Knowledge and religious education: a metalogue

This article explores differing scholarly views on the relationship between knowledge and Religious Education (RE) within a British context. Using a metalogue methodology – a structured, reflective dialogue – the perspectives of three scholars are presented facilitated by a fourth scholar. The method preserves individual voices while fostering interactive debate. The discussion includes – disagreements on the nature and definition of knowledge and concerns over limited pedagogical vocabulary. There was a shared dislike of rote learning and the ’transmission’ model of education, advocating instead for intellectual engagement, virtue ethics, and existential inquiry. The metalogue revealed differing views on whether RE uniquely holds responsibility for teaching ethical and existential themes, or if this should be interdisciplinary. Concerns about teacher education, lack of conceptual clarity, and the erosion of academic RE spaces in the UK were raised, thereby impacting ideological and pedagogical development. Despite disagreements, the scholars valued the metalogue as a respectful and productive format for dialogue, and agreed it could be used as model for classroom debate. Further implications include more focussed discussion and agreement on policy direction for RE goals, pedagogical innovation focused on scholarly curiosity and better teacher education that supports deeper educational purpose beyond knowledge delivery.

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