CONTEXTS OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL This section broadly outlines some of the social, ecclesial and educational contexts that have an impact on Religious Education in Australia Societal For thousands of years prior to European Increasingly, Australian and other western settlement, the Holy Spirit moved over societies experience an erosion of tradition the land and in the life of Aboriginal and and authority in religion and society and a Torres Strait Islander Australians.10 .They diminished ability for one generation to have always possessed a profound sense pass on traditions to the next. There are of the sacred.11 Their spirituality comes processes of increasing pluralisation and from a profound connection to country secularisation13, growing indifference and which is apt in a time when people are even hostility to religion and a focus on increasingly aware that we are an the pursuit of individual meaning making integral part of creation, included in it and autonomy. In this cultural setting, and called to care for the earth.12 The being Catholic or being religious effectively tradition of a spirituality deeply becomes one choice among many. connected to land, people and law forms the cultural and spiritual history of Catholic schools continue to be a choice for Australia. Australia’s more recent Christian heritage must not just sit beside many parents who enrol their children for a variety of reasons, many of which are not this context; it must encounter, learn religious. However, they know that they from and engage with this story. have chosen a school that teaches Religious Education and offers a range of Catholic Religion is an integral part of the human religious activities. Families come from experience and has great influence culturally wide-ranging cultural and socioeconomic and politically across the world. The Catholic backgrounds and have diverse family Church is a significant presence in Australia, patterns. While Catholic school enrolment especially through its educational, health gives priority to Catholics, the schools are care and social welfare ministries. Australian open to all. They are challenged to have a Catholicism has a multicultural richness and preferential option for the poor and the diversity and reflects a variety of marginalised. expressions of spirituality and religious practice. 8
CONTEXTS OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL This section broadly outlines some of the social, ecclesial and educational contexts that have an impact on Religious Education in Australia Societal For thousands of years prior to European settlement, the Holy Spirit moved over the land and in the life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.10 .They have always possessed a profound sense of the sacred.11 Their spirituality comes from a profound connection to country which is apt in a time when people are increasingly aware that we are an integral part of creation, included in it and called to care for the earth.12 The tradition of a spirituality deeply connected to land, people and law forms the cultural and spiritual history of Australia. Australia’s more recent Christian heritage must not just sit beside this context; it must encounter, learn from and engage with this story. Religion is an integral part of the human experience and has great influence culturally and politically across the world. The Catholic Church is a significant presence in Australia, especially through its educational, health care and social welfare ministries. Australian Catholicism has a multicultural richness and diversity and reflects a variety of expressions of spirituality and religious practice. Increasingly, Australian and other western societies experience an erosion of tradition and authority in religion and society and a diminished ability for one generation to pass on traditions to the next. There are processes of increasing pluralisation and secularisation13, growing indifference and even hostility to religion and a focus on the pursuit of individual meaning making and autonomy. In this cultural setting, being Catholic or being religious effectively becomes one choice among many. Catholic schools continue to be a choice for many parents who enrol their children for a variety of reasons, many of which are not religious. However, they know that they have chosen a school that teaches Religious Education and offers a range of Catholic religious activities. Families come from wide-ranging cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and have diverse family patterns. While Catholic school enrolment gives priority to Catholics, the schools are open to all. They are challenged to have a preferential option for the poor and the marginalised. 8
NCEC_RE_Framing_Paper.docx