Welcome TO ISSUE FOUR OFIN THIS ISSUE...46101315172123TEACHING SOCRATESDr. Eoin G. CassidyINTERFAITH DIALOGUE AS PRESENCE,GIFT AND OBLIGATIONDr Peter AdmirandPAUL:A COMPANION ON LIFE’SJOURNEYFr. Martin HoganBUDDHISM:THE WAY OF THE BUDDHATony KennyTHE HINDU RELIGION AND WOMENSudhansh VermaHAJJAli SelimWHY CARE? NEW STUDENT-FRIENDLYJESUIT WEBSITE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICEGLOBALISATION: BETWEEN RELIGIONAND POLITICSPeadar King38414648505547RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AT VILLIERSSCHOOL, LIMERICKEmily Sexton and Elton GoodRELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN OUR LADY’SGROVE SECONDARY SCHOOL,GOATSTOWNKaren O’ DonovanTOWARDS A SPIRITUALITY THAT LETSGO AND LETS GODPaul MontgomeryYOU AND YOUR ANCESTORSPaul BehanSTUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS ON LEAVINGCERTIFICATE R.E.Lorraine GillespieBUILDING CAPACITY IN R.E. SUPPORTLorraine GillespieR.E. SUPPORT: COURSES AND DATES –TERM 1, 2009-2010273133RELIGION AND THE ENVIRONMENTHelen and Alan ShielMUSIC AND THE BIBLELouise O’ Sullivan, IBVMUSING VIDEO IN RELIGIOUSEDUCATIONBrendan O’ Regan6163THREE FACES OF CHRIST: GOD’S MUSICTrevor DennisCLOZE TEST: JCRE SECTION D:THEQUESTION OF FAITH35RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AT KINSALECOMMUNITY SCHOOLDiarmaid O’ Donovan
TEACHING RELIGIOUS EDUCATIONThe inspirational professor of Theology andReligious Education,Thomas Groome, describesreligious education activity as ‘a deliberateattending to <strong>the</strong> transcendent dimension of lifeby which a conscious relationship to an ultimateground of being is promoted and enabled tocome to expression. Religious education focusesspecific attention on empowering people in <strong>the</strong>irquest for <strong>the</strong> transcendent and ultimate groundof being. It leads people to consciousness of whatis found, relationship with it, and expression ofthat relationship.’ 1 He explains that it is bothspecific in its own right, yet shares a commonalitywith all education – like all education, it is about<strong>the</strong> human person developing and reaching fortranscendence.The Greek philosopher Aristotle believed thatwonder was <strong>the</strong> source of all human learning.Perhaps this is a worthy point of departure for allthat constitutes Religious Education. Since our lastissue of ‘Teaching Religious Education’ (December2008) life has certainly provided ampleexperiences at which to wonder, on various levels:globally, nationally, communally and personally.Recent months have seen events such as <strong>the</strong>inauguration of President Barack Obama in <strong>the</strong>US, Ireland’s historic rugby Grand Slam victory,<strong>the</strong> untimely death of both Jade Goody andMichael Jackson, <strong>the</strong> horrors revealed through <strong>the</strong>Ryan Report, <strong>the</strong> G8 summit in Italy and ofcourse <strong>the</strong> harsh economic downturn which hasinflicted unemployment and hardship on so many.These are only some of <strong>the</strong> key events whichhave made headlines in recent times. Our youngpeople are exposed to an unprecedented seriesof events which reveal a narrative of(predominantly) struggle, interspersed withglimmers of joy and happiness. The challengebefore R.E. teachers at this time is immense.Yet itis a challenge that gets to <strong>the</strong> heart of allworthwhile Religious Education: that ofawakening ever-increasing depths of humandevelopment among our students, andaccompanying <strong>the</strong>m through <strong>the</strong> quest formeaning and transcendence in it all – <strong>the</strong> good,<strong>the</strong> bad and <strong>the</strong> ugly! Sources of wonder areplentiful, as events such as those mentionedabove indicate.Those of us who remember ourlives as secondary school students in <strong>the</strong>unemployment and depression of <strong>the</strong> 1980s maybe particularly well placed to remind studentsthat economic recessions are survivable, and thatwe need to touch base with our innate sense ofhope and purpose.I am confident that our Junior and LeavingCertificate Religious Education courses offer amagnificent educational framework in whichstudents are afforded <strong>the</strong> opportunity to reallyengage with <strong>the</strong> substance of life, and to realisethat <strong>the</strong> religious and non-religious traditions haveprovided a rich means of attending to thatexistential longing, and <strong>the</strong> desire for relationshipto an ultimate ground of being. Even a cursoryglance at <strong>the</strong> findings of my recent questionnaireto some Leaving Certificate R.E. students suggeststhat <strong>the</strong>re is genuine engagement and educationhappening at a rich and deep level in our R.E.classrooms. In all <strong>the</strong> challenges that lie ahead thisyear in our schools and beyond, let us not losesight of <strong>the</strong> importance of empowering peoplein <strong>the</strong>ir quest for transcendence. Let us continueto find opportunities that will spark wonderamong our students, and teach students not justknowledge, but <strong>the</strong> understanding and wisdomthat are born from engagement with life itself.<strong>Issue</strong> 4 contains a mix of academic articlesdesigned to support teachers and students ofLeaving and Junior Certificate R.E., as well as acloser look at what is happening at grass-rootslevel in some of our R.E. classrooms. I’m hopingthat fur<strong>the</strong>r explorations of teachers’ classroomexperience, and students’ perceptions of how<strong>the</strong>ir learning is being shaped, will move us in <strong>the</strong>direction of increasing collegial support in <strong>the</strong>enterprise of Religious Education. I welcome yourfeedback on any aspect of <strong>Issue</strong> 4 and alsowelcome your suggestions for <strong>Issue</strong> 5, which isplanned for Spring 2010. I look forward also tomeeting many of you at our upcomingprofessional development courses, which will besupported and facilitated for <strong>the</strong> most part byour new local facilitators.Lorraine GillespieNational <strong>Support</strong> OfficerReligious Education1Groome,T.H.‘Christian Religious Education, Sharing Our Story and Vision’, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 1980, p22.TEACHING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ISSUE FOUR SEPTEMBER 20093
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