Four models of teaching religion

Author: Robert R. Newton

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Published in PACE, vol. 11, 17 p., 1981

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Four Models of Teaching Religion
R E L I G I O U S E D U C A T O R S plan programs,
conduct w o r k s h o p s , a n d teach t h e i r classes o n
the basis o f some d o m i n a n t but u s u a l l y i m p l i c i t
e d u c a t i o n a l t h e o r y . A s a result of t h e i r o w n
r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n a n d o f t h e i r experience i n
t e a c h i n g r e l i g i o n , they have c o m e to p r a c t i c a l
c o n c l u s i o n s about the m a j o r issues i n r e l i g i o u s
e d u c a t i o n ; these c o n c l u s i o n s i n t u r n have d e v e l -
o p e d i n t o attitudes w h i c h d i r e c t t h e i r i n i t i a t i v e s
a n d responses i n teaching r e l i g i o n . M o r e often
than not, this t h e o r y is h e l d as an u n s p o k e n
a s s u m p t i o n rather than as a set o f c l e a r l y a r t i c u -
lated p r o p o s i t i o n s . Y e t , at the same time, it forms
the v a l u e structure w h i c h gives coherence a n d
d i r e c t i o n to the person's e d u c a t i o n a l activities.
C o n s e q u e n t l y , e x p l i c a t i o n of a r e l i g i o n teach-
er's u n d e r l y i n g e d u c a t i o n a l t h e o r y can have n u -
m e r o u s benefits. It can p r o v i d e a f r a m e w o r k
w h i c h enables the teacher b o t h to integrate the
otherwise disparate elements of an e d u c a t i o n a l
theory, a n d , as a result, to construct a n d articulate
a m o r e s o l i d basis for his o r h e r t e a c h i n g activity.
D e l i n e a t i o n of this theoretical p o s i t i o n can also
h e l p the teacher compare a n d contrast c o m p e t i n g
theories a n d e n r i c h his o r h e r c u r r e n t p o s i t i o n
w i t h insights from other theoretical perspectives.
F i n a l l y , greater awareness can enlarge the effi-
cacy of the theory as a g u i d e to action, both by
i n c r e a s i n g consistency a n d by c r e a t i n g a greater
sense o f d i r e c t i o n a n d p u r p o s e for i n d i v i d u a l
teachers a n d for t h e i r classes.
A n u n d e r s t a n d i n g of m o d e l s can also benefit
others concerned w i t h r e l i g i o u s education. M u c h
of the confusion a n d conflict that s u r r o u n d s the
t e a c h i n g of r e l i g i o n stems from a disagreement
o v e r basic assumptions. M a n y see the p r i m a r y
Robert R. Newton
p u r p o s e o f r e l i g i o u s education as the d e v e l o p -
ment of students capable of m a k i n g their o w n
r e l i g i o u s a n d m o r a l decisions. O t h e r s are c o n -
c e r n e d first a n d foremost w i t h what students
k n o w about t h e i r r e l i g i o n . S t i l l others focus o n
the r e l i g i o u s b e h a v i o r of students a n d direct their
a t t e n t i o n to the p r o d u c t i o n of s u c h behaviors.
F i n a l l y , s o c i a l activists insist that the a i m of
r e l i g i o u s s c h o o l i n g s h o u l d be to p r o d u c e C h r i s -
t i a n c h a n g e agents w h o w i l l be active i n the
s o l u t i o n of fundamental h u m a n p r o b l e m s . T h e s e
o p i n i o n s are not necessarily i d e n t i f i e d w i t h par-
t i c u l a r g r o u p s ; a l l four perspectives m a y be
r e p r e s e n t e d o n a school faculty, a p a r i s h c o u n c i l ,
a d i o c e s a n r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n office, etc. W h a t
seems i m p o r t a n t is that these v a r i o u s c o n c e r n e d
i n d i v i d u a l s a n d g r o u p s be clear about t h e i r basic
a s s u m p t i o n s a n d the p r a c t i c a l i m p l i c a t i o n of
these a s s u m p t i o n s for r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n p r o -
grams.
I h o p e , therefore, that the f o l l o w i n g presenta-
tions—here a n d i n four subsequent articles—will
be h e l p f u l for a l l these purposes. T h e s e m o d e l s
of t e a c h i n g r e l i g i o n are based o n different as-
s u m p t i o n s about the p u r p o s e of r e l i g i o u s educa-
t i o n a n d about h o w students g r o w r e l i g i o u s l y .
T h e s e basic premises i n t u r n generate c o n c l u -
sions o n the p r o p e r roles for teachers a n d stu-
dents, o n the content of r e l i g i o u s education, on
the e n v i r o n m e n t i n w h i c h r e l i g i o u s education
s h o u l d o c c u r , a n d o n the way i n w h i c h students
a n d outcomes s h o u l d be evaluated. T h e four
m o d e l s w h i c h w i l l be presented are: the O p e n
E d u c a t i o n M o d e l , the A c a d e m i c M o d e l , the E d u -
c a t i o n a l T e c h n o l o g y M o d e l , a n d the Social Jus-
tice M o d e l .
TEACHING—E
 I. The Open Education Model
Assumptions of Open Education
R e l i g i o u s education was d r a m a t i c a l l y influenced
by the open education movement w h i c h emerged
i n A m e r i c a n schools i n the 1960s. B a s e d o n the
humanistic, third-force p s y c h o l o g y of A b r a h a m
M a s l o w , this m o v e m e n t took a v e r y p o s i t i v e view
of the person a n d his o r h e r capacity for self-
directed g r o w t h . M a s l o w sought to strike a p a t h
between what he r e g a r d e d as the excesses of
b e h a v i o r i s m and F r e u d i a n i s m by p r o p o s i n g a
t h i r d alternative based o n the c o n v i c t i o n that
each i n d i v i d u a l h a d a u n i q u e " s e l f w h i c h , i f
allowed to d e v e l o p i n an atmosphere of freedom
and encouragement, w o u l d p r o d u c e creative,
productive, and complete h u m a n beings. M a s l o w
saw the r o l e of the parent, therapist, a n d teacher
as p r o m o t i n g the c h i l d ' s o w n i n i t i a t i v e a n d
e x p l o r a t i o n rather than as f o r m i n g the c h i l d to a
predetermined ideal.
C a r l R o g e r s expressed this same i d e a i n his
writings o n c o u n s e l i n g and o n education. I n both
spheres, R o g e r s a r g u e d that real g r o w t h takes
place o n l y i f the h e l p i n g adult is client-centered,
i.e., t r a n s f e r r i n g r e s p o n s i b i l i t y to the p e r s o n
being treated or educated rather than attempting
to direct the person's g r o w t h . I n d i v i d u a l s k n o w
better than others what is necessary o r a p p r o p r i -
ate for t h e i r d e v e l o p m e n t ; they h a v e w i t h i n
themselves the resources to solve t h e i r o w n p r o b -
lems a n d to grow a n d l e a r n i n the most a p p r o p r i -
ate way. T h e person is the d i s c o v e r e r of his o r h e r
own m e a n i n g rather than a passive receptacle for
the conclusions a n d insights of others. L i f e is a
constant e x p l o r a t i o n , a s t r i v i n g to listen sensi-
tively to a u n i q u e i n n e r v o i c e w h i c h p r o m p t s the
i n d i v i d u a l to become a l l that he o r she m i g h t be.
Implications of Open Education for Teaching Religion
T h e O p e n E d u c a t i o n theory translates q u i t e
easily i n t o a m o d e l of r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n . T h e
c h i l d is p e r c e i v e d as a d i s c o v e r e r a n d maker of
his o r her o w n r e l i g i o u s m e a n i n g . G o d is present
i n the most p r o f o u n d d i m e n s i o n of h u m a n expe-
rience. A s the self emerges, there is a p a r a l l e l
emergence of the r e l i g i o u s i n the i n d i v i d u a l ' s
e x p e r i e n c e . G o d is not someone out there, speak-
i n g to the person from a distance. R a t h e r , s i m i l a r
to the a n a l o g y used by M a s l o w , G o d is a voice
d e e p w i t h i n , c a l l i n g the person i n t o a r e l a t i o n -
s h i p w i t h the d i v i n e , p r o m p t i n g the i n d i v i d u a l
to u n d e r s t a n d the r e l i g i o u s significance of per-
sonal experience.
M u c h of s p i r i t u a l d i r e c t i o n today takes the
same " g r o w t h from w i t h i n " approach. T h e retreat
is a t i m e w h e n the p e r s o n puts aside outside
d i s t r a c t i o n a n d attempts to d i s c o v e r G o d i n the
significant movements i n his o r h e r life. T h e a i m
of the s p i r i t u a l d i r e c t o r is not to i m p o s e some-
t h i n g f r o m the outside but to h e l p the person
u n d e r s t a n d the d i v i n e as it emerges i n the
thoughts a n d feelings of the p e r s o n i n prayer.
G r o w t h takes place from the " i n s i d e out" rather
than v i c e versa. R e l i g i o n is not p u m p e d i n t o
p e o p l e ; it is d r a w n out.
T h e O p e n R e l i g i o u s E d u c a t o r is critical of
p r o g r a m s that concentrate p r e d o m i n a t e l y o n
e x t r i n s i c r e l i g i o u s l e a r n i n g , i.e., d e v e l o p i n g i n
the student r e l i g i o u s practices, associations, hab-
its, c o n d i t i o n i n g s , a n d so forth. R a t h e r the teach-
er is c o n v i n c e d that the "process of b e c o m i n g a
r e l i g i o u s p e r s o n " is the a i m of the r e l i g i o n
p r o g r a m . T h e i n i t i a t i v e for g r o w t h resides i n the
p e r s o n rather than i n the e n v i r o n m e n t o r a pre-
d e t e r m i n e d c u r r i c u l a r sequence. O b v i o u s l y , as
i n the development of the "natural self," religious
g r o w t h is s t i m u l a t e d by the e n v i r o n m e n t , by the
message, b y the c o m m u n i t y . B u t the student is
trusted to g r o w rather than forced i n t o patterns
w h i c h someone else has d e t e r m i n e d . P a r a l l e l i n g
M a s l o w ' s key insight, one m i g h t propose that " i n
