Professional REflection: Theory and practice

Reflections on the

Paul Smalley is a Senior Lecturer progress of developing in RE at Edge Hill University and is the Chair of NASACRE. He leads an Undergraduate Secondary RE religiously literate with QTS degree and researches educational policy and practice related to RE and Collective citizens in England . On Twitter as @PabloPedantic Paul Smalley [email protected]

Religious literacy is an important topic and one that has been given considerable attention in recent years. It is, however, an imprecise term depending as it does on the hugely contested concept of . Here Paul Smalley contributes a provocative article that suggests that RE over recent years has been guilty of producing discontented philosophers rather than religiously literate young people.

Introduction in the Basic literacy is defined by Kirsch (2001) as The context of this article is Andrew Wright’s secondary school: prospects the ability to read, write or speak a given seminal 1993 book Religious Education for religious literacy language based on background knowledge in the Secondary School: Prospects It is now 25 years since I completed my in it. Hirsch (2009) argues that to engage for Religious Literacy, published in the degree in Biblical Studies and Andrew in democratic society there needs to be a shadow of the White Paper Choice and Wright published his book. Reading it as common literacy, but this use of language Diversity (DfE 1992). It will draw parallels part of my PGCE helped shape my thinking goes hand in hand with the common between the situation in England then and educational philosophy. It was written knowledge to understand the content of the and now, problematising the notion of in the shadow of Choice and Diversity and text. Basic literacy is a part of education, religious literacy in a changing religious began by asserting that ‘Religious Education but in our schools the curriculum subject of and educational landscape. By looking at today is in a state of flux’ (p. 1); some things English should develop far more than basic other literacies – basic literacy, physical appear to change very little. It was in this literacy, and conversely basic literacy is literacy and information literacy – it will book that Wright highlighted the necessity taught as a part of all school subjects. come to a workable definition of religious to address religious literacy. Wright suggests literacy. Drawing on challenges from Carr a questioning approach is taken where Whitehead describes physical literacy as (2007), Conroy (2013, 2015) and others, students enquire after the truth of ultimate ‘the ability and motivation to capitalise on it will critically analyse the relationship questions in a plural society. our motile potential to make a significant between religious literacy and RE and contribution to the quality of life. … An consider whether RE has been able to Twenty-five years on saw the publication individual who is physically literate moves deliver widespread religious literacy in the of the State of the Nation report, estimating with poise, economy and confidence in intervening years. Finally, it will suggest that 800,000 pupils are left ‘without the a wide variety of physically challenging that RE teachers should be sure of their religious literacy they need’ (RE Council situations’ (2005, p. 5). A physically understanding of the complex multi- 2017, p. 5), whilst the RE Commission’s RE literate individual can ‘read’ the physical dimensional and multi-faceted concept for All interim report suggests that religious environment and use their knowledge and we call religion, and become passionate literacy is key to employability in modern understanding to respond in an appropriate advocates of the lived reality of the religious Britain (CoRE 2017, p. 24). way, deciding, for example, when is it experience in the life of many diverse acceptable to run rather than walk and believers in order to help pupils understand Literacy or literacies? being able to do both. and appreciate this paradoxical reality so But why literacy – and what does it signify? that they are able to develop as religiously There are of course many ‘literacies’ and I literate citizens. shall briefly consider three before returning to religious literacy.

