Teaching Ethics and Religious Culture in Quebec High Schools: An Overview, Contextualization and Some Analytical Comments
Abstract In 2008 Quebec introduced a new ethics and religious culture course. This marks a significant development in Canadian education as the mandated curriculum is intended for use in publically funded secular schools. In the past such courses have been in the domain of denominational schools. This new approach is examined in the context of the profound changes in Quebec society in recent years, typified by the sudden decline in the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. An overview of the curriculum is given, noting its basis as a particular type of phenomenological approach to the study of ethics and religion. The curriculum is analyzed against the theoretical perspectives developed by Moore and Wright. A number of issues on the scope of the study, the significant demands it places on students and teachers, and how it critically engages with religious truth claims are examined.