The alienated religion studies teacher: a case study in Cape Town, South Africa (original) (raw)
Related papers
2015
In the interest of instilling a respect for diversity in learners, the South African policy on religion and education (DoE 2003) aims to recognise religion in teaching and learning in public schools. The policy provides one mechanism for advancing diversity via religion education; Life Orientation in the classroom. Research however suggests that embracing religious diversity in the classroom is challenging. This article therefore examines whether this is an adequate mechanism for achieving the intended outcome of the policy. The article proceeds to examine the mechanism for advancing diversity via religion education, the classroom, in relation to integration of the post-apartheid classroom and teachers’ capacity. The article finds that the mechanism to advance diversity via religion education provided by the national policy on religion education is inadequate within the current South African context. Keywords: religion education, classroom, post-secular, teacher capacity
Scriptura, 2020
'Christian National Education' (CNE) was promoted in South Africa between 1948 and 1990 by the then apartheid government to enhance and preserve white supremacy through the public schools' system. One significant educational reform following the introduction of democratic governance in South Africa was the replacement of 'Religious Education' with 'Religion Education', intended to promote mutual recognition between future citizens, regardless of religion, ethnicity or culture. Yet, however preferable to what preceded it, this policy introduced inherent and unique limitations and difficulties we, two philosophers of education, one South African, the other English, explore while keeping in mind the place of religion in the curriculum. We see clear lessons to be learned from the South African experience of RE that are relevant to both contexts, adopting what we describe as a 'post'-post-confessional stance to advocate a richer notion of religious illiteracy than that which is commonly assumed by policy makers, educational professionals and other educational stakeholders. We conclude by exploring the potential of academic learning in RE that is both educative and consciously positioned, using the specific example of sacred text scholarship to illustrate 'post' post-confessional RE's practical application.
The Representation of Religion in Religion Education: Notes from the South African Periphery
Education Sciences, 2018
Scholars of Religion Education (RE) have promoted a non-confessional approach to the teaching of religions that explores and examines the religious history of humankind, with due attention paid to its complexity and plurality. In this promotion, the public representation of religion and its impact on RE has not received sufficient attention. An often hegemonic representation of religion constitutes an important part of religion in public life. Moreover, this article argues that this representation is a phenomenon shared by secular, secularizing, and deeply religious societies. It shows that a Western understanding of secularization has guided dominant RE visions and practices, informed by a particular mode of representation. As an illustration of how education in and representation of religion merges in RE, the article analyses the South African policy document for religion education. While the policy promotes RE as an educational practice, it also makes room for a representation of religion. This article urges that various forms of the representation of religion should be more carefully examined in other contexts, particularly by those who want to promote a non-confessional and pluralistic approach to RE.
Reflections of a Teacher Educator of Religion Education: Informing and Transforming Practice
Alternation: Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Arts and Humanities in Southern Africa
The voice of the Religion Education teacher can either entrench religious discrimination or embrace religious diversity and promote intra-and interreligious dialogue. Set against the background of political and curriculum change in South Africa, this article traces the trajectory that I have pursued as a teacher of Religion Education at secondary schools, at a former college of education and in my current position as a teacher educator at a university in South Africa. This personal history self-study provides an account of the paradigm shifts I have undergone from what I call religious identity paralysis, to religious identity paradox, to religious identity flexibility, and finally to my current position of ongoing religious identity transformation. In doing so, I mirror something of my journey from a mono-religious approach to teaching Religion Education to that of a multi-religious approach, and more recently, to the emergence of an empathetic-reflective-dialogical approach. I use the lens of the dialogical self and religious identity capital to interpret my story. The possibility exists that my understanding of how and why I made changes to my approach to Religion Education can inform my practice as I encourage my pre-service teachers to engage with their own religious identity paradigms. This has the potential to be empowering and transformative in religiously diverse classroom contexts and indeed, for the wider society.
