Research in Religion and Education
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ALTERNATION Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Arts and Humanities in Southern Africa, Special Edition No. 10, 2013 ISSN 1023-1757 Research in Religion and Education * Alternation is an international journal which publishes interdisciplinary contri- butions in the fields of the Arts and Humanities in Southern Africa. * Prior to publication, each publication in Alternation is reviewed by at least two independent peer referees. * Alternation is indexed in The Index to South African Periodicals (ISAP) and reviewed in The African Book Publishing Record (ABPR). * Alternation is published every semester. * Alternation was accredited in 1996. EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR Johannes A Smit (UKZN) Judith Lütge Coullie (UKZN) Editorial Assistant: Beverly Vencatsamy EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Catherine Addison (UZ); Urmilla Bob (UKZN); Denzil Chetty (Unisa); Brian Fulela (UKZN); Mandy Goedhals (UKZN); Rembrandt Klopper (UKZN); Jabulani Mkhize (UFort Hare); Shane Moran (UFort Hare); Priya Narismulu (UKZN); Nobuhle Ndimande-Hlongwa (UKZN); Thengani Ngwenya (DUT); Corinne Sandwith (UKZN); Mpilo Pearl Sithole (UKZN); Graham Stewart (DUT). EDITORIAL BOARD Richard Bailey (UKZN); Marianne de Jong (Unisa); Betty Govinden (UKZN); Dorian Haarhoff (Namibia); Sabry Hafez (SOAS); Dan Izebaye (Ibadan); RK Jain (Jawaharlal Nehru); Robbie Kriger (NRF); Isaac Mathumba (Unisa); Godfrey Meintjes (Rhodes); Fatima Mendonca (Eduardo Mondlane); Sikhumbuzo Mngadi (UJ); Louis Molamu (Botswana); Katwiwa Mule (Pennsylvania); Isidore Okpewho (Binghamton); Andries Oliphant (Unisa); Julie Pridmore (Unisa); Rory Ryan (UJ); Michael Samuel (UKZN); Maje Serudu (Unisa); Marilet Sienaert (UCT); Ayub Sheik (UKZN); Liz Thompson (UZ); Cleopas Thosago (UNIN); Helize van Vuuren (NMMU); Hildegard van Zweel (Unisa). NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Carole Boyce-Davies (Florida Int.); Ampie Coetzee (UWC); Simon During (Melbourne); Elmar Lehmann (Essen); Douglas Killam (Guelph); Andre Lefevere (Austin); David Lewis-Williams (Wits); Bernth Lindfors (Austin); Jeff Opland (Charterhouse); Graham Pechey (Hertfordshire); Erhard Reckwitz (Essen). COVER A.W. Kruger CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS The Editor: Alternation, Univ. of KwaZulu-Natal, Priv. Bag X10, Dalbridge, 4041, DURBAN, South Africa; Tel: +27-(0)31-260-7303; Fax: +27-(0)31-260-7286; Web: http://alternation.ukzn.ac.za e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] ISSN 1023-1757 Copyright Reserved: Alternation Alternation Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Arts and Humanities in Southern Africa Research in Religion and Education Guest Editors Johannes A. Smit, Denzil Chetty and Beverly Vencatsamy 2013 CSSALL Durban Acknowledgement of Reviewers We wish to acknowledge the participation of the following reviewers in the production of this issue of Alternation. Anastasia Apostolides (University of South Africa, South Africa) Cok Bakker (University of Utrecht, Netherlands) Stephen Bigger (University of Worcester, United Kingdom) Denzil Chetty (University of South Africa, South Africa) Michel Clasquin-Johnson (University of South Africa, South Africa) Elijah Dube (University of South Africa, South Africa) Farid Esack (University of Johannesburg, South Africa) René Ferguson (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa) Godfrey Harold (Cape Theological Baptist Seminary, South Africa) Abrahim H Khan (University of Toronto, Canada) Kobus Kruger (University of South Africa, South Africa) Garth Mason (University of South Africa, South Africa) Mahesvari Naidu (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) Azwihangwisi Helen Mavhundu-Mudzusi (University of South Africa) Auweis Rafudeen (University of South Africa, South Africa) Junia Ranko-Ramaili (University of South Africa, South Africa) Johannes A Smit (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) Maniraj Sukdaven (University of Free State, South Africa) Chrissie Steyn (University of South Africa, South Africa) Nisbert Taringa (University of Zimbabwe) Beverly Vencatsamy (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) Peter Sandy (University of South Africa) Alternation Special Edition No 10, 2013 ISSN 1023-1757 Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Arts and Humanities in Southern Africa ARTICLES Johannes A. Smit, Denzil Chetty and Beverly Vencatsamy Editorial: Research in Religion and Education .................................................................................................... 1 Federico Settler Legal and Civic Contestations over Tolerance in South Africa’s National Policy on Religion Education .................................................. 