Addressing the challenges of understanding self through a Personal Worldviews Framework

Abstract The benefits of teaching about religion(s) have been observed internationally including, but not exclusively, in assisting intercultural understanding and communication. Dialogue is often promoted to improve intercultural understanding and promote respect around religious belief. However, this theoretical article argues that dialogue is a secondary action towards intercultural and interreligious communication and awareness. This article posits that the necessary precursor is that of understanding self. There are many ways to categorise the ‘self’ such as ‘lifeviews’ (Van Dijk-Groeneboer in Religions 11:610, 2020), ‘existential configurations’ (Gustavsson in BJRE 42:25–35, 2018) and ‘worldviews’ (Cooling in BJRE 42:403–414, 2020). This article will employ the term personal worldviews as a shorthand for the multifaceted nature of self (Flanagan in JRE 68:331–344, 2020). Investigation of that multifaceted nature of self, whilst encouraged in RE in England, where Ofsted recommends the investigation and assessment of pupils’ personal knowledge (2021), faces challenges, including the lack of conceptual clarity and effective methodology to assist in this endeavour. This article proposes a methodological tool, Personal Worldviews Framework, to facilitate understanding of self and others. This framework has been employed effectively with teachers in England and as a foundational tool for a Religion and Worldviews education project in secondary schools in Australia.