Conflict, Struggle, and Detecting the Real: Newman’s Epistemology, Cognate Disciplines, and Renewing Catechesis Today

Abstract The general purpose of this article is to investigate how conflict and struggle, observed in history and experienced in one’s own being, might serve to bolster faith. Two areas are of particular significance regarding the strengthening of faith vis-à-vis conflict: facilitating assent to religious truth claims and renewing catechetical approaches. Concretely, this article is comprised of three sections. The first section briefly elucidates the terms ‘catechesis’, ‘conflict’, and ‘struggle’. The second section provides an overview of Newman’s religious epistemology and analyzes how it conceives of struggle in the process of coming to assent and certitude regarding religious truth claims, primarily treating Newman’s major 1870 work on religious epistemology, An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent . The third section then analyzes how conflict and struggle are being incorporated into a variety of cognate disciplines to improve student engagement and outcomes. Case studies demonstrate the potential fruit of being forthright regarding the struggles of major figures in history, as well as the value of introducing students to manageable levels of confusion and responsibility for course content. The conclusion offers several constructive reflections while not shying away from the pitfalls that accompany any incorporation of conflict and struggle into the catechetical process.