Disputed times: reflections on religious education in Australian Catholic schools

This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on the rationale and purpose of religious education (RE) in Catholic schools. RE in Australian Catholic schools has always been a feature of the curriculum and the expectation is that all students take part in this. Several salient features of contemporary culture that impact on faith-based schools are noted and these frame the overview of religious education that is given. These include the rise in both those expressing no religious affiliation and weaker levels of attachment amongst Catholics to the home tradition. Catholic schools, however, remain popular and this can be seen as a manifestation of secular religious competition. Several features of RE in Australian Catholic schools are given. These include; the preeminent emphasis on an educational approach, a recognition of various distinct but complementary goals for RE, and an acknowledgement of the importance of dialogue, engagement and pedagogical methodology.