10 Cok Bakker Religion, Education and Citizenship Education: The Challenge of Turning Religion Upside Down ...................................................................................... 32 Marilyn Naidoo Engaging Difference in Values Education in South African Schools .... 54 Shan Simmonds and Cornelia Roux Engaging with Human Rights and Gender in Curriculum Spaces: A Religion and Education (RaE) Perspective .................................. 76 René Ferguson Teacher Development for Diversity: Citizenship Education, Religion Education and Learning through Communities of Practice ............................ 100 Janet Jarvis Paving the Way to Transformation: Student Teachers’ Religious Identity and Religion Education ................................................................... 131 Hui-Xuan Xu Pedagogies that foster Undergraduate Students’ Intercultural Sensitivity Development: A Case Study of Hong Kong ............................................... 148 Denzil Chetty Connectivism: Probing Prospects for a Technology-centered Pedagogical Transition in Religious Studies ................................................................ 172 Maheshvari Naidu Pedagogies of Belief: Teaching and Learning in a Small Christian School ................................................................................................. 201 Ephraim Taurai Gwaravanda, Erasmus Masitera and Prosper Muzambi Religious Studies and Globalisation: A Critique of Zimbabwe’s Current Ordinary Level Syllabus ............................................................................................... 221 Patricia K. Chetty and Irvin G. Chetty Factors Influencing the Choice of Religion Studies as a Subject in the FET Band ............................................................ 249 Johannes A. Smit and Beverly Vencatsamy Religion in the Humanities ........................ 270 Stephen F. Bigger Critical Education about Marriage: Combining Critical Pedagogy and Phronesis for Religious Education ............................................................................... 319 Suren Naicker A Cognitive Linguistic Analysis of Hindu Philosophy – The Role of Metaphor and Framing in Conceptualizing Divinity within the Advaita Vedanta School of Thought in the Light of Swami Vivekananda’s Teachings ........................... 342 PRINT CONNECTION Tel (031) 202-7766; 202-7766 Editorial: Religion and Education Johannes A. Smit Denzil Chetty Beverly Vencatsamy Our religions constitute one of the most important sources and resources for general human wellbeing, spirituality and human development, education, and social behavior. This is recognized and explored by researchers in a wide diversity of contexts and social spaces worldwide. Internationally, critical reflection and dialogue on our religions also occupy a central position in educational theories and practices. In post-apartheid South Africa, the situation is not different. With Prof Kader Asmal’s official launching of the Government-sanctioned National Policy on Religion and Education (2003), our South African government recognized the important role our religions play in education, in our communities as well as the country at large. It is also seminally recognized that even though it is not indispensable, religion forms a seminal part of education in many environments (Sachs 1990). Government also created the conditions of possibility for the contributions of the scholarly community and researchers in the developing of the requisite ideas, theories, paradigms, discourse and related practices (cf. Smit & Chetty 2009:331 - 353). The developing and fostering of integrated approaches in education, and teaching and learning about religion and the wide variety of denominations and orders we find in South Africa have taken a central position in our academic endeavours. It is in this wide arena that this volume of Alternation is making a further contribution and taking further our critical reflection and research1. It provides an opportunity to critically 1 Cf. the seminal volumes by Wanda Alberts on the Challenge of Religious Education for History of Religions (Numen 55 of 2008); Smit and Chetty’s Religion and Diversity (Alternation Special Edition 3 of 2009) and Tayob, Niehaus and Weisse’s Muslim Schools and Education in Europe and South Africa (2011). Alternation Special Edition 10 (2013) 1 - 9 1 ISSN 1023-1757 Johannes A. Smit, Denzil Chetty & Beverly Vencatsamy reflect on some of the seminal topics and issues which have come to the fore during the ten years since the launching of the policy. As such, many of the issues and concerns also constitute central aspects of the future developing of the critical discourse with regard to religion in the public domain, especially in our schooling and higher education systems2. In the first essay, Federico Settler engages some of the seminal concerns about our National Policy on Religion and Education and some of the critical interactions around