Religious Education on the Darkling Plain

This book considers changes in the subject Religious Education within the context of Scottish secondary schools, charting a development towards the increasing use of philosophical skills and content in the course of the last four decades. The emergent hypothesis is that Religious Education has become more philosophical as a result of changes in society (particularly secularisation); changes in education (particularly the move to more democratic and reflective pedagogy), and also as a result of the close relationship between the epistemological areas of philosophy and religious education. This book therefore evidences the emergence of a philosophical approach within Scottish RE in the context of a subject where prior to 1972, faith, not reason had been the approach. This book captures the essence of an important change in Scottish society and argues that changes in Religious Education may be barometric of this. This book is relevant not only to Religious Education specialists and academics but also anyone interested in the interface between social and educational change.