Australian Religious Education

Religion is a pivotal aspect in society to date with a diverse array of religions known to be practised in Australia, creating opportunities to embrace individuality though also sparking social divisions. French sociologist, Emile Durkheim described religion as “a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden -- beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community”(Jones, 2011). So how does religion influence Australian society? With a vast incline in religions practised in Australia, it is extremely feasible to presume that it does affect Australia significantly. It is through cultural diversity, morality and ethics and laws in which the true relevance of religion in Australian society can be identified.

As Christians, we are called to evangelize people and to engage all people in the redemptive plan of God; in order to fulfill his purpose it is necessary to share our knowledge of God´s word in congregations and secular life. Despite didact techniques has been evolving for centuries providing us many different pedagogy strategies, it is still a challenge for Christian educators to teach facts from cultural or historical context alien to the context of their students. In his article "The Christian Story and Our Stories: Narrative Pedagogy in Congregational Life", Benjamin D. Espinoza, who possesses an M.A. from Asbury Theological Seminary, explains the characteristics and creative ways to apply narrative pedagogy effectively in religious and secular areas of life (Espinoza 443).

With reference to Peta Goldburg’s (2012) Transforming religious education: Implications from the Second Vatican Council, the following discussion will review and critique the important religious education approaches that has had an impact on the Catholic schooling system for the past fifty years, and also help shape the contemporary classroom we teach in today.

at a Catholic school in a Cotton-growing town, the approach was one that took a majorly

Sitting in a classroom filled with several maps of the world, vast spines of colorful books, and watching the clock hit the next hour, there is nothing more that a seven-year-old would rather do than be stuck sitting in a desk for eight hours of the day. Looking back to when I was young and learning about the history and background of the church, I was illiterate. According to Bud Heckman’s definition, “religious literacy is the understanding of the profound role that religions plays in human social, cultural, and political life in both contemporary and historical contexts” (2).  Learning about religion seemed

| supporting the moral and spiritual dimension in learning environments; sensitivity; inclusive behaviour; setting clear boundaries; understanding that spirituality does not need to be consistent with a structured belief system

Providing students to explore one’s religion or spirituality can begin to bridge the separation that exists between faith traditions in institutions. Dr. Casey mentions repeatedly that “the term religion is problematic,” and although this is true, this perspective can change. Religion is so deeply engrained in individuals and this does not have to form a type of “war zone,” but instead, it can provide us with an opportunity to learn about other citizens, rather than creating a sense fear or anxiety within us. Although we may be living in “an age of chaos today,” building understanding amongst global citizens is the prominence of religion in this

Human perspective differs and leads to diverse worldviews. Several factors contribute to the creation of worldviews; the environment, experiences and most importantly the education that a human is exposed to. The question is often asked if there is such a thing as a write or wrong worldview, since it can consist of religious beliefs, political connections, and subjective opinions on life, love, family and friendship. These worldviews create philosophical questions regarding how society truly functions and different human beliefs. As educators it is critical that we nurture the Christian mind in order to fulfill the Christian worldview. It is also absolutely essential that the education system and learning objectives put

Significantly, faith is not static or unchanging. “Faith must be known, celebrated, lived, and expressed in prayer.” (United States Conference of Catholic, 2005). Therefore, effective catechesis relies on six elements that are fundamental to faith formation. Each element is an essential component. Initially, knowledge of the faith is acquired through an understanding of the scriptures as well as an understanding of church traditions. Additionally, an understanding of the liturgy and the sacraments is gained by participating in the Mass and in the reception of the sacraments. Further, moral formation is based on an understanding of Christ’s moral message. Next, and fundamental to the Catholic identity is teaching students to

I was raised as a Catholic in a Christian dominated city. I was taught to fear God, but at the same time to love him with all your soul, your heart and mind. As time passed, I have come to a realization that my knowledge about my faith is lacking to genuinely grasp the importance of religion in the modern world. This core curriculum class has revolutionized my perspective on Jesus through the discovery of four concepts regarding the history of Jesus and the church, which carved the way through a more meaningful evaluation of the role of Jesus in my life and the community.

Religion, as defined by the High Court of Australia, is ‘a complex of beliefs and practices which point to a set of values and an understanding of the meaning of existence’ (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005) and can be studied either substantively or functionally (Berger 1974:126). Substantive studies of religion fall predominantly in the realm of theology and are more concerned with defining religious beliefs; their historical accuracy; and the existence of supernatural entities (Holmes, Hughes & Julian 2007:425). Sociology however, concerns itself primarily with the relationship between religion and society, examining religion as a social construction (Van Krieken et al. 2010:350-1) and concerned only with the substance of

Critical Appraisal Byrne , C., (2012), Jeesis is alive! He is the King of Australia: segregated religious instruction, child identity and exclusion. British Journal of Religious Education. 34 (3) pp. 317-331.

The work of Erricker (2010) supported concept‐led enquiry and broke down the Religious Education (RE) key concepts into three categories; type A, B and C. Type A are the concepts people will experience at some point in their life

Symptomatic of this decline, parents are increasingly opting their children out of faith-taught religious instruction classes in NSW and QLD state schools. And in Victoria, these classes were scrapped from curriculum time, in 2015, to allow more focus on core learning.

In this essay, I am going to discuss religious education under various topic headings including R.E and the R.E teacher, World Religions and morality and ethics. Through attending lectures and seminars, I have learned a lot about the Religious Education system in Ireland and further afield. Furthermore, in my reflective journal, I have reflected on a world of possibilities of what religion means to me. Throughout the year, my opinions on certain topics has changed, or has strengthen and I feel the reflective journal has helped me. In the essay, I am hoping to include reflections, readings and my experiences from the lectures and seminars to discover the various of topics.