TEACHING—E
the n o r m a l r e l i g i o u s d e v e l o p m e n t of healthy
c h i l d r e n , it is b e l i e v e d that, m u c h of the time, if
they are g i v e n r e a l l y free choice, they w i l l dis-
cover G o d for themselves."
A n O p e n E d u c a t i o n a p p r o a c h o b v i o u s l y em-
phasizes e n l a r g i n g the student's capacity for
continuous growth. Its stress o n r e l i g i o u s self-
discovery develops s k i l l i n o n g o i n g reflection
and analysis of e x p e r i e n c e ; i n the process, it
creates a set of " r e l i g i o u s lenses" t h r o u g h w h i c h
the person can d i s c e r n the r e l i g i o u s and m o r a l
d i m e n s i o n s of that e x p e r i e n c e . B y c o n c e n t r a t i n g
on d e v e l o p i n g the c a p a c i t y for s e l f - i n i t i a t e d
g r o w t h , the O p e n E d u c a t i o n t h e o r y prepares
y o u n g p e o p l e not o n l y to c o n t i n u e self-develop-
ment after their f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n , but also to
become creative c o n t r i b u t o r s to the e m e r g i n g
C h u r c h . G i v e n the shift i n emphasis today to the
w i d e p a r t i c i p a t i o n of a l l m e m b e r s o f the C a t h o l i c
c o m m u n i t y i n d e t e r m i n i n g the d i r e c t i o n a n d
g r o w t h of the C h u r c h , the d e v e l o p m e n t of
q u e s t i o n i n g / g r o w i n g y o u n g C a t h o l i c s seems
both appropriate a n d essential.
T h e student is r e g a r d e d as i n n a t e l y c u r i o u s ;
g i v e n a r i c h and s u p p o r t i v e e n v i r o n m e n t , he o r
she is capable of r e s p o n s i b l e e x p l o r a t i o n a n d
discovery. Students h a v e b o t h the competence
and the r i g h t to m a k e i m p o r t a n t decisions about
what they learn and h o w they l e a r n . D e e p w i t h i n
there is a natural s t r i v i n g t o w a r d G o d , a "restless
searching" w h i c h not o n l y must be a l l o w e d but
also must be p r o m o t e d . T h e r e is a c o n v i c t i o n
that this natural movement, i n s p i r e d b y the voice
of G o d c a l l i n g the p e r s o n w i t h i n h i s or h e r
experience, w i l l lead to r e l i g i o u s faith. T h o u g h
this response takes place i n the context of the
C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t y and i n light of the C h r i s t i a n
message, the student, c o o p e r a t i n g w i t h the d i v i n e
i n i t i a t i v e , is seen as the p r i m a r y actor.
T h e teacher i n the O p e n E d u c a t i o n m o d e l of
r e l i g i o u s education is a d e e p l y r e l i g i o u s person
who has discovered G o d i n his o r h e r o w n life
a n d w h o now becomes an e x p e r i e n c e d partner to
students, assisting them i n their h i g h l y personal
quest for G o d . T h e O p e n R e l i g i o u s E d u c a t o r is
eager to h e l p —to p r o v i d e resources, to answer
questions, to h e l p the c h i l d interpret experience,
to p r o v i d e reaffirmation a n d acceptance. A t the
same time, the teacher is c o n v i n c e d that he or she
cannot put into the c h i l d a b o d y of r e l i g i o u s
k n o w l e d g e a n d practice. A s a result, the teacher
creates a l e a r n i n g situation w h i c h emphasizes
student i n i t i a t i v e , q u e s t i o n i n g , a n d d i s c o v e r y .
T h e teacher is accepting a n d r e c e p t i v e rather
than d i r e c t i v e and intrusive. T h e student is made
to realize that the teacher w i l l h e l p but that the
quest, a n d u l t i m a t e l y the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , is the
student's, not the teacher's. T h e teacher is not
u n l i k e the s p i r i t u a l d i r e c t o r w h o is there to h e l p
but reluctant to interfere w i t h the s p i r i t u a l move-
ments that are t a k i n g place i n the p e r s o n u n d e r
the d i v i n e i n i t i a t i v e .
T h e curriculum i n the O p e n E d u c a t i o n m o d e l
emphasizes the natural u n f o l d i n g of the student's
i n n a t e c u r i o s i t y about G o d . It focuses o n the
needs a n d questions w h i c h e m e r g e i n both the
o r d i n a r y a n d significant experiences of the c h i l d .
T h e curriculum, though obviously planned and
d i v i d e d i n general areas, is f l e x i b l e rather than
r i g i d a n d is designed to p r o m o t e e x p l o r a t i o n of
questions that n a t u r a l l y arise, r a t h e r than ques-
tions that are p r e d e t e r m i n e d by the " l o g i c a l
sequence" of the m a t e r i a l . T h e r e is structure, but
the emphasis is o n adaptation to i n d i v i d u a l needs
or questions rather than o n insistence that "the
p l a n " be followed at a l l costs.
A n i n d i v i d u a l i z e d p r o g r a m is a p p r o p r i a t e i n
o t h e r areas of the c u r r i c u l u m because of the
different ways i n w h i c h students d e v e l o p , based
on i n d i v i d u a l needs, abilities, l e a r n i n g styles,
and backgrounds. H o w m u c h more appropriate
is it that the r e l i g i o n p r o g r a m , focused on the
most p e r s o n a l area of i n d i v i d u a l d e v e l o p m e n t ,
be based o n the same sensitivity to the u n i q u e
characteristics of i n d i v i d u a l learners?
Evaluation i n an O p e n E d u c a t i o n r e l i g i o u s ed-
TEACHING—E
ucation p r o g r a m emphasizes divergent and sub-
jective outcomes rather than u n i f o r m a n d stan-
d a r d results. T h e g o a l of the p r o g r a m is not to
produce predetermined behaviors i n each student;
rather the a i m is to stimulate personal reaction.
A s a result of s h i f t i n g the i n i t i a t i v e from the
teacher to the student, u n i q u e rather than u n i -
form responses emerge. E v a l u a t i o n i n the I n d i -
v i d u a l F u l f i l l m e n t m o d e l avoids traditional mark-
i n g systems a n d instead moves t o w a r d m o r e
d e s c r i p t i v e analysis a n d r e p o r t i n g of outcomes.
Just as a m a r k is not assigned to an i n d i v i d u a l for
the p e r s o n a l g r o w t h that takes place d u r i n g a
retreat o r l i t u r g i c a l experience, so also precise
d e t e r m i n a t i o n of results i n the r e l i g i o n classroom
is out of place.
T h e environment i n w h i c h r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n
takes p l a c e is i m p o r t a n t to the teachers a d o p t i n g
the O p e n E d u c a t i o n a p p r o a c h . F r o m what has
been said, it o b v i o u s l y s h o u l d be an e n v i r o n m e n t
where the student feels at ease, where there is a
h i g h d e g r e e of m u t u a l acceptance a n d a s t r o n g
r a p p o r t a m o n g students and between students
a n d teachers. A s i n o p e n education, the e n v i r o n -
ment is r i c h i n "religious things"—objects, people,
events, situations—an e n v i r o n m e n t w h i c h raises
r e l i g i o u s questions for students a n d stimulates
a n d allows their n a t u r a l c u r i o s i t y about G o d to
u n f o l d . T h i s is a k e y element i n r e l i g i o u s l y
o r i e n t e d schools w h i c h is d e n i e d to students i n
p u b l i c e d u c a t i o n : an atmosphere where students
a n d faculty feel free to raise a n d e x p l o r e the
r e l i g i o u s a n d m o r a l d i m e n s i o n s of ideas, events,
d e c i s i o n s , a n d so o n . T h i s s e n s i t i v i t y to the
r e l i g i o u s i n a l l aspects of school life is character-
istic of the m a n n e r i n w h i c h all subjects are taught
a n d of the tone of the s c h o o l i n general.
O b v i o u s l y , as w i t h any basic insight, the O p e n
E d u c a t i o n emphasis is subject to d i s t o r t i o n a n d
exaggeration. S o m e h a v e interpreted it to m e a n
the a b a n d o n m e n t of a l l content, logic, o r d i r e c -
t i o n . M o r e moderate p r o p o n e n t s have t e m p e r e d
the basic insights of O p e n E d u c a t i o n w i t h the
realities of the r e l i g i o u s education task, e.g., the
d e v e l o p m e n t a l needs of students, the l e g i t i m a t e
d i r e c t i o n of the C h u r c h . A t the same time, the
O p e n E d u c a t i o n R e l i g i o u s E d u c a t o r makes a
c o m m i t m e n t to a v e r y different r e l i g i o u s educa-
tion, a process w h i c h emphasizes experience, trust,
openness, a n d self-discovery. A s a consequence,
the O p e n R e l i g i o u s E d u c a t o r makes substantial
adjustments i n student a n d teacher roles, i n the
content a n d e n v i r o n m e n t of i n s t r u c t i o n , a n d i n
the e v a l u a t i o n of o u t c o m e s — i n the c o n v i c t i o n
that t r u e r e l i g i o u s g r o w t h can take place o n l y
from w i t h i n .
Further Reading on the Open Education Model
A s s o c i a t i o n for S u p e r v i s i o n a n d C u r r i c u l u m D e -
v e l o p m e n t , Perceiving, Behaving, Becoming:
A New Focus for Education ( W a s h i n g t o n : A s -
sociation for S u p e r v i s i o n a n d C u r r i c u l u m
D e v e l o p m e n t , 1962).
M a s l o w , A b r a h a m H . , Toward a Psychology of
Being, 2 n d ed., ( P r i n c e t o n : V a n N o s t r a n d ,
1968).
S i l b e r m a n , C h a r l e s E . , ed., The Open Classroom
Reader ( N e w Y o r k : V i n t a g e , 1973).
Note: o n the f o l l o w i n g page is an o u t l i n e for
u s i n g o p e n education as a m o d e l for r e l i g i o u s
education.
Rev. Robert R. Newton, author of numerous articles on reli-
gious education and educational management, is at present
assistant to the academic vice-president of Boston College,
Chestnut Hill, Mass.
TEACHING—E
Open Education As a Model for Religious Education

