Making Sense of Religious Education Today

The latest thoughtful blog from Michael McGrath (SCES Director) has recently appeared on the Scottish Catholic Education Service site: https://sces.org.uk/making-sense-of-religious-education-today/ Michael’s comments may be specifically focused on Scottish Catholic schools, but as usual they’re really relevant to all schools:

“Today’s pupils are ….. expected to be inquisitive, to enquire and research, to seek people’s views and experiences.  They address the “big questions” of today – about the origins of our planet and our species, the causes and impact of climate change, issues of social justice, moral and ethical dilemmas, the devastation of warfare.  Critically, they are encouraged to learn from the wisdom offered in Scripture and in the Tradition of the Church as they develop their own personal relationship with God and respond to these questions.  They also learn about other religious traditions and about the viewpoints of those who do not adhere to any religious belief of tradition.
In all this learning they are invited to grow in faith and to acquire values which are life-enhancing – good for them and for the world – and to become people of virtue whose habits of the heart compel them to turn outward to the world and to offer loving service to their neighbour, near and far.  Out of these experiences of learning, reflection and action, some young people are enabled to develop a maturing personal relationship with God.  Others may benefit from developing as people of moral and social conscience who do not affiliate to any religious tradition…..

This is a vision which is being realised in Catholic schools across the country, a vision which offers great hope to the Church in Scotland.”