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Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools:...
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Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools: Particularity in Dialogue with Diversity

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 April 2025 | Viewed by 6276

Special Issue Editors

Dr. William Sultmann

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Guest Editor
La Salle Academy, Australian Catholic University, Locked Bag 4115 DC, 3065 Fitzroy Victoria, Australia
Interests: leadership; formation
Prof. Dr. Peta Goldburg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy, Australian Catholic University, Locked Bag 4115 DC, 3065 Fitzroy Victoria, Australia
Interests: curriculum theory and design; pedagogy
Prof. Dr. David Hall

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
La Salle Academy, Australian Catholic University, Locked Bag 4115 DC, 3065 Fitzroy Victoria, Australia
Interests: policy; faith formation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is no surprise to educators in Catholic schools that religious education has a significant place in the curriculum. What continues to be a challenge is the accommodation of religious education theories and practices within quality curriculum programs in light of inclusive practices, curriculum preferencing in response to student priorities, student agency, and diversity in religious affiliations and faith practices. Curriculum practices typically mirror these imperatives as community expectations are integrated with new understandings of mission–practice relationships. This concept of continuity and discontinuity is no more evidenced than in the field of religious education, where new pathways are being explored as the reality and significance of religious education in Catholic schools remains a priority for the Church in Australia and New Zealand.

The Journal of Religions is pursuing a Special Issue for addressing the research question of engaging religious plurality within Catholic schools—particularity in dialogue with diversity. In this context, we are pleased to invite you (…), as per the list of nominations.

This Special Issue aims to incorporate practices and academic reflections on a spectrum of themes, such as context, challenges, policy, curriculum content, pedagogical practice, scriptural and indigenous perspectives, the place of values, experiential learning, wellbeing, formation, cross curriculum initiatives, place of dialogue, evaluative processes, and innovations in the field of contemporary religious education. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Overall research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Context and Policy;
  • Curriculum Design (Goals, Content, Pedagogy, Outcomes);
  • Practice, Innovation, and Accountability;
  • Perspectives (Disability, Indigeneity, Gender, Marginalisation, Remoteness, Inclusion).

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. William Sultmann
Prof. Dr. Peta Goldburg
Prof. Dr. David Hall
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • religious education
  • Catholic school curriculum
  • religious plurality
  • innovation
  • mission