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Information literacy is the ability of multiple ways of conceiving of religious Wintersgill (2017, p. 5) avoids the term but a subject to access information in the literacy, some of which focus intently on suggests ‘Schools should, through their RE digital age: ‘To be information literate, a the what of religion … and others which programmes, aim systematically to prepare person must be able to recognise when focus more on the dynamic ways in which students for the spiritual and intellectual information is needed and have the ability religious commitments form the self- challenges of living in a world with diverse to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the understanding of individuals and groups, and beliefs as well as non-.’ needed information’ (American Library orient them in the world, and direct their Association 1989) or ‘Information literacy actions’ (Gallagher 2009, p. 218). Steven Prothero, who has carried out is about people interacting, engaging, large-scale quantitative surveys of religious working with information in many Towards a definition literacy in the USA (something that has contexts’ (Bruce 2011, p. 335). of religious literacy not happened in the UK), defines religious There have been a number of writers who literacy as ‘the ability to understand and use To be literate one would be able to interact have tried to define what is meant by the religious terms, symbols, images, beliefs, fluently with knowledge and language religious literacy. Taylor (2009) says that practices, scriptures, heroes, themes, and (basic literacy), with our own bodies religious literacy … stories that are employed in American public and the physical environment (physical life’ (2007, p. 13). Gallagher (2009) also notes literacy) and with many sources of … allows people to better that Prothero divides religious literacy into a information, including knowing what to understand religion as variety of subtypes including literacy, trust and what to reject. The element of confessional literacy, denominational interaction and engagement is important in complex and individual literacy, narrative, and interreligious all three of these ‘literacies’. religious traditions as literacy, to which we could add biblical internally diverse and literacy (Edwards 2015) and spiritual literacy The contested concept (McVittie and Smalley 2013; Filipsone 2009) of the religious constantly evolving … [It] and possibly others. So what of religious literacy – what do we, also helps us understand all of us at a societal level, need become how religion has been – and Carr (2007) suggests that religious literacy literate about? is intrinsically interwoven with geographic will continue to be – used and historical knowledge, political and Jackson (1997) problematises our notion to justify the full range economic awareness and an understanding of what religions are, better being viewed of human agency from of culture, literature and the arts. He as dynamic, fuzzy-edged collections of suggests that developing these literacies individuals rather than fixed, bounded, heinous to heroic. may not be best achieved by a separate reified wholes. Dinham and Francis independent subject of RE. Echoing these (2015) concur, suggesting that religion thoughts, Conroy (2013, p. 225) has some is shorthand for a whole semantic field very serious challenges to RE and its of doxis, praxis and communities, and ability to develop religious literacy: ‘The not dichotomous with ‘secular’, pointing failures to distinguish properly between out the value of including non-religious civics, ethics, religion and education are identity as a part of religious literacy. Thus both a methodological problem and a it is widely agreed that there is no simple philosophical conundrum around what definition of religious literacy: ‘there are might constitute viable “religious literacy”’.

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A definition society at large. Burrell (2013) has noted in terms of boosting examination results, not Therefore, having surveyed some of the that a contemporary audience would not in improving religious literacy (Ofsted 2013). literature around the contested concepts of understand the humour of Monty Python’s RE has become increasingly instrumental religion, literacy and religious literacy, I offer Life of Brian, and there are frequent in its interdisciplinary nature (Conroy et al. this definition: examples in published news media (and 2013) with beginning RE teachers frequently even more so in the unregulated social listing the aims of the subject as being Religious literacy is the media world) that display a serious lack of tolerance, respect and questioning. ability to interact fluently religious literacy (see, for example, Rushton 2016). Littau (2015) has conducted a large- Teachers of RE, their pupils and the with the ideas and customs scale study of American journalism students population at large have become skilled at of any religious group and concluded that religious literacy is critically questioning and evaluating both commonly found in our local poor. This is worrisome since religion and individual religious phenomena and whole culture are so intertwined that it is necessary belief systems, particularly in their response or global society by having to be religiously literate so to understand to certain ethical issues, but have little a conceptual understanding the connections and allusions of texts that understanding of the centrality of , of of religion, such that one are part of the driving forces behind policy the truth of that drives decisions made at the local or national level. and colours all aspects of the believer’s can identify and appreciate life. Thus, we might have a lesson on the the reciprocal influence of RE in England biblical story of the ‘Rich Man and Lazarus’, these groups on public policy, Despite continuing debate about the probably as part of a unit on wealth and intended curriculum, RE has left a poverty. The lesson might analyse the government, society, culture generation of people who are not only motives of the characters, and ask pupils and indeed daily life. religiously illiterate (Conroy 2015) but to empathise with them, in an attempt to who have failed to grasp a conceptual ensure that the pupils have knowledge of Looking critically at my own definition, I understanding of religion (Strhan 2010; the Christian teaching (and a text to use in want to point out that it does not suggest Aldridge 2011); these pupils have amassed the exam) about helping the poor. However, that a religiously literate person knows the required answers to questions about the the lesson is unlikely to recognise the value everything about lots of religions; the key specifics of the religions studied, but have of the story to Christians as a theological terms within it are ability, conceptual failed to become religiously literate. Schools metaphor for the promise of salvation for understanding and appreciate the reciprocal have become increasingly data rich, with all humanity, or pick up on the ritual use of influence. Religious literacy comes out of an teachers accountable for any pupils in their the story in the life of an Anglican Christian informed and nuanced understanding of the class who fail to perform at (or beyond) the who repeats the ‘ of humble access’, religion that appreciates its contested and expected level in high-stakes national tests. positioning herself as the spiritually poor complex conceptual nature, thus enabling This has led to diminished status for RE in Lazarus. We may have lessons that analyse people to communicate about it. many primary schools, where RE is often the concept of jihad, using Qur’anic material seen as ‘transferring knowledge of the nuts to demonstrate a good understanding of the Religious illiteracy in society and bolts of a religion’ (Webster 2010, p. 125) concepts of lesser and greater jihad, ending We live in a world where we have come to and an unhealthy focus on GCSE outcomes with a critical analysis of the events of 9/11 accept religious illiteracy, which is difficult in high schools. The GCSE syllabuses of or some other terrorist atrocity to show to quantify but growing as a concern the last 20 years were in many ways ‘not that the terrorists were not ‘good Muslims’ for many academics, politicians, faith religious education any more’ (Conroy et al. and had a flawed understanding ofjihad , leaders and teachers according to the All 2013, p. 88); even KS3 has had a heavy focus but give no hint as to what the religious Party Parliamentary Group on Religious on philosophical and ethical issues, which worldview that would motivate someone to Education (2016). This echoes Dinham has not helped pupils become religiously do such an act would be, or more generally and Francis’ (2015) assertion that there is literate (Ofsted 2013). Improvement in a what it means to be a Muslim. a widespread lack of religious literacy in secondary school RE department is framed

