Introduction: Entering the Debate Part 1: History, Policy and Purpose 1. Why Religious Education Matters 2. RE in the United Kingdom and Ireland 3. Agreed Syllabuses Part 2: Educational Issues and Religious Education 4. Diversity 5. Gender 6. Faith, Education and Whole School Issues 7. Faith Schools 8. Citizenship and Human Rights 9. Spiritual and Moral Development 10. Social Cohesion 11. Humanism 12. Research 13. European Developments Part 3: Issues in Teaching and Learning in Religious Education 14. Constructing Religion 15. Schemes of Work and Lesson Plans 16. Pedagogy 17. Differentiation 18. Thinking Skills 19. Assessment 20 Information and Computer Technologies 21. Science and Religion

L. Philip Barnes is Emertius Reader in Religious and Theological Education at King's College London and Visiting Scholar in the Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University Belfast.

What are the key debates in Religious Education teaching today? Debates in Religious Education explores the major issues all RE teachers encounter in their daily professional lives. It encourages critical reflection and aims to stimulate both novice and experienced teachers to think more deeply about their practice, and link research and evidence to what they have observed in schools.
This accessible book tackles established and contemporary issues enabling you to reach informed judgements and argue your point of view with deeper theoretical knowledge and understanding. Taking account of recent controversy, and challenging assumptions about the place of religion in education, expert contributors cover key topics such as:
Effective pedagogy in RE teaching
Exploring thinking skills and truth claims
The relationship of science and religion in the classroom
The place of school worship in contemporary society
The role of RE in spiritual and moral development
Diversity in the RE classroom.
With its combination of expert opinion and fresh insight, Debates in Religious Education is the ideal companion for any student or practising teacher engaged in initial training, continuing professional development and Masters level study.