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 935 KiB  
Article
SOMETHING IS NOT WORKING! REIMAGINING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN TODAY’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL: The All Black Culture, The Samaritan Woman at the Well, the ANZAC Mythology and the Crucial Importance of Formative Contexts
by Graeme Mellor
Religions 2024, 15(12), 1459; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121459 - 29 Nov 2024
Viewed by 389
Abstract
This article explores the pressing issue of the re-imagination of Religious Education in today’s Catholic school. It does so within the context of the plenary re-imagination of the contemporary Catholic school itself, a work-in-progress to which it has both a complementary and a [...] Read more.
This article explores the pressing issue of the re-imagination of Religious Education in today’s Catholic school. It does so within the context of the plenary re-imagination of the contemporary Catholic school itself, a work-in-progress to which it has both a complementary and a symbiotic relationship. In doing so, the author draws upon sources as diverse as the anthropological lessons at the heart of the powerful and inspiring All Blacks Rugby code, the ANZAC Tradition and the narrative of the surprisingly transformative encounter of the Samaritan woman with Jesus at Jacob’s well in the Gospel of John (Jn 4:4–42). The Aparecida Document (2007) issued by the Episcopal Council of Latin American Bishops (CELAM) under the leadership of the then-Cardinal Bergoglio prior to his elevation to the Papacy and his adoption of the Pontifical name, ‘Francis’ (2013) provides a compass to find the way forward, not only for the Church itself but for Catholic Schools within its embrace. This article examines the potential power of the seminal integration of Religious Education within the plenary and daily narrative of the whole school, the liberating perspective gained through the re-defining and re-owning of it as ‘the work of the whole educative village’ and the acceptance of the responsibilities and challenges that this seismically challenging conceptual shift will necessarily bring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools: Particularity in Dialogue with Diversity)
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11 pages, 661 KiB  
Article
Religious Education (RE) as a Context: The Subcultures That Shape Teacher’s Work When Teaching This Subject in Australian Catholic Secondary Schools
by Brendan Hyde and Anthony Sylvester Anning
Religions 2024, 15(12), 1442; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121442 - 27 Nov 2024
Viewed by 415
Abstract
Religious Education (RE) can be conceived of as a specific context within which secondary RE teachers from diverse backgrounds teach. This context gives rise to distinctive subject subcultures, characterised by a unique set of beliefs, norms, and practices that are shared by teachers [...] Read more.
Religious Education (RE) can be conceived of as a specific context within which secondary RE teachers from diverse backgrounds teach. This context gives rise to distinctive subject subcultures, characterised by a unique set of beliefs, norms, and practices that are shared by teachers who teach RE. Using micronarratives as a way to initiate further discussion and to distil some key points which can be elaborated upon, we illustrate some salient aspects of RE’s subcultures. These include a subculture of ambiguity, boundary crossings and objects, and a confusion of purpose and terms. Knowledge of these may better assist schools—and Catholic Schools’ Departments—to orient and support these teachers in their classroom practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools: Particularity in Dialogue with Diversity)
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14 pages, 212 KiB  
Article
Faith Inside an Immanent Frame
by Paul Sharkey
Religions 2024, 15(10), 1240; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15101240 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 608
Abstract
Those who are charged with the responsibility of governing, leading or teaching in Catholic schools at this time are challenged by questions which go to the heart of their school’s mission. How is it possible for the mission of the Catholic school to [...] Read more.
Those who are charged with the responsibility of governing, leading or teaching in Catholic schools at this time are challenged by questions which go to the heart of their school’s mission. How is it possible for the mission of the Catholic school to be realised in a culture that is increasingly secularising? What is the secularising context and how is religious belief still possible today? These are questions of profound significance also for the families who seek a Catholic education for their children. Charles Taylor’s analysis of our secular age provides a foundation for addressing these questions as do findings from the Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) research. Whilst the secularising context is sometimes painted as the enemy of Catholic education, it is presented here as being the context in which Catholic schools must realise their mission and this cultural context, like any cultural context, has elements which support the mission and elements which impede it. The following key concepts from Taylor’s analysis are reviewed because of their relevance for Catholic schools: the Expressivist Age, the Cross-Pressured context and the Immanent Frame. The Post-Critical Belief Scale from the ECSI research is also reviewed, as a key finding is that Post-Critical Belief is the only viable option for faith in a secularising context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools: Particularity in Dialogue with Diversity)
11 pages, 195 KiB  
Article
Student Priorities for Topics, Pedagogies, and Outcomes in Senior Secondary Religious Education: An Australian Perspective
by William Sultmann, Janeen Lamb, Peter Ivers and Mark Craig
Religions 2024, 15(9), 1029; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15091029 - 23 Aug 2024
Viewed by 745
Abstract
This paper reports on one part of a larger longitudinal empirical study (2021–2023) that responds to the call for Religious Education (RE) to address religious plurality in the context of senior Catholic schooling within an Australian Archdiocese where students represent multiple faith traditions [...] Read more.
This paper reports on one part of a larger longitudinal empirical study (2021–2023) that responds to the call for Religious Education (RE) to address religious plurality in the context of senior Catholic schooling within an Australian Archdiocese where students represent multiple faith traditions or no traditions. The research focuses on the level of satisfaction by students across Topics, Pedagogies, and Outcomes within a new and innovative senior school curriculum, Religion Meaning and Life (RML) based on national RE guidelines. Participants included 276 students across 17 schools who completed an online survey with 32 of these students participating in focus group interviews. Data analysis of quantitative data was both descriptive and inferential, and qualitative data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Topics of most interest were Ethics and Other World Religions; pedagogies entailing dialogue and use of media and technologies were rated highly; and learning outcomes entailed awareness of school mission, the religious dimension of the school, and pastoral care. Inferential statistical analyses confirm four core topics, pedagogies, and outcomes as significant to levels of satisfaction and in combination accounted for 42% of the variance of satisfaction with RML. Theoretical propositions for what matters most in senior secondary RE were advanced through four integrating principles (educational, formative, social, communitarian) and practice implications that preference Catholic tradition, and reference religious plurality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools: Particularity in Dialogue with Diversity)
