Religion, Education and Post-modernity

Andrew Wright

RoutledgeFalmer

London and New York

2004

ISBN:0-415-29870-9

 

Andrew Wright has been building the case for and definition of critical religious education over a number of works which have each been essential reading for serious consideration of the teaching of the RE (Spiritual Pedagogy (1998), Discerning the Spirit (1999) Spirituality and education (2000)). In this current volume he has outlined, in the context of postmodernism and more broadly education philosophy, the strongest articulation of his view to date. Indeed it can be considered an almost fatal broadside to liberal Religious Education, at least in its simple form.

 

The book is organised into 4 parts, the first forming a philosophical interpretation of post modernity. Wright explores modern attempts to provide meta-narratives to prevent a descent into nihilism and postmodern attempts to deconstruct modernity. He highlights the emergence of alterity and anti realism as distinctive forms of post modernity and then argues for the possibility and promise of a critical realist approach once more.

 

Part 2 deals with theological issues, in particular what is essential the liberalisation and reduction of religious truth claims into spiritual fiction. Wright then looks to the possibility of recovering a sense of mystery in the world and the necessity for religion to take account of premodern, modern and post-modern readings of religion.

 

Part 3 considers pedagogical issues in education and attempts to construct an open pedagogy which is neither exclusively rationalist nor sceptical, but has a less narrow understanding of knowledge, assessment, curriculum and management. Wright argues for a critical pedagogy grounded in a “critical synergy between education as induction into mystery, and education as the intellectual pursuit of truth.”(P.7)

 

Part 4 looks explicitly at religious education. Wright proposes a way back from the modernist authoritarian closed narrative and the post-modern anti realist accounts of truth. He proposes a middle path, “… the possibility of a positive synergetic relationship between post-modern alterity and the reflective wisdom espoused by critical realism.” (p.220) Rather than restricting students by inducting them into meta-narratives based on naturalism, romanticism and liberalism, or imposing an anti realists world view as modernity and post modernity have sought to do, he argues that a genuinely critical education combines an openness to a range of horizons of meaning and the cultivation of a reflective wisdom capable of enabling students to navigate the complex world. Critical religious education challenges children with conflicting truth claims about the nature of things and is rooted in the pursuit of truth.

 

To give fair reading to Dr. Andrew Wright’s contribution, it should be set against Erricker and Erricker’s “Reconstructing Religious, Spiritual and Moral Education.” (RoutledgeFalmer) 2000 though it is part of a dialogue between those two schools of thought which go back many years.

 

It is essential reading for all involved in Initial teacher education, particularly in Religious Education and it should be read widely by those involved in the teaching or Religious Education. While it is a demanding read, as any investigation into this area should be, Dr. Wright has made accessible perhaps the most important debate in the philosophy of education today.