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Making sense of the model of humanity radically effects the In the subject of Physical Education (PE) non-sense of religion way we experience the world. RE teachers there have been moves in recent years to Faith, or belief, is not always a rational would therefore help pupils increase their ensure that the curriculum is relevant and pursuit. Throughout the twentieth century awareness and appreciation of the variety develops physical literacy in all pupils philosophers were able to develop a range of religious responses of human beings to (Whitehead and Capel 2013), rather than of critical approaches that collectively reality and show that these alternative simply nurturing the most able athletes enabled them to declare belief in ways of being human are personal to excel even further at their chosen sport. as ‘sick’, ‘silly’, ‘meaningless’ and ‘self- possibilities (Hammond et al. 1990, p. 18). One aim of PE, and this is just as contested contradictory’ (Stenson 1969, p. 16). Their book, forgotten in many quarters, a statement as proposing an aim of RE, is to Psychologists from Freud (1927) to Fuller was a rallying call to shamelessly promote develop confident pupils who go on to live (2018, p. 25) have suggested that ‘religious the reality of the spiritual dimension of healthy, active lives (DfE 2013). We would, thought, feeling and behavior is nonsense’. life as a means to exposing pupils to that perhaps, think it odd if a PE teacher didn’t And yet still for religious believers this reality so that they would be able to have like sport: some would prefer football, or nonsense makes sense and motivates them greater understanding of the different hockey, or dance or all sport; many will to act and believe in particular ways. We, as religious responses of people, to make regale pupils with tales of them playing teachers of RE, give pupils very little sense, sense of the non-sense of religion or, as one sport or another. We may expect the PE little experience, directly or indirectly, of we might say now, to develop religious teacher to be disappointed at the pupils who what William James described more than literacy. In the intervening years, much at the end of their time at school declare a hundred years ago in his The Reality of RE, following Wright (1993), has sought that all sport is rubbish and they will never the Unseen as an unquestionable religious to evaluate religious ideas and teaching do any physical activity again. Simply reality, more real than actual reality that in a philosophical, rational way. But because many pupils do not like physical exists in the mind of the believer (James often religion is not rational, and being activity, preferring FIFA on the PlayStation 2014). This deficiency in RE teaching, flowing religiously literate involves understanding to football on the field, the PE curriculum from a lack of teachers’ understanding of that the spiritual dimension of life radically does not (as far as I am aware) change to be the fundamental concepts of religion, has influences believers, sometimes in a non- relevant to the PlayStation pupil. Part of the been noted before, particularly in the work rational way. job description of a PE teacher can be to be a of Teece (2010), and is the subject of a recent role model for students, inspiring them to be study in Sweden by Liljestrand (2015). A provocative suggestion actively interested in PE, sport and healthy I have suggested thus far that our society active lifestyles. This criticism is not, however, new: has become increasingly religiously Hammond et al. (1990), in another seminal illiterate, with many who cannot interact In the world of RE we have increasingly work from my PGCE, New Methods in RE fluently with the ideas and customs shied away from this sort of advocatory Teaching: An Experiential Approach, set of religious groups, nor recognise their approach, preferring a rational non- out the failure of an approach prevalent in reciprocal influence on society, because (in committal stance (Gardner 1980), for the 1980s that concentrated on knowledge part at least) RE has failed to give them fear of being labelled as ‘confessionalist’ of external phenomena, at the expense of experience of the reality of what it means (Kimanen 2016). Yet research has shown developing understanding of empathy, to be religious, and de-indoctrinate pupils that it is the atheist or agnostic RE teachers intention and religious experience. from the prevailing assumed secularisation who are much more ready to influence Hammond et al. claimed that the ‘World of society. Our overly rationalist approach the beliefs of their pupils (Hampshire Religions Approach’ had led to a de-skilling to the teaching of RE, particularly with 2012). This perceived neutrality has of pupils, who were unable to appreciate older children, has reinforced the taboo actually resulted in a sceptical neglect the affective dimension, or understand the on talking about or anything (Carr 2007) of the contribution to human believers’ experience. They promulgated RE remotely religious unless in a wholly sterile understanding of religion. teachers as de-indoctrinators whose role disconnected way (Hay and Nye 2006). was to show that the implicit secular

