Spirituality in Religious Education: Implications of Changing Contemporary Contexts

Learning that addresses the inner and outer lives of students to their enhance learning in religious education.

As discussed earlier, there are certain implications for educators, particularly in the field of religious education if they desire to enhance the learning experiences of their students by addressing the spiritual elements of meaning and connectedness, and also to raise their awareness of themselves as empathetic and compassionate people. There are two aspects to the recommendations provided here. The first (A )relates to general principles and the second  (B) are specific to classroom practice and environments.

A.General principles:

1. To begin with this new generation is going to be more than ever influenced by technology and multimedia. They are used to presentations that are technically brilliant with audio-visual gadgetry and sophistication. They have spent many hours in front of different sized screens which compose much of their entertainment, and in general, their concentration span equals the amount of time during which a commercial TV program may screen before it is interrupted by advertisements; in other words, about 10 or 15 minutes. Accordingly, it is necessary for educators to factor in some consideration of these elements in the delivery of their learning programs if they want to really engage their students and move them beyond the surface of their conscious minds.

2. An additional factor is the need to raise awareness amongst students of the influential factors in their external environment that affect their unconscious minds so that these influences can be identified, articulated and addressed. This is particularly important in the current climate where particular religious groups are being targeted overtly and covertly through the media and by different public figures which may lead individuals to display biased attitudes that are generated by their adaptive unconscious (Wilson, 2002). Indeed, educators themselves may need to constantly raise their own awareness of the determining influences of their own adaptive unconscious minds especially in recognizing their own levels of tolerance and empathy for groups who are different from themselves and with whom they may have had little engagement.

3. One way that this situation may be addressed is for educators and students to become better informed about the different beliefs and practices of adherents of different religions; this should include the differences of belief and practice within particular traditions that pertain to culture and geographical location, for instance, recognizing that differences exist between Muslims from different countries just as differences exist between Christians from different countries. As well, it could be beneficial to examine elements of different traditions that bear similarities to one another and which may provide a unifying component. In this respect, it may be possible to begin with the perennial philosophy contained in all the great wisdom traditions. In the mid twentieth century, an extensive study by Huxley (1954) alerted western scholars to this very feature:

Philosophia perennis… the metaphysic that recognizes a divine Reality substantial to the world of things and lives and minds; the psychology that finds in the soul something similar to, or even identical with, divine Reality; the ethic that places man’s final end in the knowledge of the immanent and transcendent Ground of all being - the thing is immemorial and universal (Huxley, 1945, p. 9).

Huxley described two thought patterns to all the main religions, the esoteric and the exoteric. The first subscribes to the metaphysic of a divine Reality at the core of being; it is the spiritual, almost secretive face of religion and is practised by only a few adherents. The second is the exoteric form which is the public form by which the religion is usually identified, that is, through its rituals, practices, architecture and so on. Arguably, it is this latter form in today’s world that tends to exclusivity; it provides a boundary around its followers which promotes a sense of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Thus, in the hands of some, the exoteric form may encourage divisiveness but we need to keep in mind that the essence of esoteric thinking is connectedness.

4. Further, it is important to recognize the role of engagement with people who are different in moving the individual from tolerance to empathy and compassion.

5. Finally, it would be useful for religious educators to encourage discussions, forums and research that will lead to public debate about the significance of inter-religious studies for all children which, potentially, could promote social and spiritual capital in pluralist contexts.

B. Teaching for transformation: Implications for learning programs and environments

For several years now I have been writing about the complementarity of the cognitive, affective and spiritual dimensions in learning which are generated by notions of the rational, emotional and spiritual intelligences and which could and should lead to transformation. I have drawn on various perspectives in literature and research to describe processes in learning which address both the inner and outer life of the student which involve perceiving, thinking, feeling and intuiting. By encouraging and prompting intuitive responses, learning is enhanced and deepened (see de Souza, 2001, 2003, 2004a, 2004b, 2005). In general, this model of learning is conceivably different from many educational programs and practices in Australia, particularly ones which focus on the outer person and reflect a fragmentation and compartmentalization of subject areas as well as of elements in the learning process. In addition, there are those practices that attend more to cognitive learning and assessment procedures that measure particular standards in the achievement of knowledge and skills, all of which are reflective of the positivistic, reductionistic mindset of a twentieth-century education system.

In contrast, addressing the spiritual dimension of learning reflects aspects of the inner person and is about promoting connectedness between content and between individuals. This is especially important in the current climate which reflects certain negative overtones which relate to religious pluralism,

separateness and extremism. Certainly, there is some hope for progress to be made with such an approach to education if we are, indeed, experiencing a shifting paradigm and a changing consciousness as suggested by Harman. One sign, in Australia, is the Federal Government drive towards the incorporation of a values based education. Another corresponding change is the increased focus being given to emotional literacy and the role of the imagination and intuition in the learning process. Therefore, children should be encouraged to access and develop this area of their lives. To do this, we need to explore ways to change various aspects of learning programs and environments of contemporary classrooms so that they promote connectedness in the learning experience and promote self knowledge in students through their engagement and interaction with Other. Some factors that may be useful in the development of learning programs and environments that aim to nurture the spirituality of children and adolescents are discussed below.