AIM OF RELIGIOUS • to become a religious person

EDUCATION

FIRST PRINCIPLE • natural discovery of God within

• reflective exploration of the religious dimension
in personal experience

TEACHER • a religious guide, helper

• the spiritual director model adapted to the classroom

STUDENT • agent, maker of his/her own religious meanings

• capable of developing the capacity for life-long
religious search and growth

CURRICULUM • founded on the needs/questions/interests/experiences

of students
• less rigid than flexible; adaptable rather than pre-
determined

ENVIRONMENT • accepting, reaffirming

• rich in religious experiences which stimulate
questioning/reflection/growth

EVALUATION • highly individualized

• avoiding uniform outcomes
• descriptive, subjective rather than traditional grading

ADVOCATES • personalists, immanentists, open educators,

experientialists

TEACHING — E

Four Models of Teaching Religion:
II. The Academic Model of Religious Education
Assumptions and Origins
T h e back to the basics m o v e m e n t w h i c h has
affected A m e r i c a n education g e n e r a l l y has been
p r o m p t e d b y serious c o n c e r n o v e r a p p a r e n t l y
d e c l i n i n g aptitudes a n d achievements of y o u n g
p e o p l e . Educators o n every l e v e l are distressed
a n d v o c a l about t h e i r students' inadequate mas-
tery o f basic i n f o r m a t i o n a n d skills. S e c o n d a r y
schools c o m p l a i n about the p o o r p r e p a r a t i o n of
e l e m e n t a r y school graduates; colleges p o i n t to
the d e c l i n i n g S A T a n d a c h i e v e m e n t scores of
the college applicant p o o l . A m e r i c a n educators
sense that s o m e t h i n g has g o n e w r o n g . O u r tech-
n o l o g i c a l advances, better m e t h o d s of teacher
p r e p a r a t i o n , substantially e n l a r g e d e d u c a t i o n a l
expenditures, m o r e r i g i d standards of certifica-
t i o n , increased specialization of educational roles,
etc. — a l l s h o u l d have l o g i c a l l y p r o d u c e d m o r e
r a t h e r than less l e a r n i n g . B u t the expectation of
increased outcomes has g i v e n way to g r o w i n g
d i s a p p o i n t m e n t w i t h new approaches a n d a c a l l
for a r e t u r n to t r i e d a n d true methods.
It w o u l d be s u r p r i s i n g i f this general c o n c e r n
o v e r the d e c l i n i n g outcomes of education d i d not
h a v e impact on r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n . A s a matter
of fact, concern w i t h " r e l i g i o u s i l l i t e r a c y " has
been as acute i n r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m s as
c o n c e r n o v e r decreased r e a d i n g a n d m a t h scores.
R e l i g i o n teachers d e a l i n g w i t h a school-age p o p -
u l a t i o n can no l o n g e r p r e s u m e a c o m m o n r e l i -
g i o u s b a c k g r o u n d o n w h i c h they can b u i l d .
Professors i n theology departments i n C a t h o l i c
colleges discover the total s p e c t r u m of r e l i g i o u s
Robert R. Newton
s o p h i s t i c a t i o n / i g n o r a n c e i n their students. O n
b o t h levels, r e m e d i a l courses seem to be m o r e
a p p r o p r i a t e than advanced work. Less and less
can be p r e s u m e d ; m o r e a n d m o r e of the basics
must be s u p p l i e d .
P r o p o n e n t s of a m o r e academic emphasis i n
e d u c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m s g e n e r a l l y , and r e l i g i o u s
education programs i n particular, view with
d i s m a y the l i n g e r i n g effects of the educational
movements of the sixties a n d early seventies
w h i c h shifted the c u r r i c u l a r emphasis from "what
students s h o u l d k n o w " either to what students
wanted to l e a r n o r to what teachers, m a n y times
i n an attempt to recover student interest a n d
attention, w a n t e d to teach. I n the m o v e m e n t
towards relevancy, a systematic, c o m p r e h e n s i v e
d e v e l o p m e n t of basic r e l i g i o u s k n o w l e d g e a n d
values was lost.
T h e academic a p p r o a c h interprets the role of
the e d u c a t i o n a l system as p r e s e r v i n g , transmit-
t i n g , and e n l a r g i n g the c u l t u r e , or, i n the case of
r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n , the r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n . R e -
l i g i o u s c o n t i n u i t y is possible o n l y when the new
g e n e r a t i o n is i n t r o d u c e d to the a c c u m u l a t e d
w i s d o m of the past eras and aware of fundamental
truths and values w h i c h u n d e r g i r d the r e l i g i o n
a n d p r o v i d e the basis for its c o n t i n u a t i o n .
S t a r t i n g w i t h the p r e m i s e that r e l i g i o u s educa-
t i o n s h o u l d transmit first a n d foremost the tradi-
t i o n , the academic m o d e l of r e l i g i o u s education
emerges as a d i s t i n c t i v e a p p r o a c h both i n terms
of its fundamental goals a n d its practical i m p l i -
cations.
TEACHING —E
Implications of the Academic Model for Teaching
Religion
T h e student i n the academic m o d e l is v i e w e d as
an emerging m e m b e r of the religious c o m m u n i t y
w h o must be t o l d "the story" of those w h o came
before h i m or her. B y d e v e l o p i n g an u n d e r -
standing of the tradition, the y o u n g person comes
to k n o w w h o he o r she is by d i s c o v e r i n g a n d , to
the extent possible, r e l i v i n g the p r o c e s s / j o u r n e y
w h i c h has b r o u g h t the c o m m u n i t y to this p o i n t
i n time. Students i n this way are i n c o r p o r a t e d
i n t o the c o m m u n i t y , its h i s t o r y , v a l u e s , a n d
beliefs; and they can both l i v e out a n d e n l a r g e
the message i n t h e i r own generation and transmit
it to those w h o follow them.
I n the academic m o d e l of r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n ,
the student is p r i m a r i l y someone w h o learns
about his o r her r e l i g i o n . W h i l e the e n v i r o n m e n t
o b v i o u s l y n u r t u r e s faith, the a i m is p r i m a r i l y
u n d e r s t a n d i n g . Effective goals a n d u l t i m a t e l y
r e l i g i o u s c o m m i t m e n t are the l o n g - r a n g e aims;
m o r e i m m e d i a t e l y , the r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n p r o -
g r a m is the i n s t r u m e n t w h i c h d e v e l o p s the u n -
d e r s t a n d i n g necessary for this d e v e l o p m e n t .
Teachers i n academically o r i e n t e d r e l i g i o u s
education p r o g r a m s are i n d i v i d u a l s w i t h exten-