13 pages, 1178 KiB  
Article
Religious Education in Australia: The Voices of Practitioners and Scholars
by David Hall, William Francis Sultmann and Janeen Therese Lamb
Religions 2024, 15(9), 1025; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15091025 - 23 Aug 2024
Viewed by 933
Abstract
Religious education (RE) in Australia is challenged to support the religious and spiritual needs of Australia’s religiously plural student population. Within a national colloquium, practitioners and scholars (N = 57) gathered to discern ways forward in RE. Data were collected from small and [...] Read more.
Religious education (RE) in Australia is challenged to support the religious and spiritual needs of Australia’s religiously plural student population. Within a national colloquium, practitioners and scholars (N = 57) gathered to discern ways forward in RE. Data were collected from small and whole group discussions reported across three days of integrated reflection on themes of Awaken, Celebrate, and Imagine. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and Leximancer were used to analyse the respective data which confirmed domains of focus on Day 1 of Formation, Curriculum, Pedagogy, Partnerships, and Research. Day 2 (Celebrate) explored these domains and identified Themes and Theoretical Propositions that advanced each domain. Day 3 (Imagine) underlined foundations in faith for each domain and detailed generic propositions and themes. Propositions included advancing RE through Formation (being attentive to personal readiness, curriculum intention, and school identity), Pedagogy (engaging practices of inquiry, experiential learning, and encounter-based opportunities), Curriculum (characterised as inclusive, relevant, and life-giving), Partnerships (strengthening inclusion and engagement with family, parish, and community), and Research (integrating evidence-based practice). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools: Particularity in Dialogue with Diversity)
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15 pages, 1093 KiB  
Article
Formation Fit for Purpose: Empowering Religious Educators Working in Catholic Schools
by Antonella Poncini
Religions 2024, 15(6), 665; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15060665 - 28 May 2024
Viewed by 1561
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to provide curriculum support to religious educators working in Catholic schools. The paper provides a practical response to research advocating serious attention be given to religious educators because they are at the “coalface” of Catholic education, increasingly [...] Read more.
The purpose of this paper is to provide curriculum support to religious educators working in Catholic schools. The paper provides a practical response to research advocating serious attention be given to religious educators because they are at the “coalface” of Catholic education, increasingly confronted by content and policy decisions, the diverse values and needs of their students, and other competing cultural and social challenges. Religious educators play a significant role in the evangelising mission of the Catholic Church as interpreters of Scripture and Tradition and can positively or negatively influence the quality of their students’ learning and its application. Entitled RECALL, the support offered to religious educators in this paper is research-led and utilises educational, standards-based principles. It is a community-minded approach that aims to build religious literacy and deepen the religious educators’ awareness and connections to the legacy of the Catholic Faith Tradition. The desired outcome is to inspire evidence-based conversations encompassing faith and reason, the perceived value and reality of the identity and mission of the Catholic Church, and its impact on Catholic culture and education. Intended to enhance rather than replace existing professional formation, the approach has structures, pedagogical processes, and practices that draw from a set of overarching theoretical considerations. Furthermore, the approach employs three guiding questions for categorising and analysing Catholic content. The questions are: (i) “Who are we as Catholics and what is our mission?” (ii) “What do we believe?” and (iii) “How do we practice?” The proposed curriculum support to religious educators may foster a culture of learning in Religious Education that is focused on improving and progressing the quality of educational outcomes for students. The premise is that if religious educators are supported to engage with the great Gospel narrative, their students may do the same. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools: Particularity in Dialogue with Diversity)
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7 pages, 161 KiB  
Article
Pondering Diversity in Contemporary Culture: Towards Establishing a Framework for a Dialogical Approach to Religious Education in Australian Catholic Schools
by Richard M. Rymarz
Religions 2024, 15(5), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15050617 - 17 May 2024
Viewed by 909
Abstract
This paper seeks to deepen the understanding of religious plurality using a range of conceptual lenses and then to draw out some implications for a dialogical approach to religious education in Catholic schools. While what was, until very recent times, seen as conventional [...] Read more.
This paper seeks to deepen the understanding of religious plurality using a range of conceptual lenses and then to draw out some implications for a dialogical approach to religious education in Catholic schools. While what was, until very recent times, seen as conventional religious affiliation has certainly weakened in Australia and elsewhere, this does not necessarily lead to a multiplication of communal beliefs, practices and values. Following Smith, Inglehart and others, what has emerged is a dominant cultural hegemony which has a range of characteristics, but the most pertinent for the discussion here is the loss of the transcendent imperative and the subsequent decline in the knowledge of, and identification with, narratives associated with once-dominant religious communities. An understanding of diversity in the current cultural milieu in Australia needs to consider this hegemony as expressed in a commonality of beliefs, values and practices regardless of expressed affiliation, religious or not. Understanding diversity in this framework establishes a basis for better considering what a dialogical approach to religious education would involve. A dialogical approach to religious education is taken as a settled norm and not one that is heavily contested. A number of the implications of the proposed understanding of diversity for religious education are given. These include following a Vygotskian scaffolded approach to pedagogy and seeing an important place for the articulation of the home religious tradition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Engaging Religious Plurality within Australian and New Zealand Catholic Schools: Particularity in Dialogue with Diversity)
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