The Routledge International Handbook of Religious Education

by Derek Davis (Editor), Elena Miroshnikova (Editor)

How and what to teach about religion is controversial in every country. The Routledge International Handbook of Religious Education is the first book to comprehensively address the range of ways that major countries around the world teach religion in public and private educational institutions. It discusses how three models in particular seem to dominate the landscape. Countries with strong cultural traditions focused on a majority religion tend to adopt an "identification model," where instruction is provided only in the tenets of the majority religion, often to the detriment of other religions and their adherents. Countries with traditions that differentiate church and state tend to adopt a "separation model," thus either offering instruction in a wide range of religions, or in some cases teaching very little about religion, intentionally leaving it to religious institutions and the home setting to provide religious instruction. Still other countries attempt "managed pluralism," in which neither one, nor many, but rather a limited handful of major religious traditions are taught. Inevitably, there are countries which do not fit any of these dominant models and the range of methods touched upon in this book will surprise even the most enlightened reader. Religious instruction by educational institutions in 53 countries and regions of the world are explored by experts native to each country. These chapters This comprehensive and authoritative volume will appeal to educators, scholars, religious leaders, politicians, and others interested in how religion and education interface around the world.

448 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2012

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Routledge International Handbook of Religious Education is a rigorous and essential contribution to global scholarship on how religion is taught within modern educational systems. By examining policies, pedagogies, and cultural frameworks across multiple countries, the handbook provides a clear comparative lens on one of the most sensitive and consequential issues in public education.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its articulation of the three dominant instructional models identification, separation, and managed pluralism and its careful analysis of how these approaches shape social cohesion, minority rights, and civic understanding. Rather than advocating a single solution, the volume allows readers to understand the historical, political, and cultural forces that lead nations to adopt different models.

The essays balance theory with real world application, making the handbook valuable not only to scholars of religion and education, but also to policymakers, educators, and administrators navigating religious diversity in classrooms. The editors succeed in assembling an authoritative, globally representative work that respects complexity and avoids oversimplification.

This handbook stands out as a foundational reference for anyone seeking to understand how religious education intersects with democracy, pluralism, and cultural identity in the 21st century.