sive academic b a c k g r o u n d i n r e l i g i o u s studies.
T h e i r p r i m a r y task is to insure that t h e i r students
d e v e l o p s o l i d u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the r e l i g i o u s
t r a d i t i o n i n its v a r i o u s d i m e n s i o n s : its beliefs,
history, m o r a l teaching, r i t u a l e x p r e s s i o n , etc.
T h o u g h they c o n s i d e r it i m p o r t a n t to d e m o n -
strate the relevance of r e l i g i o n to t h e i r students'
lives, they are m o r e concerned w i t h an accurate
c o m m u n i c a t i o n of content. T h e y view approaches
w h i c h stress i m m e d i a t e problems/issues, whether
personal or social, w i t h s u s p i c i o n , a r g u i n g that
s u c h methods exchange short-term gains for
m o r e substantial l o n g - t e r m p e r s o n a l g r o w t h .
A n d they argue that students w h o are r e l i g i o u s l y
illiterate are i l l - p r e p a r e d to enlarge a n d transmit
the t r a d i t i o n to future generations. T h o u g h
k n o w l e d g e is not v i r t u e , the latter m u s t be
f o u n d e d o n the former. It is the d i s t i n c t i v e r o l e
of the school and, by d e l e g a t i o n , of the teacher to
p r o m o t e k n o w l e d g e and u n d e r s t a n d i n g . C e r -
t a i n l y , the school s h o u l d also p r o v i d e an e n v i -
r o n m e n t w h i c h encourages the " l i v i n g out" of
one's beliefs a n d values; but k n o w l e d g e rather
than action is its p e c u l i a r task and strength.
T h e curriculum i n an a c a d e m i c a l l y o r i e n t e d
r e l i g i o u s education p r o g r a m follows closely the
general categories of r e l i g i o u s studies g e n e r a l l y :
S c r i p t u r e , m o r a l theology, systematic t h e o l o g y ,
c h u r c h history, and l i t u r g y . T h e sequence of
courses is characterized by l o g i c a l a n d systematic
presentation of the key ideas of C h r i s t i a n i t y . It is
comprehensive, c o v e r i n g a l l the e n d u r i n g values,
concepts, a n d practices that are the substance of
the r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n . It d e m a n d s careful coor-
d i n a t i o n so that i n the e n d the student has a f i r m
grasp of a l l the areas w h i c h are c o n s i d e r e d essen-
t i a l to a c o m p l e t e r e l i g i o u s u n d e r s t a n d i n g . It
d e f i n i t e l y returns c u r r i c u l u m p l a n n i n g to the
p r i n c i p l e that "what s h o u l d be taught" is m o r e
i m p o r t a n t than what students w i s h to l e a r n o r
what teachers w i s h to teach.
Evaluation focuses o n c o g n i t i v e outcomes. C a n
students recall a n d do they c o m p r e h e n d funda-
m e n t a l r e l i g i o u s beliefs a n d values? M o r e than
s i m p l e u n d e r s t a n d i n g is sought. Students are
expected to have mastered, i n at least a p r e l i m i -
n a r y way, the s c h o l a r l y methods of S c r i p t u r e
scholars, of m o r a l theologians, and so o n . It is
essential that they be capable of thinking critically
about the r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n . T h o r o u g h k n o w l -
edge p r o v i d e s the basis for c o n t i n u i t y and c o n -
t i n u a t i o n , but it is v i t a l that the students be
p r e p a r e d to a p p l y , adapt, a n d synthesize the
r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n i n a way w h i c h makes sense to
their age a n d w h i c h passes the t r a d i t i o n to the
next generation e n l a r g e d a n d e n r i c h e d . E v a l u a -
tion of k n o w l e d g e and c r i t i c a l skills is c a r r i e d out
i n fairly t r a d i t i o n a l ways. Students are tested o n
t h e i r c o m p r e h e n s i o n a n d o n their a b i l i t y to use
creatively what they have l e a r n e d . T h e g r a d i n g
TEACHING —E
system is s i m i l a r to that e m p l o y e d i n other d i s c i -
plines.
T h e environment i n an a c a d e m i c a l l y o r i e n t e d
r e l i g i o u s education p r o g r a m stresses l e a r n i n g
and k n o w l e d g e . I n schools, r e l i g i o n is r e g a r d e d
as a major academic d i s c i p l i n e , equal i n the
m i n d s of faculty and students to any other subject
i n the school. Standards for p e r f o r m a n c e , as
noted above, are s i m i l a r to o t h e r subjects. Stu-
dents "work h a r d " i n r e l i g i o n courses. T h e school
o r p r o g r a m p r i d e s itself, not o n l y o n the c o m p r e -
hensive a n d systematically o r g a n i z e d r e l i g i o n
sequence, but also o n the academic t r a i n i n g a n d
competence of its teachers a n d the t h o r o u g h
k n o w l e d g e of its graduates.
T h e academic r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n m o d e l ' s
strength is the c o n c e r n for content as the focus of
a complete r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n . It emphasizes
c o n t i n u i t y w i t h the past a n d an investment i n the
fundamental k n o w l e d g e , beliefs, a n d practices
w h i c h w i l l i n s u r e the c o n t i n u a t i o n of the r e l i -
gious t r a d i t i o n . T h o s e less enthusiastic about a
strong academic a p p r o a c h i n t e r p r e t as a weak-
ness the same characteristic that p r o p o n e n t s see
as a strength. B y e m p h a s i z i n g the systematic
c o m m u n i c a t i o n o f the t r a d i t i o n , the p e r s o n a l
interests/needs of the i n d i v i d u a l recede i n t o the
b a c k g r o u n d . T h e r e may be too m u c h content
a n d i n s t r u c t i o n and too little of either the activi-
ties o r the e n v i r o n m e n t w h i c h n u r t u r e s r e l i g i o u s
faith. T h e academic approach to r e l i g i o u s educa-
t i o n is an i m p o r t a n t m o d e l a n d one w h i c h con-
tinues to increase i n strength and advocates as a
response to the m o o d of the times.
Further Reading on the Academic Model
B r u n e r , J e r o m e S., The Process of Education ( N e w
Y o r k : V i n t a g e , 1960).
M c N e i l , J o h n D . , " T h e A c a d e m i c Subject C u r r i -
c u l u m " i n Curriculum: A Comprehensive
Introduction (New Y o r k : L i t t l e , 1979).
Note: o n the f o l l o w i n g page is an o u t l i n e for
u s i n g the A c a d e m i c M o d e l i n r e l i g i o u s educa-
tion.
Dr. Robert R. Newton, author of numerous articles on
religious education and educational management, is at
present assistant to the academic vice-president of Boston
College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
TEACHING —E
The Academic Model of Religious Education

