A Hermeneutics Of Religious Education

What does it mean to understand a religion? How should the concept of truth be addressed in the contemporary classroom? What is the proper subject matter of religious education and how does it relate to other subjects and the school curriculum as a whole? Despite the prevalence of literature on these subjects, these issues are far from resolved and consequently the place and nature of religious education in our schools is precarious and confused. A Hermeneutics of Religious Education argues that although the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics has transformed both educational thought and the academic discipline of religious studies, the literature of religious education pedagogy has paid only limited attention to these developments. To engage with them fully entails a transformation of our understanding of religious education and its importance in a curriculum of the twenty-first century.

What does it mean to understand a religion? How should the concept of truth be addressed in the contemporary classroom? What is the proper subject matter of religious education and how does it relate to other subjects and the school curriculum as a whole? Despite the prevalence of literature on these subjects, these issues are far from resolved and consequently the place and nature of religious education in our schools is precarious and confused. A Hermeneutics of Religious Education argues that although the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics has transformed both educational thought and the academic discipline of religious studies, the literature of religious education pedagogy has paid only limited attention to these developments. To engage with them fully entails a transformation of our understanding of religious education and its importance in a curriculum of the twenty-first century.

What does it mean to understand a religion? How should the concept of truth be addressed in the contemporary classroom? What is the proper subject matter of religious education and how does it relate to other subjects and the school curriculum as a whole? Despite the prevalence of literature on these subjects, these issues are far from resolved and consequently the place and nature of religious education in our schools is precarious and confused. A Hermeneutics of Religious Education argues that although the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics has transformed both educational thought and the academic discipline of religious studies, the literature of religious education pedagogy has paid only limited attention to these developments. To engage with them fully entails a transformation of our understanding of religious education and its importance in a curriculum of the twenty-first century.

The contributors of this volume reflect on the writings of Hans van der Ven on the foundations of practical theology, the empirical paradigm within practical theology, and specific subdisciplines within practical theology, especially religious education, moral education, church development and ministry.

This study claims that the question of truth is central to religious education. It contends that there are two broad approaches to how the question of truth is considered in religious education in the Republic of Ireland. These two approaches can be broadly described as follows: [a] approaches that operate from the presumption that objective truth exists, and [b] approaches that are sceptical of any claim to objective truth. The research argues that each of these approaches, in their current manifestations, are found wanting when confronted with the challenges that face religious education in a contemporary pluralist classroom. This research takes account of the theological as well as philosophical sensitives that characterise religious education. It proposes that another way forward for religious education presents itself by way of a greater appreciation for the hermeneutical turn that has emerged in contemporary theological and philosophical discourse. To this end the study engages with Pollefeyt's consideration of religious education and its emergent hermeneutical turn; Boeve's post-modern reflections on tradition and the need for an open narrative; Marion's understanding of givenness and hermeneutics in the context of a God-beyond-being; a critical realist approach to religious education; and, Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics to arrive at an understanding of religious education that operates from a theologically and philosophically informed position that religious education qua religious education facilitates encounters with truth. This study offers an account of the hermeneutical task of religious education which places the question of truth at its centre. It argues for an understanding of the hermeneutical task of religious education as being orientated towards facilitating 'truthevents', moments of truth whereby the 'happening' character of education as well as its transformative nature are appreciated through meaningful encounters with the particularity and difference of the other. The study concludes by identifying seven correlating insights that emerge from the conversation between Catholic theology and Gadamerian philosophy and five key principles that may assist in future developments in religious education in the Republic of Ireland and beyond.

This book is meant to honour the Belgian religious educationalist Herman Lombaerts reflecting on his legacy. He is internationally renowned as a scholar with a strong commitment to and a conceptual analysis of the social and cultural context in which people live and learn. This series of essays is build upon a thought provoking, streamlined design on the relationship between theology and education, relying on Lombaerts' societal and cultural analysis of contemporary religious education. Three key elements are at stake: the self-agency of the learner, the hermeneutic and communitive interpretation of religious traditions in the teaching of religion, and the radical re-imagination of Christian theology relying on this new model of religious educational praxis. For Lombaerts, the search processes of religious people have their own dynamic and dignity. Practical theology should listen carefully and empathetically to this quest. But he is also convinced of the need of solid fundamental research to understand critically its ambiguities and perspectives. Scholars from Europe, the United States and Australia lead the way in this process of "conceptual stretching". Issues such as happiness of children, identity formation of youth, educational and religious insecurity of parents, multi-faith education, tradition crisis of churches, theological education of lay ministers, narrativity and modern art in religious education, etc. are examined from a practical theological point of view, with a strong commitment to the philosophical, psychological, sociological, educational and political dimensions of three issues. With this book the editors hope to commemorate Lombaerts' international radiation, by building a collegial bridge between the different theoretical approaches in the German, Dutch, French, Italian and Anglo-Saxon religious educational research.

In this study Mi-Rang Kang (*1969 in Seoul) investigates the role of women in Korean church life and society and shows possibilities for their empowerment. By transposing Paul Ricoeurs hermeneutics into her own context, she wants to contribute to the formation of Korean Christian women's identity. Along the lines of the book of Ruth she develops a Bible didactical theory for her own church. At the same time the book will also give Western readers an insight into one of the major Presbyterian denominations in Korea, little known so far.