To think in this day and age more importance should be placed on religious education in schools?

[cannotthinkofanorginialname]

I teach in a secondary school in an ex-mining village location where the overwhelming majority of students are from white, working class, Christian (mostly on-practising from what I can tell) backgrounds. Whilst I really love working with the kids I teach, sometimes their views on the world and those we share it with really depress me.

Over the years I've found students becoming generally less tolerant on issues like religion and immigration and I wonder whether the way in which my school pays lip-service to 'Religious Education' is one of the reasons why. We have one qualified RE teacher (and over 1K students on roll). In lower school, students don't have any fixed RE or citizenship lessons. To show that the students are getting some sort of guidance, a day once per year is given over to RE and they get a few citizenship lessons at the end of the year (which are pretty rubbish as they are thrown together last minute by someone who has no interest in the topic!) At GCSE level, RE is optional and not taken up by many. Generally RE is seen as a waste of time by the vast majority of students I teach.

AIBU to think that actually RE is a really important subject? The way I see it, a lot of the trouble in the world is caused by religion or namely a lack of understanding between people of different religions and if we were all a bit better educated about the different religions of the world, we might be able to encourage more tolerance and cooperation between people of different faiths?

Some of the things I hear from the students I think must have come from their parents or the media and if they have no other access to fact-based information about different religions and cultures, how are they ever going to be able to make reasonable, informed views and opinions about the world around them? I try my best to foster an environment of understanding and tolerance in my classroom but I think this needs to be looked at on a larger scale. I'd be interested to hear other people's views.

I agree with the suggestion for cultural studies rather religious education in terms of learning about how people and live and why they live that way. I think philosophy could good in terms of getting children to think about issues and the values they hold.

In my experience there was too much religious education at primary school, taught mainly as parroting of facts and telling of stories at an age when they did not have the awareness or skills to think critically about it at all.

My youngest DD at school had to learn about different religions, I had no say in the matter.throughout history religion has caused wars, both sides considering they are the "right" religion. (like Ireland in the 70s) If you want your children to go to a particular religion based school fine, but do not feel it should be an automatic lesson.

Justin Welby on Radio 4 was interesting. It's about religious literacy which helps understand the foundation of societies today even if they are secular. RS is about knowledge not indoctrination. Knowledge brings power. Welby's view is a lack of religious literacy is hampering intelligence forces.

"We need more critical thinking and more honest conversation, not less."

More is inherent in properly taught RE. It is all about critical thinking.

It's not indoctrination, it's a critical approach to major schools of thought which are important both historically and currently.

critical thinking is one of the key skills developmed by RS. Debate, holding a line of reasoning and evaluating arguments. In fact when I taught the old critical thinking AS it was the same department (a lot of overlap with philosophy.)

I opened the thread with a bit of trepidation but am pleased I did
In Scotland where I teach it is called RMPS - Religious Moral and Philosophical studies. I probably teach more about human rights than I do religion tbh.

Yep same down south in that I taught mainly philosophy and ethics. Nearly all actually. I dont have any in depth knowledge of world religions....

The way I see it, a lot of the trouble in the world is caused by religion or namely a lack of understanding between people of different religions and if we were all a bit better educated about the different religions of the world, we might be able to encourage more tolerance and cooperation between people of different faiths?

I think its critical we teach dc of all faiths, starting with the very first ones then the roman and Greek deities etc - then philosophy...to give a wider perspective on how we think and come to form opinions, and yes then wider faiths but ultimately we are witnessing a fall out in Islam..we can teach about faith in politics, the enlightenment - the changes Christianity has gone through...

Yep I loved teaching plato/socrates/ and then enlightenment reasoning!

The ethics and philosophy courses were really good and almost draw me back into teaching.

There is, though, too much emphasis on religion rather than wider cultural literacy. The issues we see with armed struggle in the name of religion across the world is generally about far wider cultural and power struggles and not nearly as much to do with actual faith or religion as its rhetoric often presents.

When children learn about religions, what exactly do they learn? Because there are 'facts' and beliefs - and we all know that belonging to one faith does not mean you all have the same values and interpretations as other members of that faith.

That must make explaining a faith's view on issues difficult.

Yes I do think it's important to learn about different religions and beliefs, knowledge is power and it's good for children to not be intolerant like strawberrygate.

Most people in the world do have a religious belief. Learning about religions is so important to be able to understand and connect with people we meet every day. I remember when I was a teenager I met a man who was a Zoroastrian (Mazdayasna) and he was impressed I knew about his beliefs and had a friendly chat. I was home educated though so I have my Mother to thank for that!

I think RE can be done badly - in my secondary we had one year on 'world religions' and it was basically learning checklists for what each religion 'does' - so names of festivals and what is often done on them, what adherents wear or don't, eat or don't, but none of the controversies or schisms between adherents of the same religion, which would have been more interesting.
The other years of secondary RE ignored the R and was more about ethics and social studies, and was usually interesting and educational, despite a very biased poor teacher. And year 9 was all about contraception. Every week. In graphic detail. Including way too much about said teacher's sex life and that of all her friends. But can't deny that it was useful!

Years 7 & 8 we had Current Events, discussing articles in the newspapers and the excellent teacher filling us in on relevant history, law, social issues etc, with the result that we realised why history was important.

Interesting thread OP and I wholeheartedly agree but I am thinking, should we be renaming RE? The reason I am saying is because apart from all the different religions in the world there are also quite a significant number of agnostics and atheists and I think that education should highlight the views and ways of life of these people too as a valid belief or non belief, however you look at it.

So, what to name these lessons, something along the lines of Belief Education lesson? (I'm sure someone will come up with something better).

