Spiritual Development for All Pupils: The contribution of worldview education Anglican Edcomm Professor Trevor Cooling 31 st July 2019
Spiritual Development In what ways are young people spiritual?
The Spiritual – an official view l ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values. l sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them. l use of imagination and creativity in their learning and willingness to reflect on their experiences.
Religious or Spiritual?
Religious Faith as Clutter (secularization) Shared human values are entirely independent of religious beliefs Richard Norman, On Humanism , 2004
Religious Education Council
Commission on Religious Education (September 2018) l National Entitlement l Focus on Worldview
National Entitlement l Grasping the diversity of worldviews in our society l Understanding what worldviews are and how they work l Understanding the impact that worldviews have l Exploring how people with different worldviews use them to make meaning, answer existential questions, & deal with controversial issues
Commission on Religious Education (September 2018) l Everyone has a worldview; their way of seeing, making sense of and giving coherence and meaning to the world and to their own experience and behaviour (Page 30)
Worldview A worldview is a person’s way of understanding, experiencing and responding to the world. It can be described as a philosophy of life or an approach to life. This includes how a person understands the nature of reality and their own place in the world. A person’s worldview is likely to influence and be influenced by their beliefs, values, behaviours, experiences, identities and commitments . (Page 8)
An Influential Critic James KA Smith l Brains on sticks l Cognitive machines l A steady diet of ideas fed somewhat intravenously into the mind through lines of propositions and information
The Worldview Curriculum
Worldview in the Commission Institutional Personal
Habitus l Habitus refers to the physical embodiment of cultural capital, to the deeply ingrained habits, skills, and dispositions that we possess due to our life experiences
The Debate about Worldview Worldview Habitus l a comprehensive l ingrained habits, skills, and conception or apprehension dispositions. It is the way of the world, especially that individuals perceive the from a specific standpoint social world around them ( weltanschauung) and react to it. Virtues and desires matter. l Propositions matter l Practices matter l Spectators l Participants l Knowledge l Character
Pedagogy: The Missing link? l Pupils should evaluate their understanding of religion in personal terms and evaluate their understanding of self in religious terms (p. 15)
The Purpose of Christian Education l to enable each pupil l Benefit from the to understand, interaction reflect on and take between the responsibility for the institutional development of their Christian own personal worldview and worldview their developing personal worldview
Teaching End of Life Issues l Three arguments for and three arguments against assisted suicide l Fixed positions l The Bible as a source of proof texts l Christian ethics is all about winning arguments.
Hospitality as Holiness (Luke Bretherton)
Teaching End of Life Issues
Ten Leading Schools
St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol l 63% said God was very real to them l The glory of God is a human being fully alive. l Justice, forgiveness, trust, faith and hope. l Ikoba secondary school, Kenya
Bishop Luffa School, Chichester l 36% said God was very real to them l Quiet Space l Restorative justice l Prioritising reflection l Wannsee conference centre
Archbishop Tenisons, Croydon l 76% said God was very real to them l Theological literacy. l The Bible inspires me 70%+ l Eschatology l Questioning, intelligent, wise faith
Ten Leading Schools l Development of the person l Strong dialogue Christian community l Deepening knowledge and understanding l Connection to God l Context appropriate
Character Education l ‘a global leader in teaching character and resilience…ensuring that young people not only grow academically, but also build character, resilience and grit.’
Grit
What Character? When all is said and done, all I will have left is my character
Hope?
Hope and Grit Aristotelian Grit Christian Hope l Individual self- l Part of a community of determination God’s grace l Personal legacy l Contributing to a shared vision l Lonely hero l Faithful disciple l Who dares wins l Eschatological confidence
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