Ina ter Avest

In the Flow to Maximal Interreligious Citizenship Education

Abstract In the secular age religious education and citizenship education could and should be fruitfully combined. That is the present authors’ view on current developments in schools aiming at the strengthening and the flourishing of students’ personal religious identity. Presupposition is that religious identity needs to be interpreted as an integral part of the concept “personal identity development.” A full conception of citizenship education may imply that religious education and development is part and parcel of citizenship education, and that it should form a structural and necessary element of citizenship education in all schools. This is combinable with a plea for a maximal interpretation of citizenship education. That view is fully compatible with interreligious education, too, with the aim of enabling students to develop their own point of view on matters of religion/worldview in the context of plurality via encounter and dialogue. An example of a good practice of the co-operation of schools with a different religious and/or worldview profile in the Netherlands might also be inspirational for forms of maximal interreligious citizenship education elsewhere in the world.

Gendered Subjective Theologies: Dutch Teenage Girls and Boys on the Role of Religion in Their Life.

Abstract In this article about the Dutch contribution to the REDCo 1 sub-project on the role of gender, related to religion in/and school, the authors present the characteristics in the answers girls and boys, respectively gave to their questionnaires. Qualitative as well as quantitative methods were used in this research project. The research findings show that girls and boys in general position themselves in a similar way to religion. However, in girls’ subjective theologies the authors see, more than in boys’ theologies, an openness to the other religion. Girls more than boys tend to be more in favor of religion as a school subject, they want to know more about and from other religions, and are more positive about the possibilities to live peacefully together with people of different religions in the society. In this research population the authors find that boys are clearer in demarcating the boundaries of their subjective theologies. Societal gendered practices apparently mirror actual ideas on femininity and masculinity in different Western societies and apparently shape teenagers’ subjective theologies. The authors present a possible pedagogical strategy for classroom conversations, accounting for (gendered) diversity in subjective theologies. REDCo is the acronym for the European project on “Religion in Education, a contribution to Dialogue or a factor of conflict in transforming societies in European countries?”

Provocative Pedagogy, Or Youngsters Need The Brain To Challenge Worldview Formation

Abstract Brains and gender, separately and in their interrelatedness, are hot items today in popular journals and academic literature. It is in particular the complexity of the interdependence of physical-, psychological-, and contextual-related developments of feminization in education that we focus on these contributions. We argue that a combination of recent findings of brain research and Marcias psychological model of identity development in a “provocative pedagogy”—combining youngsters’ (boys and girls) need for exploration, console, and support—is a promising “stepped care” strategy for religious development of youngsters in a multicultural and multireligious context.

The Little Prince – an introduction to spirituality: a moving experience in religious education for primary school children in a secularised world

In our research the right of the child for spiritual development is central. Grimmitt’s distinction in ‘teaching in’, ‘about’ and ‘from religion’ is extended with the concept of ‘teaching for’ – a concept that connects religion with children’s attitude of wondering as an ‘ontological calling’ in their life. The question whether a non-religious story can function as a rich learning environment for ‘teaching for’, is explored in a ‘picture voice’-research design. In a small pilot study with four children in primary school age an episode of the story of The Little Prince was presented as a ‘rich learning environment’. We conclude from this pilot that the narration of a non-religious story, together with the child’s drawing of the story’s ‘critical incident’ and a subsequent conversation (‘picture voice’) functions as a stepping stone for the development of spirituality.

''If it Feels Good ... '': Research on School Selection Process Motives Among Parents of Young Children

From (inter)national research we know about parents’ priorities in the school selection process. In this research the authors focus on parents’ motivations underpinning these priorities. The question is: “What motivates parents to send their child to a Christian primary school?” In the Dutch plural and secularized society this question is of high importance. According to interviewed parents children should be provided with knowledge about Christianity and the school should have an open mind towards other religions. The final school selection—a selection that materializes rather intuitively (“it feels good”)—is about attention for the child.

