Christians in Education at Patheos. Here are links to recent Patheos blog posts:
RELIGION AND BELIEF IN EDUCATION: IS IT TIME FOR A NEW SETTLEMENT? The nature of religious observance has diversified and the place of religion in society has shifted since the 1944 Education Act, but religious belief is still as important as ever. So it’s time to ask: what is an appropriate relationship between religion and education in the modern world? Read more
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT POVERTY We need to talk about the transformative power of education and the dignity that God’s work design affords. We need to talk about the negative outcomes of a body politic driven by economic success not by the common good. And above all, we need to talk about the kingdom of God, and the transformative power of God’s love for humanity. Read more
DOES THE NAUGHTY STEP WORK? Stick or carrot: which is the more powerful motivator? The balance between reward and punishment has swung like a pendulum for centuries, influencing parenting styles and behaviour management as it goes. Is there a definitive answer? Read more
CHOOSE YOUR RUT CAREFULLY The resurgence of religious belief and identity show that we are living in post secular era. How will governments negotiate a consensus which accommodates this new phenomenon? Read more
LEARN IT, LIVE IT: JUST MAKE SURE IT CONFORMS TO BRITISH VALUES As Ofsted appears to take a new tack when inspecting British values, more Orthodox Jewish schools are downgraded. Is Ofsted reaching beyond schools and into communities? Read more
CREATION IN THE CLASSROOM – WHAT YOU ARE REALLY AFRAID OF People tend to fear what they don’t understand and hate what they can’t conquer. Is this why the prohibition lobby is so vocal about the issue of creation? Read more
CREATION IN THE CLASSROOM – WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? Many teachers would like the subject of creation removed from the classroom completely. But do students not have a right to consider all explanations about the origins of the universe in order to decide for themselves what to believe? Read more
CHIPS, SCALES AND AN EQUITABLE SOCIETY In a recent letter, the Education Secretary wrote that the inclusion of the Equality Act 2010 in the British values agenda marked a ‘dramatic change in education policy’. What has been the outcome for faith schools? Read more
SENDING FAITH SCHOOLS TO THE NAUGHTY STEP – AGAIN A recent report suggests that faith schools, in particular faith ethos free schools, are responsible for enforcing social segregation. Is this the case, or another example of liberal secular bias? Read more
THE POLITICS OF HOPE IN A POST SECULAR SOCIETY There are signs that we may have moved into a post-secular society, one in which the role of religion and the views of people of faith need to be acknowledged in the political arena. Read more
MORAL BANKRUPTCY IN A GROWING ECONOMY: JUST WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION? The Prime Minister claims that children should be taught how to turn a profit. But is there more to education than just viewing it as a mechanism for stimulating economic growth and financial success? Read more
THE BIG QUESTIONS: SHOULD FAITH BE ALLOWED IN SCHOOLS? ‘Secular good: faith bad’ is a common mantra in the media. Is it time for the secular lobby to find some more arguments as the same points are raised and addressed again and again by supporters of faith education. Read more
THE FUTURE OF FAITH SCHOOLS – A CONTINUING STORY Following its complaints, the British Humanist Association has persuaded the European Commission to undertake a review of staffing and admissions to faith schools, Will changes dilute the faith ethos? Read more
COMPULSION OR CONTEXT; THE FUTURE OF SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION The debate about SRE and PSHE provision is intensifying as some MPs argue that parents should no longer be responsible for, or even involved, this crucial aspect of their child’s upbringing. Should there be parental involvement in curriculum content? Read more
INDOCTRINATE OR EDUCATE: THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN EDUCATION The National Secular Society claims that evangelical Christians put indoctrination ahead of education when selecting schools for their children. So, do faith schools educate, or indoctrinate? Read more
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION AND THE SAFETY OF FAITH SCHOOLS Excellent news. Faith schools are going to remain a permanent part of the English education system. It must be true, because a politician said so, But for how long will they retain their distinctive faith ethos? Read more
COLLECTIVE WORSHIP: TIME FOR A DIGNIFIED CLOSURE? All pupils in attendance at a maintained school in the UK have to take part in a daily act of collective worship which is wholly, or mainly, of a broadly Christian character. Is it time, 70 years on and living in a very different society, to bring this practice to a dignified end? Read more
BELIEFS OR VALUES? THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO FIND OUT In a defining values based education, international consultant Dr Neil Hawkes suggests that ‘beliefs divide: values unite’. What does this mean in the current context of the British values agenda as a response to religious extremism? Read more
LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE EVIDENT TO ALL Earlier this week a report was published entitled Religion, Security and Global Uncertainties. It called, among other things, for an increase in religious literacy and a wider vocabulary among us all, in order to overcome the current simplistic response to religious violence as a purely religious issue. But is this the answer? Read more
TOUGH ON CHEATING, TOUGH ON THE CAUSES OF CHEATING? To really be tough on the causes of cheating, successive Departments for Education on both sides of the political sphere need to own up to the effect of a culture of measurement. Read more
I AM CHRISTIAN How does that impact on my role as a teacher, working in a secular context where the concept of neutrality underpins the community? Is there a way to live out a Christian worldview without offence? Read more
THE POLITICS OF MEASUREMENT What if we could change not only what is measured, but how we prepare pupils to be measured? What if? Read more
THE PATH OF THE PEDADOGUE Our modern word ‘pedagogy’ is defined as ‘the art and science of education’. But this isn’t where the word started its life. In Greek, a pedagogue was someone who led a child. What are the implications for us as teachers? Read more
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO OUR CHILDREN? Do we want them to be cogs in an economic unit, with an education system that only values what they can produce? Or do we want to value our children as unique, made in the image of God, special human people? Read more