Bibliography 2: #BIB38444

Key	BIB38444
Reference type	Book
Title	Special Religious Education in Australia and Its Value to Contemporary Society
Author	Gross, Zehavit and Rutland, Suzanne D.
Year	2021
Publisher	Springer
Place published	Cham, Switzerland
Issue	10.
ISBN	9783030679699 3030679691
Abstract	This book explores the advantages of and challenges concerning Special Religious Education (SRE) in multicultural Australia and argues for the need for General Religious Education (GRE) as well. Chapter ABSTRACT: With the radical societal changes occurring in the twenty-first century, a number of academics and parents began to challenge the continuation of SRE and to express strong criticisms of the system. This reflects the global debate regarding religious education in government schools. The aim of this chapter is to address these issues. Australian researchers recommend a re-evaluation of the way religious instruction and education classes are currently being taught in Australian schools (Bouma and Halafoff in J Acad Stud Relig 30:129–143, 2009; Byrne in J Religious Educ 57:26–37, 2009; Halafoff and Bouma in It’s Time to Replace Religious Instruction with Worldviews Education in Australian Schools, 2019) and argue that multi-faith education or Worldviews Education should replace SRE classes. The authors of this study disagree with this contention, and argue in favour of a combination of the two forms of religious education, SRE and GRE. While the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland have decided to continue offering SRE/RI, the state of Victoria, decided to cease offering SRI in government schools during curriculum hours. We analyse the philosophical and practical implications of this debate, including the growing percentage of Australia’s population who have “no religion”, now constituting around 30% of the Australian population which identifies as “No Religion”, the “Nones”. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the current system, drawing on our research findings from 58 interviews with directors, teachers and graduates either individually or in focus groups of the six main faith groups: Christianity (18), Islam (12), Buddhism (9), Hinduism (7), Judaism (7) and Baha’i (5). This chapter will also examine the situation in the smaller states and territories as well as current approaches to GRE. It will provide the framework for Part II which will discuss the importance of SRE in terms of values education, spirituality and well-being, and individual identity formation, combined with GRE in terms of multiculturalism and intercultural competence, with both forms being important in addressing the problem of religious fundamentalism.
Notes	Bahá'í Faith: Chapter titled "Current Challenges for SRE," pp. 41-65
Language	English
Keywords	RELIGION; EDUCATION; AUSTRALIA; SPECIAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (AUSTRALIA); GENERAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (AUSTRALIA)
URL	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67969-9;;;http://imp-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/openurl/44IMP/44IMP_services_page?u.ignore_date_coverage=true&rft.mms_id=991000475125701591
Number of pages	XII, 276, [19 illus. ]
Edition	1st edition
Accession number	ocn1253580307

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