It is sad that the lessons are scaled and dumbed down in your school, religions are so interesting, as are the beliefs of atheists, I mean you could probably do a good topic on Richard Dawkins for a start. The trouble is we see subjects as quite isolated in themselves, rather than looking at the fact that beliefs/non beliefs also encompass science, geography, astronomy, biology, etc etc, teachers could throw in allsorts of stuff to the lessons, it would be a fabulous opportunity to do so.

My DH and I were discussing that in the wake of the recent terrorists attacks and what on earth could be the answer that this sort of education should take place from primary school, start the belief lessons here, teach them some tolerance at a young age.

I do think it's important to learn about different religions and beliefs

If you believe this: Who do you think should decide what religions are studied? Who should decide what these religions believe? Will you teach the negative side of these religions. Who will decide what the negative side of these religions are? What will you do if all the evidence shows that no matter how much you teach children about what others believe, it has zero affect on religious terrorism? What will you do if religions complain that their religion is being falsely portrayed in school? What will you do if more RE in school means more home educated children?

I teach a humanities subject and have often taught RE either as "Humanities" modules, or as its own subject. There is a lack of subject specialists which is why it's commonly accepted for History/ Geography specialists to have it on their timetables.

I'm sure that financial and political pressures will be reducing the priority given to RE timetabling/ staffing. Oddly it was in the unusual position of being a compulsory subject, but not National Curriculum to conform to, instead having local agreements.

The usual format I've encountered has been focused on the major world religions, either by religion or by topic e.g. birth ceremonies, places of worship in one hour a week. In y9 it often goes more to ethical issues in preparation towards GCSE course options. Short course GCSEs were popular at combining the need for RE timetable requirements and offering an accessible GCSE. Changes in post 14 requirements mean there is now less benefit to this approach.

I've taught in a range of schools, very multicultural and very white, homogeneous working class towns where a 10 mile commute and a non-local accent is definitely on the threshold between "novelty" and "forriner". An understanding of key beliefs and actions of people from a range of faiths is very important, particularly where people don't gain that from personal experience.

Many children enter secondary school completely ignorant of basic religious influences on British culture. It doesn't matter what their personal beliefs about Christmas/ birth of Jesus/ solstice celebrations are, but it does matter if religious/ cultural ignorance is a barrier to understanding literature, art or what is going on in current affairs.

Atheist/ humanist points of view may also be covered as well as formal religion.

I had no religious education at school at all. My DC both did compulsory RS to GCSE, the school made it compulsory because it's an easy subject to pass...

I don't support the teaching of religion in non denominational schools. Most religions are based in oppression of others, and the subjugation of women.

I'd prefer it if we were a secular society and religion, especially overt displays of the same, was discouraged.

I'm not tolerant of people with silly superstitions and misogynistic and homophobic beliefs because their book from thousands of years ago promotes attitudes from primitive times.

It's not atheists commiting suicide bombings in the name of Darwinism, killing innocent people, perpertrating genocide or slavery because that's what the prophet did.

The more oppressive religious lunatics in a society, the more normal thinking people will recoil from the insanity of religion. Some religions are harmless, others far less so and there should be no tolerance for the intolerable.

I would like to see religious literacy being taught properly in schools, with an emphasis on knowledge. The basic thinking should be "How can we make sure that when students encounter religious references in literature, read about historical events that are related to religion, and read about religion-related stuff in the newspaper, they are able to basically grasp what is going on?"

Start with the Mesopotamian myths (the story of Gilgamesh! Great fun for young kids, and the starting point for a lot of other religious stuff), then go on through Egyptian and Greek/Roman mythology, Hinduism, Buddhism, the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and all the rest.

Teach students cultural literacy about religion--the origins and timeline of the religions, what sacred texts are used, what festivals are celebrated, what the underlying tenets are, the history and geographical overreach of each religion, the different sects, differences and similarities between the faiths. Do not preach, do not tell kids how to think, and do not "sell" particular religions or lie to students.

If there is deeply controversial stuff, skate over it altogether for the younger kids, and then discuss cautiously as teenagers get older.

I'm not a fan of teaching stuff like philosophy to school-aged kids, because I think you need a good grounding in knowledge about the world at large before you can start trying to discuss this kind of thing with children.

Trying to discuss philosophy with kids who don't have the faintest idea where most countries are and what belief systems are practiced in each place, and who do not have a basic overview of knowledge about the history of their own country and the world at large, is likely to degenerate in a load of vague PSHE-type time-wasting crap, where teacher try to hold discussions on a predictable round of pop-culture "issues" and everyone basically concludes that "We should be nice to each other" etc. etc.

excellent thread. back in the 70's the re class I attended as a teen was called ethics (not at all like my uni ethics class) it was all about the various religions how they came about, a bit of geography lots of history really worthwhile tying the life and times together.

Very well said HildaOg, my sentiments exactly. Over the years whenever, I have said religious beliefs cause war, I was told it was people not religion, but they often attack, saying its in the name of God. and people say they "believe" in God, its not a fact its a belief system.I believe that most human being are fundamentally kind and decent. Will children be taught ALL religions, like Scientology (a cult started by a science FICTION writer) which has stagggeringly now been reconised as a religion!

There's no reason why Scientology shouldn't covered. Because in explaining it, and discussing the 'cultish' aspects, and indeed 'what constitutes a religion?' the pupils will learn to apply critical thinking skills and how to evaluate by compare/contrast.

I don't think you need RE lessons. You need better PSHE lessons : religion, culture, politics, discussion, debate, current affairs, self worth and confidence.

As a complete non believer I think that more time spent on RE is time wasted.
By all means do citizenship or what ever but religious observance should be reserved for the home environment.
Pushing one religion over any another is a recipe for conflict.