 189
4. Conclusion 192
References 193
Internet Sources 195
III. A contribution to wider fields of interest 196
Education and nurture revisited in the light of spirituality 198
Abstract 198
Introduction 198
1. The dynamics of spirituality in education 200
2. How can religion and religious education relate to education in general? 204
3. Education and nurture discussed against a Norwegian background 207
4. Religion in spiritual education and political ethics 210
5. Conclusion 212
References 213
The securitization of religion in education 216
Abstract 216
Introduction 216
1. Separation: the Enlightenment inheritance 217
2. Suppression: the totalitarian legacy 218
3. Synthesis: the United Nations and the (post-)Cold War 222
4. Securitization: religion in education post-9/11 223
5. Discussion 228
6. Conclusion 231
References 232
The spiritual life of Maltese adolescents attending Catholic schools 236
Abstract 236
Introduction 236
1. Formation at Catholic schools 237
2. Empirical research 241
3. Results 243
5. Conclusion 248
References 249
Confirmation work instructions and confirmation workers in Nordic Lutheran Churches 252
Abstract 252
Introduction 253
1. The aim and the theoretical frame of the study 255
2. The written curricula and the role of the workers in curricular instruction 257
3. The enacted curriculum: workers realizing the confirmation work 261
4. Discussion 266
5. Conclusion 267
References 268
Religious and spiritual education as contributors to the development of the whole person 270
Abstract 270
Introduction 270
1. The similarities and differences of the concepts “religion” and “spirituality” 271
2. Religious and spiritual education as mutual contributors to positive development 272
3. Religious and spiritual education as contributors to citizenship education 274
4. The pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning in religious and spiritual education 275
5. Concluding remarks 277
References 278
Religious and spiritual resilience in cases of critical life events 282
Lessons for religious education1 Abstract 282
Introduction 282
1. Religious functionality 283
2. Religious resilience: some research results 286
3. Can we build up resilience intentionally? 288
4. Widows – experienced loss through death and religious judgement 289
5. Conclusion 296
References 297