AIM OF RELIGIOUS • to know, comprehend, and be able to critically

EDUCATION adapt the religious tradition

FIRST PRINCIPLE • thorough religious knowledge as the basis of

religious development

TEACHER • a scholar, well-trained in the religious disciplines

STUDENT • capable of understanding, of creatively adapting,

and of transmitting the religious tradition to the
next generation.

CURRICULUM • current theological insights presented so that

students understand both the content and methods
of religious studies

ENVIRONMENT • academic atmosphere which stresses knowledge

EVALUATION • traditional testing/grading system as in other

subjects

ADVOCATES • religious scholars

• back-to-the-basics advocates

TEACHING—E

Four Models of Teaching Religion:
III. The Educational Technology Model
Assumptions and Origins
Perhaps the most p e r v a s i v e m o v e m e n t i n A m e r -
ican education d u r i n g the past decade has been
the attempt to i n t e r p r e t a l l aspects of e d u c a t i o n
i n terms of specific outcomes. C e n t r a l to this
m o v e m e n t is the clear statement of the k n o w l -
edge, skills, attitudes, a n d practices that students
are expected to acquire as a result of i n s t r u c t i o n ;
these outcomes are then restated as the precise
objectives of the i n s t r u c t i o n a l p r o g r a m . T h e
"management of education b y objectives" derives
i n large part from behaviorist psychology, w h i c h
emphasizes the d e f i n i t i o n of t e r m i n a l b e h a v i o r s
as the first a n d most v i t a l step i n l e a r n i n g . It is a
different a p p r o a c h insofar as it concentrates
m u c h m o r e attention o n d e f i n i n g the b e h a v i o r a l
changes desired p r i o r to a n y o t h e r e d u c a t i o n a l
decisions; an objective is i n reality the d e f i n i t i o n
of an outcome w i t h a p r e c i s i o n f o r m e r l y thought
either impossible o r i n a p p r o p r i a t e i n education.
T h e attempt to d e v i s e a h i g h l y scientific ap-
p r o a c h to teaching a n d l e a r n i n g has aptly been
t e r m e d "the e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y m o v e -
ment."
I n large part, e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y is a
reaction against the g e n e r a l l y fuzzy goals a n d
hit-or-miss methods that have characterized
s c h o o l i n g . P r o p o n e n t s of e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o -
g y p o i n t to the giant strides other areas (e.g.,
m e d i c i n e , i n d u s t r y ) have taken t h r o u g h the
d e v e l o p m e n t of t e c h n o l o g y d e r i v e d f r o m basic
scientific insights. T h e y argue that e d u c a t i o n
has n e v e r taken research seriously a n d has
Robert R. Newton
n e v e r p u r s u e d the d e v e l o p m e n t of a v a l i d a t e d ,
effective science of teaching.
T h e e d u c a t i o n a l technologist proposes that a
s i m p l e but p o w e r f u l p a r a d i g m s h o u l d be the
i n n e r structure of a l l e d u c a t i o n a l p l a n n i n g .
assessment of definition of precise
needs objectives based on the
needs
selection or elaboration of
a program designed to
achieve the objectives
feedback in order to evaluation of whether the
improve the system program has in fact
achieved the objectives
T h i s a p p r o a c h has a n u m b e r of distinct ad-
vantages. It insists that i n s t r u c t i o n be m a t c h e d
to the real needs of students. O b v i o u s l y it also
assumes that educators w i l l have d e f i n e d , p r i o r
to the i n c e p t i o n of the e d u c a t i o n a l process, the
b e h a v i o r s they regard as l e a r n i n g . R a t h e r than
b e g i n n i n g instruction with general and usually
v a g u e goals, the educational t e c h n o l o g y m o v e -
ment requires that the outcomes expected be
stated i n terms of observable student behaviors.
C l e a r l y d e f i n e d objectives then p r o v i d e a new
a n d m o r e p o w e r f u l c r i t e r i o n for the selection of
instructional content and methods. Evaluation ex-
p l o r e s the l i n k between the p r o g r a m selected
a n d the achievement of the outcomes d e f i n e d
TEACHING—E
and then returns i n f o r m a t i o n i n t o the system i n
order to i m p r o v e it. E x p l i c i t a n d r i g o r o u s
a p p l i c a t i o n of this m o d e l , its p r o p o n e n t s argue,
w i l l make teaching a n d l e a r n i n g m o r e purposeful
and w i l l b u i l d i n t o the process the i n f o r m a t i o n
and e v a l u a t i o n w h i c h p r o m o t e its continual im-
provement. T h e t e a c h i n g / l e a r n i n g u n i t thus be-
comes increasingly m o r e effective w i t h c o n t i n u e d
use; shifting goals a n d erratic methods are
replaced w i t h a systematic d e s i g n for the d e f i n i -
tion a n d i m p r o v e m e n t of e d u c a t i o n .
T h e impact of the e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y o n
r e l i g i o u s education has been significant. N a -
tional r e l i g i o u s associations, diocesan offices,
i n d i v i d u a l school faculties a n d teachers began
to define their goals i n terms of b e h a v i o r a l
objectives. T e x t b o o k a n d instructional materials
publishers r e s p o n d e d by r e d e s i g n i n g units to
incorporate the e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y m o d e l .
T h e serious a n d almost i m m e d i a t e interest of
r e l i g i o u s education i n this m o d e l s t e m m e d
from two factors: (1) the r e a l i z a t i o n that i n n o
area of the c u r r i c u l u m were objectives less clear
than i n the t e a c h i n g of r e l i g i o n , a n d (2) the
g r o w i n g awareness that because of a v a r i e t y o f
e n v i r o n m e n t a l factors t r a d i t i o n a l r e l i g i o u s e d u -
cation approaches seemed to be p r o d u c i n g less
a n d less i n the way of r e l i g i o u s k n o w l e d g e ,
beliefs, attitudes, a n d practices. C o n s e q u e n t l y ,
the educational t e c h n o l o g y m o v e m e n t f o u n d
fertile g r o u n d i n C a t h o l i c r e l i g i o u s circles a n d
was q u i c k l y elaborated i n t o a m o d e l of r e l i g i o u s
education.
Implications of Educational Technology for Teaching
Religion
T h e student i n the educational technology m o d e l
is v i e w e d as capable of a c h i e v i n g the k n o w l e d g e ,
attitudes, beliefs, a n d practices that n o r m a l l y
define a r e l i g i o u s p e r s o n . E d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l -
ogists accept fully the p r e m i s e that the student
is a h i g h l y adaptable respondent; p r o p e r l y de-
signed e d u c a t i o n a l strategies w h i c h i d e n t i f y
PACE 11 to subscribers of PACE 11 and may not be used by others without explicit permission of the publisher.
c l e a r l y d e f i n e d outcomes a n d p r o v i d e the ap-
p r o p r i a t e reinforcements can p r o d u c e the des-
ignated r e l i g i o u s b e h a v i o r s . In the educational
t e c h n o l o g y m o d e l the student is seen as m o v i n g
t h r o u g h successive, c l e a r l y d e f i n e d stages to f u l l
