Understanding Christianity: exploring a hermeneutical pedagogy for teaching Christianity

Journal article

Pett, S. and Cooling, T. 2018. Understanding Christianity: exploring a hermeneutical pedagogy for teaching Christianity. British Journal of Religious Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2018.1493268
AuthorsPett, S. and Cooling, T.
Abstract

Disagreements about how Christianity should be taught in state-funded school RE have a long history. In this article we take England as a case study and examine the debates that have arisen about the legitimacy of a theologically-based pedagogy following the publication of Understanding Christianity, a resource inspired by recent developments in academic theological hermeneutics.

We particularly focus on the question whether or not pupils should be treated as insiders or outsiders. Drawing on Anthony Thiselton’s notion of responsible hermeneutics, we argue that this offers a robust model for an academically rigorous approach to teaching Christianity in schools that enables pupils to be both insiders and outsiders in the hermeneutical process. We then illustrate how Understanding Christianity has attempted to embody this aspiration.

KeywordsBible; confessional RE; pedagogy; responsible hermeneutics; theology; Thiselton; understanding Christianity
Year2018
JournalBritish Journal of Religious Education
PublisherTaylor & Francis
ISSN0141-6200
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2018.1493268
Publication dates
Online17 Jul 2018
Publication process dates
Deposited02 May 2018
Accepted01 May 2018
Accepted author manuscript
Output statusPublished
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https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/88qvv/understanding-christianity-exploring-a-hermeneutical-pedagogy-for-teaching-christianity

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