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Teaching Religion in Australian Schools

Peta Goldburg

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Abstract

Abstract Traditionally the teaching of religion in schools in Australia was confined to Church-sponsored or independent schools because public education in Australia prided itself on being "free, secular and compulsory." For over one hundred years, the teaching of religion in church schools was grounded in a faith-forming approach but, in the 1980s, there was a shift to an educational approach to teaching of religion. The development of educational approaches enabled the introduction of Studies of Religion for senior secondary school students. After considering these shifts, suggestions will be made for some dynamic teaching approaches for students in Studies in Religion.

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Abstract Traditionally the teaching of religion in schools in Australia was confined to Church-sponsored or independent schools because public education in Australia prided itself on being "free, secular and compulsory." For over one hundred years, the teaching of religion in church schools was grounded in a faith-forming approach but, in the 1980s, there was a shift to an educational approach to teaching of religion. The development of educational approaches enabled the introduction of Studies of Religion for senior secondary school students. After considering these shifts, suggestions will be made for some dynamic teaching approaches for students in Studies in Religion.

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Available abstract

Abstract Traditionally the teaching of religion in schools in Australia was confined to Church-sponsored or independent schools because public education in Australia prided itself on being "free, secular and compulsory." For over one hundred years, the teaching of religion in church schools was grounded in a faith-forming approach but, in the 1980s, there was a shift to an educational approach to teaching of religion. The development of educational approaches enabled the introduction of Studies of Religion for senior secondary school students. After considering these shifts, suggestions will be made for some dynamic teaching approaches for students in Studies in Religion.

Key concepts: Faith, Sociology, History of religions, Religious education, Pedagogy, Secular education, Religious studies, Theology

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