d e v e l o p m e n t as a r e l i g i o u s p e r s o n .
Teachers i n the e d u c a t i o n a l technology m o d e l
are h i g h l y s k i l l e d technicians, a p p l y i n g the best
possible treatment to meet i n d i v i d u a l student
needs. T h e y are o b v i o u s l y f a m i l i a r w i t h the
b e h a v i o r a l objectives a p p r o a c h to i n s t r u c t i o n
a n d s k i l l e d i n d i a g n o s i n g student needs, either
t h r o u g h the use of e x i s t i n g e v a l u a t i v e i n s t r u -
ments o r b y d e v i s i n g t h e i r o w n . S i m i l a r l y , once
student needs are d e f i n e d , e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l -
ogy teachers match objectives w i t h needs a n d
prescribe the p r o p e r p r o g r a m to achieve the
d e s i r e d outcomes. T e a c h e r s i n this m o d e l are
also c o m m i t t e d to a n d s k i l l e d i n evaluative
techniques w h i c h measure student achievements
as a result of i n s t r u c t i o n . I n g e n e r a l , teachers
are c o m m i t t e d to the e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y
p a r a d i g m a n d are systematic a n d scientific i n
t h e i r a p p r o a c h to r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n .
T h e curriculum i n the e d u c a t i o n a l technology
a p p r o a c h is a carefully d e f i n e d , sequentially
p l a n n e d series of objectives a n d outcomes. A
master o u t l i n e p r o v i d e s an o v e r v i e w of the
entire p r o g r a m a n d defines what is to be a-
c h i e v e d at each stage o f the process. T h e
p r o g r a m is c o m p r e h e n s i v e i n a s m u c h as it i n -
cludes a l l elements of k n o w l e d g e , belief, attitude,
a n d practice that constitute r e l i g i o u s b e h a v i o r .
It is carefully sequenced a n d proposes objectives
a n d p r o g r a m s suited to the d e v e l o p i n g needs of
students i n v a r i o u s stages of d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e
p r o g r a m moves f r o m the s i m p l e to the c o m p l e x
i n a l l phases of r e l i g i o u s b e h a v i o r . T h e c u r r i c u -
l u m is a t i g h t l y o r g a n i z e d , systematic o u t l i n e
for r e l i g i o u s i n s t r u c t i o n .
Evaluation i n the e d u c a t i o n a l technology ap-
p r o a c h focuses o n observable outcomes. W e l l -
defined objectives have p r o v i d e d clear targets
TEACHING—E
since a p r o p e r l y defined objective contains
w i t h i n its statement the c r i t e r i o n by w h i c h its
accomplishment can be measured. Consistent
with the a i m of the m o d e l , the evaluative phase
is vital for two reasons: (1) it indicates w h e t h e r
the student has a c h i e v e d the desired o u t c o m e o r
not, resulting i n a decision about the a p p r o p r i a t e
next treatment for the student; a n d (2) it
p r o v i d e s data o n the effectiveness of the instruc-
tional strategy e m p l o y e d , data w h i c h can be
used to i m p r o v e the system a n d e v e n t u a l l y
student outcomes. E v a l u a t i o n p r o v i d e s the k e y
to the constant i m p r o v e m e n t of r e l i g i o u s i n -
struction t h r o u g h the elaboration of better a n d
better i n s t r u c t i o n a l systems.
T h e environment i n an educational technology
r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m p r o v i d e s constant
reinforcement to e n s u r e the d e v e l o p m e n t of the
a p p r o p r i a t e r e l i g i o u s behaviors. T h i s a p p l i e s
not o n l y to p o s i t i v e reinforcement w i t h i n the
classroom but also to the content a n d structure
of rewards i n the i n s t i t u t i o n o r p r o g r a m m o r e
g e n e r a l l y . T h e e d u c a t i o n a l technologist, i n ac-
c o r d w i t h the m o r e general behaviorist approach,
is c o n v i n c e d that the e n v i r o n m e n t p l a y s the k e y
r o l e i n the m o l d i n g of behaviors. C a r e f u l p l a n -
n i n g goes i n t o p r o v i d i n g the p r o p e r atmosphere
to p r o m o t e the emergence of the desired behav-
iors.
T h e advocates of the e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y
approach are r e l i g i o u s educators, parents, c h u r c h
officials, etc., w h o are c o n v i n c e d that r e l i g i o u s
education must be a p p r o a c h e d m o r e systemati-
cally i n the design of programs, i n the t r a i n i n g
of teachers, a n d i n the e v a l u a t i o n of outcomes.
T h e r e is a c o n c e r n that r e l i g i o u s education not
fall b e h i n d other d i s c i p l i n e s w h i c h are b e c o m i n g
m o r e scientific i n a p p r o a c h a n d m o r e effective
i n p r o d u c i n g outcomes. A d v o c a t e s of the educa-
tional technology m o v e m e n t i n r e l i g i o u s educa-
tion are e c h o i n g the concerns of t h e i r secular
counterparts for greater p u r p o s e a n d closer
accountability i n e d u c a t i o n .
T h e strength of the e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y
m o d e l is its insistence o n the clear d e f i n i t i o n of
p u r p o s e i n r e l i g i o n p r o g r a m s . It is c o n v i n c e d
that r e l i g i o n p r o g r a m s w i l l never a c c o m p l i s h
what they seek unless they define w i t h p r e c i s i o n
what it is. It is difficult to dispute this logic,
especially g i v e n the c o n f u s i o n a n d lack of d i r e c -
t i o n that has p l a g u e d the teaching of r e l i g i o n
t h r o u g h o u t the past two decades.
O p p o n e n t s of the e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y
m o v e m e n t i n r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n a r g u e that the
m o d e l forces what is b a s i c a l l y a creative a n d
p e r s o n a l e n d e a v o r i n t o a process w h i c h is too
systematic a n d w h i c h , i f i m p l e m e n t e d to its f u l l
l o g i c a l c o n c l u s i o n , leaves l i t t l e r o o m for the
' S p i r i t ' o r choice.
W h e t h e r r e l i g i o u s educators are for o r against
the m o d e l , there is n o o n e w h o w o u l d d e n y that
the e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y m o d e l o f r e l i g i o u s
e d u c a t i o n has h a d a n d w i l l c o n t i n u e to have a
p o w e r f u l i m p a c t o n A m e r i c a n r e l i g i o u s educa-
tion.
Further Reading on the Educational Technology
Model
Lee, James M i c h a e l , The Shape of Religious In-
struction: A Social-Science Approach ( D a y t o n ,
O h i o : P f l a u m , 1971).
Newton, Robert R., " H a v i n g Y o u r Educational
C a k e a n d E a t i n g It T o o : B e h a v i o r a l Objec-
tives for O p e n E d u c a t o r s , " The Living Light
( S u m m e r , 1972), p p . 33-42.
Note: o n the f o l l o w i n g page is an o u t l i n e for
u s i n g the E d u c a t i o n a l T e c h n o l o g y M o d e l i n
religious education.
Dr. Robert R. Newton, author of numerous articles on
religious education and educational management, is at
present assistant to the academic vice-president of Boston
College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
TEACHING—E
 The Educational Technology Model of Religious Education