Coming Out Religiously: Life Orientation in Public Schools

Abstract In the post-pillarized society of the Netherlands, formal religious education still is structured according to religious dividing lines. “Religion” in confessional schools is a compulsory subject; in public schools, taking a so-called neutral position with regard to religious traditions, “Religion” is an optional subject (Protestant, Roman Catholic, or Islamic religious education or Humanistic World View Education), taught to pupils on parents’ request. Nowadays, due to processes of modernization, globalization, and individualization, the position of religion in society has changed and subsequently the position of “Religion” as a subject in classes has changed. These days for principals and teachers in public schools it is urgent to reflect on their positionality regarding (religious and secular) worldview education. In this contribution we present our findings from document analysis and from (focus group) interviews with principals, and from observations in public schools, resulting in a plea for “Life Orientation for all” as a compulsory subject in all schools for all pupils.

Interreligious Learning as a Precondition for Peace Education: Lessons From the Past: John Amos Comenius (1592–1670)

Abstract During the last decades the concept of interreligious education has been developed in which exploration and personal identity formation form important aspects. The increasing multi-cultural and multi-religious society requires open, respectful, and tolerant attitudes for which schools have to prepare. Therefore, theorists on interreligious education emphasize that education should have an inclusive stance toward the truth: no religion can claim to grasp the whole truth. But, would this not lead to relativism? In this article the authors investigate J.A. Comenius’ (1592–1670) contribution to this question. He was a pietistic Christian theologian, educationalist, and school reformer who was victim of several religious clashes. His whole life he was wondering how education could contribute to enhance peace and wisdom among citizens. For him God was the ultimate truth. Therefore religion played an important role is his considerations and solutions. The authors are of the opinion that for more than one reason Comenius can be an inspiring partner in dialogue for contemporary theorists on interreligious education.

A conversational analysis of developments in religious education in Europe and in Turkey

This contribution is focusing on the question: ‘In what way is the issue of religious education in general and Islamic religious education in particular articulated in Europe and in Turkey, and what can be learned from the respective articulations for the interreligious dialogue?’ In the first section, the historical context is presented that makes up the diversity and situatedness of models of religious education (RE) in Europe, and its relation to citizenship education. Then the role of Islam in RE in Europe is addressed. In particular, Islam and RE/Islamic RE in the Dutch context is highlighted. In the second section, the Turkish educational system is described from the Ottoman Empire to the Republican Era, including the position of Islam. Turkey’s present day secularised educational system is presented and the changed position of Islam in education. In the third section, the authors introduce the concept of ‘conversational analysis’ by using ‘European tinted lenses’ to further explore the Turkish articulation of Islam in education, and ‘Turkish tinted lenses’ to explore the European articulation with regard to Islam in RE. Concluding, some interesting aspects are emphasised where European and Turkish educators can learn from and with each other, and some recommendations for further research are given.

From location and (non)place to place attachment and sense of place : An exploration of imagination as the key to transform spaces into places

ABSTRACT In our research1 we focus on the architectural characteristics of a location, seen as a precondition to appeal to the imaginative power of learners that plays a part in satisfying their (presupposed) spiritual hunger and longings for a better world. The concepts space, nonplace, and place, in their relation to the concepts place attachment and sense of place are central in our research. In written and videotaped texts, pupils tell about their attachment to places and sense of place. The preliminary analysis of the texts of the pupils shows that friends and teacher(s) occupy a central place in these pupils’ place attachment and sense of place.

RE Rooted in Principal's Biography

ABSTRACT Critical incidents in the biography of principals appear to be steering in their innovative way of constructing InterReligious Education in their schools. In this contribution, the authors present the biographical narratives of 4 principals: 1 principal introducing interreligious education in a Christian school, and 3 principals constructing a way of living apart together from a Christian, Islamic, and humanist point of view respectively. To understand (Verstehen) the principals’ narratives and their innovative initiatiatives, the authors take as their theoretical frame of reference the concept of criticial incidents, the dialogical self theory, and the concept of materialized religion. From the analysis of the principals biographies, the authors arrive at a tentative conclusion that a solid education in a life orientation (be it humanistic, Christian, or Islamic) paired with an authentic curiosity toward “the other” seems to be preconditional for innovative actions in RE preparing pupils for a future they themselves are going to build.