The Contemporary Problem of Religious Education in Catholic Schools In 1847, the American Protest... more The Contemporary Problem of Religious Education in Catholic Schools In 1847, the American Protestant theologian, Horace Bushnell, published his classic work, Christian Nurture, wherein he alluded with good-natured envy to the success of the catechetical work of the Catholic Church. Indeed, Catholic educational practices have had a long history of effectiveness. At the outset of the twenty-first century, however, it seems that Catholic schools in the western world are substantially failing in their mission to hand on the faith to a new generation. In Australia, research has chronicled this problem for over twenty years. A 2006 investigation into the attitudes of Generation Y found that less than 3% of recent graduates from Catholic schools participated regularly in the Sunday Eucharist while Relativism was identified as their predominant philosophy...
In 1942, Henri de Lubac identified serious problems with religious education. In his view, overly... more In 1942, Henri de Lubac identified serious problems with religious education. In his view, overly rationalist explanations and a reliance on pre-digested propositions undermined the essential element of mystery. He also cautioned against the prevailing Neo-Scholasticism, which hardened religious faith into separated departments of nature and grace, which promoted a response of rationalism on one hand and sentimentality on the other. Forty years later, Graham Rossiter called for a ''creative divorce'' between religious education and catechesis. While his intention was to make a necessary distinction between the two, it appears that some of his less subtle interpreters may have enacted the same kind of separation of categories that de Lubac warned about in the 1940s. The author proposes that the distinction between catechesis and religious education might be better expressed as a creative tension rather than a creative divorce. In the context of a Catholic school, catechesis and religious education need to be in continual dialogue with each other. The process needs to account for the theological anthropology of the human person-an integration of body, heart and mind. The exaggerated emphasis on mind in religious education and heart in catechesis may cause difficulties for students in integrating these dimensions. The distinction between catechesis and religious education remains a necessary mental tool for effective analysis, but we must beware of separating them in a way that prevents the students from engaging in the necessary Christian task of holding competing realities in creative tension.
Solidarity the Journal of Catholic Social Thought and Secular Ethics, 2012
In moving into the Roman world, the first Christians encountered a secular culture whose social, ... more In moving into the Roman world, the first Christians encountered a secular culture whose social, political and cultural characteristics bore a striking resemblance to the contemporary period. Yet these Christians did not feel constrained to present only those aspects of their message that would be acceptable. For most of its history, the presentation of a Christian message in the "public square" has entailed both theological and philosophical perspectives. Today, Catholics seem "self-limited" by an unspoken demand that they argue solely from philosophical and scientific positions in public debates. This approach often fails to present a distinctively Christian viewpoint. As early as 1946, Henri de Lubac pointed out that this side-lining of the Christian view was not solely the result of secularist agitation. Since the sixteenth century, the generally accepted notion that human reality is composed of two separate dimensionsnatural and a supernatural-has given the impression that one can speak of a discrete natural order which is unaffected by grace. While this approach still has its defenders, many Catholic intellectuals have pointed to its shortcomings, both theologically and philosophically. When Catholics confine themselves to naturalistic arguments, they deceive no one. Secularists-who argue from their own perspective of "belief"-are able to accuse their Catholic opponents of having a hidden agenda, and of lacking the courage of their convictions by concealing what really motivates them. Any movement away from this situation is likely to be met with derision. Nevertheless, while neither Christians nor Secularists should impose their political views on others, Catholics should feel free to mount the full range of their arguments in public and should reject the notion that they are bound by rules of engagement set by their intellectual opponents.
There are very few curricula which are robust enough to succeed in diverse cultural settings over... more There are very few curricula which are robust enough to succeed in diverse cultural settings over an extended period of time. The Montessori curriculum is an example of one that has-it has been adopted on every continent, it has sustained itself for over a century, and its success has been validated by well controlled scientific studies. Importantly, also, the Montessori curriculum has proven to be very effective when used with equity groups such as the mentally handicapped and those in low socioeconomic groups. This paper looks at the curriculum design approach used by Montessori and extracts the key underlying principles used in the design process. The paper then discusses how one can use the Montessori approach for curriculum refinement in a first year university unit.
