Hannam, Patricia and Biesta, Gert and Whittle, Sean and Aldridge, David (2020) Religious literacy: a way forward for religious education? Journal of Beliefs & Values, 41 (2). pp. 214-226. ISSN 1361-7672

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Abstract

In this paper, the central findings of a research project into religious literacy are presented. This project sought to answer the question as to whether or not religious literacy can be a way forward for religious education (RE). Starting with the idea of ‘literacy’, dominant approaches religious literacy in the literature are examined. An educational argument is developed, building on a definition of literacy in relation as being an effective navigation of a domain. At this point, a question is raised about whether domains should be accepted as they are, or whether education needs also to work with students on the ability to raise critical questions about how domains are defined and policed. This moves the discussion from functional literacy towards critical literacy; highlighting the political dimension of literacy. By way of conclusion, we consider what all this means for RE, and whether or not religious literacy can offer a way forward for RE.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Cite as: Patricia Hannam, Gert Biesta, Sean Whittle & David Aldridge (2020) Religious literacy: a way forward for religious education?, Journal of Beliefs & Values, 41:2, 214-226, DOI: 10.1080/13617672.2020.1736969
Keywords:	Literacy; religious literacy; religious education; (RE);
Academic Unit:	Centre for Teaching and Learning
Item ID:	16041
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2020.1736969
Depositing User:	Gert Biesta
Date Deposited:	01 Jun 2022 09:49
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Beliefs & Values
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis online
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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