Religion in education policy in South Africa: a challenge of change
Since 1995, the National Department of Education has developed a number of policies to give effect to the proposed transformation outlined in White Paper 1 (Notice 196 of 1995) and in subsequent legislation. A range of Acts and policies were introduced, many of them dealing with how religion should be dealt with in schools and it culminated in the promulgation of the National Policy on Religion and Education (2003). In all these policies the role of the school and, in particular, of the school principal has been foregrounded as important for effective implementation of policies. This article is based on research conducted to determine how school principals dealt with religion and the implementation of the religion and education policy. This study found that school principals often ignore the policy and maintain the status quo. When faced with conflict of religious interests, they partially sub-contract into the policy. The study also found that past experiences with religion in education, either as students or educators, had a major impact on how principals perceive the role of religion in schools and how they dealt with it.
The South African National Policy on Religion and Education (2003) is designed to expose learners to the diversity of religious traditions that constitute the nation. The new policy replaces the mono-religious system of education promoted during apartheid. Since 1994, there has been extensive research on the background and theory of the new policy. However, there is insuffi cient empirical research on how the policy is implemented in various schools in the country. This paper uses the concept of religious literacy to explore this implementation in a state school founded on church ground. The article focuses on examining the meaning of religious literacy in relation to the policy and to this school. It shows that diversity education and personal development are the main goals of religious literacy in the national policy. It also shows how the Catholic school in question is equally committed to these goals, but with a distinctive meaning of nurture and socialization.
The Voice of the Religion Education Teacher in the Context of Religious Diversity
In the domain of Religion Education the voice of the Religion Education (RE) teacher is crucial. This voice can either entrench religious discrimination or promote religious tolerance and dialogue. The findings of a recent empirical research project in selected KwaZulu-Natal primary schools provided evidence that the RE teacher's understanding of religious freedom is influenced by his/her biography and school context. This understanding finds expression in the RE teacher's voice which can choose to act in a way which is emancipatory and transformatory or not. It is important that a dialogical space is created for RE teacher's concerns to be voiced and heard.
Paving the Way to Transformation: Student Teachers' Religious Identity and Religion Education
In South Africa, Religion Education refers specifically to a diversity of religions and beliefs. The Religion and Education Policy (2003) requires teachers to adopt a multi-religious approach to Religion Education. This presents a challenge to Life Orientation student teachers given the religious diversity in South African classrooms. This article focuses on final year Life Orientation student teachers, in the School of Education at a South African university. Once qualified, these student teachers will be expected to facilitate Religion Education as part of the Life Orientation curriculum. I explore their understanding of religious freedom as a constitutional right and how their religious identity influences their approach to Religion Education. This qualitative case study, which drew on the theory of identity negotiation, showed that, to varying degrees, the students struggled to adopt a multireligious approach to Religion Education. I contend that Initial Teacher Education Life Orientation modules, need to create space for student teachers to explore and negotiate their religious identity. This is necessary for the effective implementation of the Religion and Education Policy (2003) which expects teachers to encourage learners to grow in their own religious beliefs while also empathetically respecting the religious beliefs of others in society.
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies
A decolonial practice and understanding of education (whether theological or otherwise) requires engaging, subverting, deposing and reimagining a whole ecology of imaginaries, practices, structures, institutionalities, traditions, power asymmetries etc.: a task that is far beyond the capacities of any individual, community or even generation. Cognisant of this reality, the article foregrounds the question of pedagogy in theological education (but only as an integral part of the colonial/decolonial ecology of education) and argues that in so far as our pedagogies in theological education treat students primarily as ‘thinking creatures’, we are engaging in a dis-membering pedagogy that reproduces the coloniality of being. I identify a Cartesian anthropology (‘ego cogito sum’) – engendering a host of dualisms giving artificial supremacy to certain dimensions of reality over others – as a key animating source of dis-membering pedagogies. Drawing on the ‘pedagogical excess’ (i.e. underex...