The role of the arts and perennial philosophy/Wisdom Literature found in the esoteric forms of most mainstream religions

I have previously examined the arts as a valuable and useful resource to promote learning across the curriculum in classrooms composed of students of mixed abilities and backgrounds, where different beliefs and values may be evident (de Souza, 2003, 2004a, 2004b, 2005). Given the religious pluralism that set the context of this paper, it would seem that as well, perennial philosophy which has often been a neglected area in the teaching of world religions should also become an intended focus in teaching across the curriculum. Neither of these areas should be confined to a particular discipline but should reflect the connectedness they espouse through their links to literature, the humanities, social sciences and the sciences. With the variety of cultural, social and religious backgrounds that may be present in any one classroom, these could provide authentic and valid meeting points; as well, they may prompt a variety of responses from students which can be useful entry points for subsequent activities and discussions that allow students to listen to the stories and experiences of Other. Sometimes these could be completely outside the circle of the students’ own experiences but, at the same time, may produce some resonances which help them to shape/change their worldview. In particular, the arts and perennial philosophy can be used to explore the interconnectedness of all things.

Accessing the universal teachings of great spiritual leaders and modelling spiritual traits.

All people need inspiration and role models to aspire to. However, the role models provided in society for young people tend to come from the successful personalities in sports, business, film, media and politics. More often than not, the reflection is on the material values of contemporary culture, devoured by consumerism and economic rationalization. Unfortunately, and within various contexts, these often negate the universal values of truth, honesty, justice, care and compassion. Using metaphor and story to teach the life and works of great spiritual leaders can make the universality of their teachings accessible and meaningful in a pluralist

classroom.  Indeed, modelling the values of human decency at all levels of the school community is one way to inculcate them amongst students and bridge difference. Thus, universally accepted values should be made explicit in school documents, in language, in classroom practice and in relationships where overt displays of listening and respect, sensitivity and empathy, care and compassion are evident.

Strategies to raise self-knowledge and inner awareness

A particular feature that can be derived from Harman is the need to address the interior world of the student. Strategies that encourage the development of imagination and intuition are one way to begin this process; as also mentoring and nurturing activities to promote self knowledge and to discover their potential. In addition, in the busyness of their world, students often lose their awareness of experiences of joy, awe and wonder in their everyday. Strategies that may help them to achieve these things are journal writing, personal goal setting, meditation and other contemplative activities including sitting or walking in complete silence. This aspect links closely with the next one.

Addressing the relational aspect of students’ lives and promoting opportunities for students to discover the Other within themselves:

It is an important factor that engaging with Other is a path to self knowledge as one responds to resonances arising from interactions with Other. Concept maps are a useful strategy to show the connectedness of different subjects, themes, ideas and places and people. The relationships students develop are an essential element in their spiritual, emotional and, therefore, intellectual wellbeing therefore it is important to develop inclusive communities that are open to dialogue and that welcome and celebrate diversity in a real and meaningful way. If an atmosphere of trust, respect and partnership are built through different structures within school communities, not just in the classroom, students will be more inclined to articulate questions of concern.

Prompting action for social justice and accepting responsibility to act for the common good.

Some ways to promote awareness and different perspectives on issues of social justice and inequity are the use of hypotheticals and dramatizations which encourage problem solving using intuitive and imaginative thinking to complement analytical and logical thinking. As well a study of media, film and other texts can be used to prompt students to accept responsibility and commit to action for the common good.

Sacred spaces, silence and solitude

It is important to create sacred spaces at school which are prayerful and aesthetic and allow experiences of solitude. If such spaces reflect a particular religious tradition they may be less accessible to those who do not belong to that tradition. This is a particularly pertinent factor in contemporary classrooms where children come from a variety of religious backgrounds, some churched and others unchurched. Such diversity needs to be treated with sensitivity. Further consideration should be given to

building quiet times into daily timetables for students and teachers to experience silence and stillness. Various resources may be used to inspire contemplation during these times.

Transcendence

Many of the activities that have been discussed above may help students and teachers to become aware of a transcendent dimension in their everyday and they should be encouraged to respond to this. These can be moments of revelation when the core of their being may be stirred by beauty, goodness and truth, and the interconnectedness of everything so they experience something beyond the physicality of their world, a sense of freedom that allows them to rise above the minutiae of their everyday.

To sum up, an educational approach that incorporates these factors would shift from the rational/analytical mode of thinking that dictates current educational programs to one that requires a balance between it and creative/intuitive thinking. Such an approach would require whole school action and response where structural and organizational processes, curriculum offerings, teaching and learning strategies and behavioural patterns will signify an evolving consciousness that nurtures the inner and outer lives of each child; appreciate the plurality of belief and practice that may exist within the educational community whilst also recognizing the interconnectedness that links each to Other; embraces wholeness and connectedness; and ultimately, recognizes the validity of a subjective and transcendental reality. To experience such a learning context should enhance the lives of every child, adolescent and teacher and promote their capacity for empathy and living in peace and harmony in a shrinking, divisive global world.