AIM OF RELIGIOUS • to produce religious persons through changes in

EDUCATION behavior

FIRST PRINCIPLE • clear objectives

• positive reinforcement as the key to religious
growth

TEACHER • an educational technologist skilled in diagnosis,

prescription, and evaluation of religious outcomes

STUDENT • an adaptable respondent to religious education

strategies

CURRICULUM • sequentially arranged, precisely defined perfor-

mance objectives

ENVIRONMENT • carefully designed to promote changes in behavior

EVALUATION • an essential component; focus on specific reli-

gious behaviors

ADVOCATES • behavioral objectives advocates

• scientific managers

TEACHING—E

Four Models of Teaching Religion:
IV. The Social Reconstruction Model
Assumptions of the Social Reconstruction Model of
Religious Education
D u r i n g the past several decades both r e l i g i o u s
a n d secular educators h a v e felt the n e e d to
p r o v i d e an e d u c a t i o n a l response to the d e m a n d
that schools t r a i n students to an active c o n c e r n
for the m a j o r s o c i a l issues of c o n t e m p o r a r y
society. T h e c a l l to use schools as agencies to
reconstruct society is not a new emphasis but
m o r e the reemergence of a l o n g s t a n d i n g t r e n d i n
A m e r i c a n e d u c a t i o n . P r o b a b l y the best k n o w n
proponent of this t h e o r y was J o h n D e w e y .
Dewey e n v i s i o n e d the school as the m a j o r
force i n the c o n t i n u a l r e n e w a l of a d e m o c r a t i c
society. H e saw e d u c a t i o n as "the f u n d a m e n t a l
method of social progress." B y m a k i n g the society
of the school itself a laboratory i n d e m o c r a t i c
participation a n d b y u s i n g instructional methods
w h i c h p r o m o t e d systematic i n q u i r y , D e w e y
a i m e d to p r o d u c e i n d i v i d u a l s w h o c o u l d t h i n k
freely a n d r e f l e c t i v e l y , w h o h a d an awareness of
how a democratic society functions, a n d w h o h a d
a strong social consciousness.
O t h e r s s u c h as H a r o l d R u g g a n d G e o r g e
Counts preached the gospel of social r e f o r m
approach to s c h o o l i n g even m o r e directly, a s k i n g
"dare the school b u i l d a new social o r d e r ? " F o r
m a n y m o d e r n - d a y social reconstruction p r o p h -
ets, the social r e f o r m r o l e of the school has not
changed t h o u g h the issues schools are c a l l e d
u p o n to confront h a v e shifted, e.g., the g l a r i n g
inequities i n the use of w o r l d resources, the
Copyright 1981 by Saint Mary's Press, Winona, Minnesota 55987. Permission to reproduce any material on this page is granted only
PACE 11 to subscribers of PACE 11 and may not be used by others without explicit permission of the publisher.
Robert R. Newton
p o i s o n i n g of the e n v i r o n m e n t , the p r o l i f e r a t i o n
of nuclear arms, etc.
E q u a l l y v i g o r o u s i n the past decade a n d a h a l f
has been the m o v e m e n t w i t h i n the C h u r c h to
reemphasize the g o s p e l o f social justice. P a p a l
documents, statements of conferences of b i s h o p s ,
conclusions of r e l i g i o u s congregations a n d c h a p -
ters, a n d so o n h a v e reflected the resurgence o f
the concern that social justice be at the heart o f
the C a t h o l i c e d u c a t i o n a l effort. The National
Catechetical Directory h i g h l i g h t s the r o l e of cate-
chesis i n b r i n g i n g p e o p l e to a r e c o g n i t i o n of
"their i n d i v i d u a l a n d c o l l e c t i v e o b l i g a t i o n s to
strive to o v e r c o m e the g r a v e injustices i n the
world."
T h e u n d e r l y i n g a s s u m p t i o n i n these m o v e -
ments i n the A m e r i c a n C h u r c h is that the educa-
t i o n a l agencies of the C h u r c h are instruments
w h i c h can p r o d u c e i n d i v i d u a l s capable of a n d
m o t i v a t e d to c h a n g i n g society for the better.
Schools, whether secular o r r e l i g i o u s , are v i e w e d
as effective o n l y w h e n t h e i r graduates w o r k
toward the i m p r o v e m e n t of society.
Implications of Social Reconstruction for Teaching
Religion
T h e Social R e c o n s t r u c t i o n m o d e l suggests a v e r y
distinct a p p r o a c h to r e l i g i o u s education. I n fact,
this approach was r a t h e r w e l l d e v e l o p e d d u r i n g
the first part of the twentieth century i n Protes-
tant r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n circles as the socio-cul-
TEACHING—E
tural approach to r e l i g i o u s education. It sought
to shift emphasis from the m o r e t r a d i t i o n a l a i m
of t r a n s m i t t i n g the message of C h r i s t i a n i t y to
p r o v i d i n g the v i t a l social interaction i n w h i c h
C h r i s t i a n i t y c o u l d be recreated by c o n f r o n t i n g
the major social p r o b l e m s of an era. T h e p r i m a r y
emphasis o n the salvation of i n d i v i d u a l s was to
be replaced by the broader a i m of social r e c o n -
struction, the creative, r e l i g i o u s l y i n s p i r e d s o l u -
t i o n to v i t a l social issues.
Social reconstructionists of p r e v i o u s eras, as
w e l l as the c o n t e m p o r a r y advocates, are c r i t i c a l
of r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n approaches w h i c h d o not
p r o d u c e C h r i s t i a n change-agents. T o d a y the
C h u r c h is s a y i n g that social justice is a c o n s t i t u -
tive element of the gospel and that one cannot be
a C h r i s t i a n unless he/she is actively engaged i n
the s o l u t i o n of social problems. C r i t i c s c l a i m that
most r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m s h a v e been
u n c o n c e r n e d about this call f r o m the C h u r c h
a n d are ineffective i n d e a l i n g w i t h v i t a l social
issues a n d i n c o n f r o n t i n g the p r e j u d i c e a n d
unjust structures w h i c h dehumanize i n d i v i d u a l s ,
groups, a n d even nations. T h e y argue that the
c r i t e r i o n of success of a r e l i g i o u s school s h o u l d
be the degree to w h i c h the s c h o o l p r o d u c e s
i n d i v i d u a l s bent o n the C h r i s t i a n r e f o r m a t i o n of
society.
T h e student i n the Social Reconstruction m o d e l
is v i e w e d as capable, t h r o u g h serious r e f l e c t i o n ,
of d e v e l o p i n g sensitivity to r e l i g i o u s a n d m o r a l
values. F u r t h e r , the student is seen as a p o t e n t i a l -
l y p o w e r f u l actor i n the social d r a m a ; t h r o u g h
p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n the society of the school a n d an
emphasis o n e x p e r i e n t i a l contact w i t h r e a l p r o b -
lems, he/she can become a v i g o r o u s agent of
social change, eager to better h u m a n society a n d
b u i l d the K i n g d o m of G o d o n earth.
T h e teacher i n the Social Reconstruction m o d e l
of r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n is an e t h i c a l l y sensitive
a n d socially active C h r i s t i a n . S t a r t i n g f r o m per-
sonal contact w i t h the problems of social injustice,
the Social R e c o n s t r u c t i o n teacher is eager to
share h i s / h e r k n o w l e d g e a n d e x p e r i e n c e w i t h
students. W h i l e there is full realization that
k n o w l e d g e is i m p o r t a n t , direct e x p e r i e n c e is