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Conclusion References Conroy, J.C. Lundie, D., Davis, R.A., My definition of religious literacy includes American Library Association (1989), Baumfield, V. Barnes, L.P., Gallagher, T., knowledge of religious belief and practice Presidential Committee on Information Lowden, K., Bourque, N., and Wenell, K. as well as appreciation of the impact of Literacy: Final Report (Chicago: ALA). (2013), Does Religious Education Work? A faith and belief on society, but places a www.ala.org/acrl/publications/ Multi-Dimensional Investigation (London: conceptual understanding of religion at whitepapers/presidential#conclude Bloomsbury Academic). its heart. I have suggested that in recent decades the approach to RE in a number of Aldridge, D. (2011), ‘What is religious Conroy, J.C. (2015), ‘Religious illiteracy in schools, possibly in a desire for the subject education all about? A hermeneutic school religious education’, in Dinham, A., to appear ‘relevant’ to predominantly reappraisal’, Journal of Beliefs & Values, and Francis, M. (eds), Religious Literacy in non-religious pupils, means students have 32 (1), 33–45. Policy and Practice (Bristol: Policy Press). been encouraged to become discontented philosophers through a critical realist All Party Parliamentary Group on Religious DfE (1992), Choice and Diversity: A new pedagogy. This has been shown not to Education (2016), Improving Religious framework for schools (London: HMSO). have delivered the religious literacy that Literacy: A Contribution to the Debate. Wright had hoped for. Over the last 25 years, bit.ly/2MMVWk6 DfE (2013), National Curriculum in England: RE has, consciously or subconsciously, PE Programmes of Study. bit.ly/2lprD6U privileged a rational discontentment with Bruce, C. (2011), ‘Information literacy religion over transmission of the passionate programs and research: reflections on Dinham, A., and Francis, M. (eds) (2015), reality of the believer’s lived faith, leaving “Information literacy programs and Religious Literacy in Policy and Practice many pupils to question why they should research: An international review” by (Bristol: Policy Press). be religiously literate in a secular rationalist Christine Bruce, 2000’, Australian Library world where no one really anything Journal, 60 (4), 334–338. Edwards, K.B. (ed) (2015), Rethinking Biblical anyway. This approach has missed Literacy (London: Bloomsbury). opportunities to help pupils understand the Burrell, I. (2013), ‘It’s no laughing matter: paradoxical reality of what religion might Britain has become a nation of religious Filipsone, A. (2009), ‘Religious literacy mean to a believer. I have suggested that illiterates “who are baffled by Biblical or spiritual awareness? Comparative one way of helping pupils develop their references in Monty Python filmThe Life of critique of Andrew Wright’s and understanding of the complex multi- Brian”’, The Independent. ind.pn/2M9lpDi David Hay’s approaches to spiritual dimensional and multi-faceted concept education’, International Journal of that we call religion is for them to develop Carr, D. (2007), ‘Religious education, Children’s Spirituality, 14 (2), 121–128. knowledge and understanding of belief and religious literacy and common schooling: a practice through encountering the lived philosophy and history of skewed reflection’, Freud, S. (1927), The Future of an Illusion reality of religious belief, and RE teachers Journal of Philosophy of Education, 41 (4), (New York: W.W. Norton). should not be afraid of being passionate 659–673. advocates of this spiritual reality. Fuller, R. (2018), ‘Religion is nonsense’, Commission on Religious Education (2017), Religion, Brain & Behavior, doi: Religious Education for All (London: RE 10.1080/2153599X.2018.1429009 Council of England and Wales). Gallagher, E.V. (2009), ‘Teaching for religious literacy’, Teaching & Religion, 12 (3), 208–221.

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