The Contemporary Problem of Religious Education in Catholic Schools In 1847, the American Protest... more The Contemporary Problem of Religious Education in Catholic Schools In 1847, the American Protestant theologian, Horace Bushnell, published his classic work, Christian Nurture, wherein he alluded with good-natured envy to the success of the catechetical work of the Catholic Church. Indeed, Catholic educational practices have had a long history of effectiveness. At the outset of the twenty-first century, however, it seems that Catholic schools in the western world are substantially failing in their mission to hand on the faith to a new generation. In Australia, research has chronicled this problem for over twenty years. A 2006 investigation into the attitudes of Generation Y found that less than 3% of recent graduates from Catholic schools participated regularly in the Sunday Eucharist while Relativism was identified as their predominant philosophy...
In 1942, Henri de Lubac identified serious problems with religious education. In his view, overly... more In 1942, Henri de Lubac identified serious problems with religious education. In his view, overly rationalist explanations and a reliance on pre-digested propositions undermined the essential element of mystery. He also cautioned against the prevailing Neo-Scholasticism, which hardened religious faith into separated departments of nature and grace, which promoted a response of rationalism on one hand and sentimentality on the other. Forty years later, Graham Rossiter called for a ''creative divorce'' between religious education and catechesis. While his intention was to make a necessary distinction between the two, it appears that some of his less subtle interpreters may have enacted the same kind of separation of categories that de Lubac warned about in the 1940s. The author proposes that the distinction between catechesis and religious education might be better expressed as a creative tension rather than a creative divorce. In the context of a Catholic school, catechesis and religious education need to be in continual dialogue with each other. The process needs to account for the theological anthropology of the human person-an integration of body, heart and mind. The exaggerated emphasis on mind in religious education and heart in catechesis may cause difficulties for students in integrating these dimensions. The distinction between catechesis and religious education remains a necessary mental tool for effective analysis, but we must beware of separating them in a way that prevents the students from engaging in the necessary Christian task of holding competing realities in creative tension.
Solidarity the Journal of Catholic Social Thought and Secular Ethics, 2012
In moving into the Roman world, the first Christians encountered a secular culture whose social, ... more In moving into the Roman world, the first Christians encountered a secular culture whose social, political and cultural characteristics bore a striking resemblance to the contemporary period. Yet these Christians did not feel constrained to present only those aspects of their message that would be acceptable. For most of its history, the presentation of a Christian message in the "public square" has entailed both theological and philosophical perspectives. Today, Catholics seem "self-limited" by an unspoken demand that they argue solely from philosophical and scientific positions in public debates. This approach often fails to present a distinctively Christian viewpoint. As early as 1946, Henri de Lubac pointed out that this side-lining of the Christian view was not solely the result of secularist agitation. Since the sixteenth century, the generally accepted notion that human reality is composed of two separate dimensionsnatural and a supernatural-has given the impression that one can speak of a discrete natural order which is unaffected by grace. While this approach still has its defenders, many Catholic intellectuals have pointed to its shortcomings, both theologically and philosophically. When Catholics confine themselves to naturalistic arguments, they deceive no one. Secularists-who argue from their own perspective of "belief"-are able to accuse their Catholic opponents of having a hidden agenda, and of lacking the courage of their convictions by concealing what really motivates them. Any movement away from this situation is likely to be met with derision. Nevertheless, while neither Christians nor Secularists should impose their political views on others, Catholics should feel free to mount the full range of their arguments in public and should reject the notion that they are bound by rules of engagement set by their intellectual opponents.
There are very few curricula which are robust enough to succeed in diverse cultural settings over... more There are very few curricula which are robust enough to succeed in diverse cultural settings over an extended period of time. The Montessori curriculum is an example of one that has-it has been adopted on every continent, it has sustained itself for over a century, and its success has been validated by well controlled scientific studies. Importantly, also, the Montessori curriculum has proven to be very effective when used with equity groups such as the mentally handicapped and those in low socioeconomic groups. This paper looks at the curriculum design approach used by Montessori and extracts the key underlying principles used in the design process. The paper then discusses how one can use the Montessori approach for curriculum refinement in a first year university unit.
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Papers by Gerard O'Shea