v i e w e d as e q u a l l y i f not m o r e vital i n d e v e l o p i n g
persons bent o n C h r i s t i a n social r e f o r m . T h e
teacher sees the classroom as flexible a n d o p e n
a n d as f l o w i n g out i n t o the c o m m u n i t y to a l l o w
students direct contact w i t h the destructive c o n -
sequences of social injustice. H e / s h e is not o n l y a
teacher i n the t r a d i t i o n a l sense but also a c o o r d i -
nator of social justice activities, a g u i d e w h o
helps students i n d i v i d u a l l y o r i n g r o u p s reflect
o n a n d d e r i v e insights f r o m t h e i r experiences.
T h e curriculum i n the Social R e c o n s t r u c t i o n
m o d e l emphasizes issues that are of c r i t i c a l c o n -
c e r n i n the r e a l w o r l d . T h o u g h the "message" is
not neglected, it is i n t e r p r e t e d i n the l i g h t of its
r e l e v a n c e to p r e s s i n g h u m a n p r o b l e m s . T h e
ethical d i m e n s i o n s of current issues a n d events
are p r o b e d ; the gospel is read i n the l i g h t of its
r a d i c a l c h a l l e n g e to c o n t e m p o r a r y values a n d
mores. S i n c e attitudes are f o r m e d m o r e t h r o u g h
p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e than t h r o u g h i n f o r m a t i o n ,
the c u r r i c u l u m is p l a n n e d to allow the student
easy m o v e m e n t between the classroom a n d the
c o m m u n i t y . T h e p r o g r a m aims to inculcate pat-
terns of social action as w e l l as to awaken m o r e
sensitivities; thus the p r o g r a m looks to p e r s o n a l
i n v o l v e m e n t i n significant issues a n d events.
O b v i o u s l y , this is adapted to the m a t u r i t y a n d
capacities of students. A t the same time, the a i m ,
n o matter what the level of i n s t r u c t i o n , is the
same: to demonstrate the i m p o r t a n c e of l i v i n g
out- one's C h r i s t i a n c o m m i t m e n t .
It is i m p o r t a n t to emphasize that the c u r r i c u -
l u m i n a Social R e c o n s t r u c t i o n approach c o n c e n -
trates o n b o t h process a n d substance. T h e "what"
of the c u r r i c u l u m focuses o n serious societal
p r o b l e m s a n d aims at the d e v e l o p m e n t of i n d i -
v i d u a l s w h o are carefully i n f o r m e d and m o r a l l y
sensitive. T h e " h o w " of the c u r r i c u l u m e m p h a -
sizes a process w h i c h develops a " p r o b l e m - s o l v i n g
a p p r o a c h " to issues and situations. Students are,
to the extent possible, active participants i n social
TEACHING—E
justice issues and persons w h o can confront and
w o r k toward the s o l u t i o n of the injustices w h i c h
s u r r o u n d them.
Evaluation i n a Social R e c o n s t r u c t i o n r e l i g i o u s
education p r o g r a m is p r i m a r i l y c o n c e r n e d w i t h
q u a l i t a t i v e change i n the student's values, atti-
tudes, and activities. W h a t the student knows is
not disregarded, but what the student does be-
comes the center of c o n c e r n . I n this m o d e l there
is a m u c h greater effort to measure m o r a l d e v e l -
o p m e n t and activity t h a n i n a m o r e t r a d i t i o n a l
p r o g r a m . Proponents of this theory take seriously
the w a r n i n g of m a n y C h u r c h officials that unless
C a t h o l i c schools p r o d u c e "persons for others"
they h a v e essentially failed to r e s p o n d to the
c h a l l e n g e of the times.
T h e environment i n w h i c h r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n
takes place, both i n the classroom a n d the c o m -
m u n i t y , promotes reflection a n d personal action.
T h e classroom o r school itself becomes the m o d e l
of a just society i n w h i c h values are e x p l o r e d ,
articulated, a n d l i v e d . T h e " m e d i u m is the mes-
sage" as students b o t h e x p e r i e n c e the m o r a l
sensitivity of a v a l u e - o r i e n t e d C h r i s t i a n c o m m u -
n i t y a n d also c o m m i t themselves to the struggle
for the betterment of society.
T h e Social R e c o n s t r u c t i o n m o d e l of r e l i g i o u s
e d u c a t i o n has m a n y attractive features. It re-
sponds directly to the C h r i s t i a n concern for social
justice b y i n c o r p o r a t i n g c r i t i c a l social issues i n t o
the c u r r i c u l u m . A t a t i m e w h e n p e o p l e of g o o d
w i l l g e n e r a l l y are c o n c e r n e d about h u m a n i t y ' s
apparent rush toward self-destruction, the Social
Reconstructionists' c a l l to enlist the schools i n
the struggle for a m o r e just society seems not
o n l y appropriate but essential. C r i t i c s of the
m o d e l , the the other h a n d , suggest that it m a y be
too sophisticated to become the p r e d o m i n a n t
emphasis i n r e l i g i o u s e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m s for
y o u n g p e o p l e . T h e y suggest that it m a y be m o r e
a p p r o p r i a t e to focus o n b u i l d i n g a f o u n d a t i o n of
personal knowledge and belief out of w h i c h social
action can eventually emerge. A p r e o c c u p a t i o n
w i t h o r p r e c i p i t o u s i n v o l v e m e n t i n social justice
activities m a y leave u n f o r m e d the essential per-
sonal faith w h i c h must be the m o t i v a t i n g force of
a l l serious C h r i s t i a n social a c t i o n .
W h a t e v e r the u l t i m a t e c o n c l u s i o n about the
S o c i a l R e c o n s t r u c t i o n m o d e l , it poses a s i g n i f i -
cant c h a l l e n g e to c o n t e m p o r a r y r e l i g i o u s educa-
tors.
Further Reading on the Social Reconstruction Model
Burgess, H a r o l d W . , " T h e Socio-Cultural T h e o -
retical A p p r o a c h to R e l i g i o u s E d u c a t i o n " i n
An Invitation to Religious Education ( M i s h a w a -
ka, I N : R e l i g i o u s E d u c a t i o n Press, 1975).
O g l e t r e e , T h o m a s W . , " T h e G o s p e l as P o w e r :
E x p l o r a t i o n s i n a T h e o l o g y of Social C h a n g e "
i n New Theology No. 8, e d i t e d by M a r t i n E .
Marty and Dean G . Peerman (New York:
M a c m i l l a n , 1971).
V a n T i l , W i l l i a m , ed., Curriculum: The Quest for
Relevance (Boston: H o u g h t o n M i f f l i n , 1974).
Note: o n the f o l l o w i n g page is an o u t l i n e for
u s i n g the Social R e c o n s t r u c t i o n M o d e l of r e l i -
g i o u s education.
Dr. Robert R. Newton, author of numerous articles on
religious education and educational management, is at
present assistant to the academic vice-president of Boston
College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
TEACHING — E
The Social Reconstruction Model of Religious Education

AIM OF RELIGIOUS • to produce Christian change agents

EDUCATION

FIRST PRINCIPLE • religious education programs are instruments to

produce apostles of social justice

TEACHER • a morally sensitive social activist

STUDENT • potentially a "person for others"

CURRICULUM • substance: social/ethical issues in a Christian

perspective
• process: problem-solving, active involvement

ENVIRONMENT • easy movement between classroom and community

• a just society within the school/program itself

EVALUATION • focus on change in attitudes, observed behaviors

• focus on what is lived rather than what is known

ADVOCATES • social activists

• Church leadership

TEACHING —E