Advancing Religion Studies in Southern Africa (original) (raw)
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Abstract Traditional definitions and prescriptions of 'secular'are increasingly being questioned as religion re-emerges as an important element of the public sphere in different nation-states. Secular nation-states with official policies of freedom of religion are increasingly challenged to redefine assumptions about the public role of religion. South Africa is not an exception as regards the definition and redefinition of the role of religion in the public sphere.
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.
South Africa’s developing model of Religion-State relations
Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference Parliamentary Liaison Office Occasional Paper #18, 2005
The advent of a democratic South Africa brought numerous changes in the public sphere. With the adoption of the 1996 Constitution, a new model of religion-state relations was instituted that fundamentally altered the interaction between religious groups and the new government. This paper is an attempt to examine this developing model by placing it in the context of other models and other countries, particularly in southern Africa. The historical and cultural context of South Africa will then be discussed, its evolution from the colonial past to the democratic present, and an exploration the limitations of the model as well as its implications for religious groups in South Africa today.
The Study of Religion at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, and Social Transformation
2014
in 2000, the study of religion at UKZN, Durban campus, takes place via three programmes, viz. the UG programme in Religion, and the two PG programmes in Religion and Social Transformation and Religion Education. This article reviews some of the seminal considerations for the developing of the programmes as well as the dynamics and main considerations that impacted on their actual development over the last ten years. Pointing to the legacies of apartheid, underdevelopment and de-Africanisation, it reviews the focuses of the programmes with regard to their multi-religious approach, and their focuses on religion and development and religion and society. Content- wise it explains the rationales for both religion-specific and inter-, comparative or multi-religion modules. It closes by summarising the critical theoretical perspectives and frameworks in terms of which postgraduate research took place in the areas of religion and civil society; religion and counselling; religion, globalisat...
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.
Alternation, 2013
It has been 10 years since the late Minister of Education, Kader Asmal introduced the National Policy on Religion and Education. Crafted to provide a framework for the regulation for teaching and learning about religion in public education, the policy has been widely criticized and condemned by groups who fear the erosion of religion education is public schools. Despite the sustained contestation and challenges to the policy, many believe that the policy created a space for a non-sectarian and non-confessional treatment of religion in the public domain. However the National Policy on Religion and Education's ambivalences about value of religion, and the limits of enforcement has left it vulnerable. In this article I propose to argue that it is precisely through its vulnerability we might find its most profound contribution to religion education in South Africa. I want to suggest that through a range of legal challenges to the policy framework and its proposed implementation of religion education in public schools, whether about a nose-stud or head covering, a goatskin bracelet, about meditation or the limits and liberties of School Governing Bodies, the policy has sparked vibrant and necessary public debates concerned with the effective teaching and learning about religion in public schools.
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 scope for religious schools in the light of present government policies
Given the call for " the greatest possible cooperation between religious and political bodies " made by Nelson Mandela in his address to religious leaders on 24 June 1997, this paper considers what level of cooperation we do in fact have in the matter of religious schools in our country. Discussion of the impact of educational policy on religious schools is divided into three main parts. Firstly, the paper discusses briefly the policy climate which is determined both by the letter and the spirit of the policies in question. It then looks at the experiences of religious schools affected by these policies – both independent and public, and finally offers some critique and a few pointers to the future.
Proselytising the Regulation of Religious Bodies in South Africa: Suppressing Religious Freedom?
Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal
In democratic pluralistic and secular societies, freedom of religion is a fundamental right to be enjoyed by all individuals and religious organisations. A unique feature of this human right is the extent to which it is premised on a personal belief. The latter can be "bizarre, illogical or irrational", but nevertheless deserving of protection in the interests of freedom of religion. However, when the expression of a religious belief or practice transgresses the civil or criminal law it must be dealt with in the relevant legislative framework to hold the transgressor liable. Measures taken by the state to regulate religious bodies in terms of a general supervisory council or umbrella body are an unreasonable and unjustifiable interference with freedom of religion, and hence unconstitutional. I am of the view that the right to freedom of religion depends for its constitutional validity – and viability – on there being no interference (or regulation) by the state except in i...