The traditional focus on Religious Education at school can no longer be the only guiding principle for religious education research if this research is to do justice to the reality of religious education in general. The awareness of the meaning and scope of education outside of the school has clearly grown. However, systematic research on non-formal religious education still remains rare, especially on an international level. It is the intention of this volume to strengthen the awareness of educational settings outside of the school by bringing together research results and research perspectives from different European countries and by discussing the question what non-formal education means in terms of religious education. The book includes presentations on specific research projects carried out by the authors themselves as well as summary accounts of the pertinent research from different countries. The chapters take up general questions of researching non-formal religious education as well as specific references to different programs such as youth work, Sunday School, kindergarten, confirmation work, etc.

Centered around a reflective narrative recounting the experiences of a participatory action research project into leading online small groups for adults in the Church of Sweden Diocese of Stockholm during 2021 and 2022, the dissertation argues for the need to reconceptualize and reemphasize teaching as an important aspect in Christian religious education. Employing creative non-fiction methods, the dissertation aims to broaden the scope of the initial Online Small Groups project, by inviting readers to join into a "learning journey." The narrative account is complemented with more traditional forms of analysis that connect experiences from online small groups in the Church of Sweden to similar research from Anglo-Saxon countries, noting especially how notions of community diverge due to different ecclesiological understandings. Insights are then synthesized into eight teaching strategies aimed at communicating actionable knowledge to small group leaders, before noting how the study complements research on Christian religious education and, particularly, the current debate about learning and teaching in the Church of Sweden.

Understanding the place of religion in Early Childhood Education and Care is of critical importance for the development of cultural literacy and plays a key role in societal coherence and inclusion. This international handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the place of religion in the societal educational arenas of the very youngest children across the globe. Drawing together contributions from leading international experts across disciplinary backgrounds, it offers a critical view of how to approach the complexities around the place of religion in Early Childhood Education and Care. Through its four parts, the book examines the theoretical, methodological, policy and practice perspectives and explores the complex intersections of transmission of "cultural heritage" and "national values" with the diverse, changing societal contexts. Each chapter contributes to an increased understanding of how the place of religion in Early Childhood Education and Care can be understood across continents, countries and educational systems. The Routledge International Handbook of the Place of Religion in Early Childhood Education and Care is an essential resource for academics, researchers, students and practitioners working in Early Childhood Education, Sociology of Childhood, Religious Education and other related fields

The question of how research on structures and outcomes in Religious Education can be carried out successfully is of current interest in many countries. Next to the more traditional historical, analytical and, more recently, international comparative approaches, empirical research in religious education has been able to establish itself as a major approach to this field. Moreover, the contemporary discussion about comparative evaluation in schools has raised a number of questions which also refer to Religious Education. What competences can pupils acquire in this subject? Does Religious Education really support the acquisition and development of the competences aspired? Are there differences in this respect between different forms of Religious Education or between different approaches to teaching? With contributions from eight European countries, the volume brings together approaches and research experiences that try to follow this lead by offering new and empirically based perspectives for the future improvement of teaching and learning in this school subject. Whoever is interested in improving the practice of Religious Education then, will not be able to bypass the question of researching processes and outcomes - an insight which also refers to a small but growing number of studies in this field which can be identified in several countries.

Religious Education in schools in Europe is facing societal and cultural diversity. It has become a key issue how to handle diversity adequately in the classroom. Religious Education and diversity are also the background of an Erasmus+ project of teacher training institutions (READY) in five European countries: Austria, Germany, England, Scotland, and Sweden (2016-2018). The book contains contributions from READY, a European project on teacher training in Religious Education. Experts and student teachers worked together on issues of diversity in classrooms of different European countries. Outcomes of the project include guidelines for study visits and online communication, case studies on Religions Education in the participating countries, contributions from national and international multiplier events and academic insights into the project. Statements and voices of student teachers enrich the publication. Dr Peter Schreiner is director of the Comenius-Institut, a Protestant Centre for Research and Development in Education in Münster/Germany. He edited the book on behalf of the READY Consortium. Contributions from Kerstin von Brömssen, Martin Fischer, Heinz Ivkovits, Peter Kliemann, Heid Leganger-Krogstad, Siebren Miedema, Kristian Niemi, Graeme Nixon, Janika Olschewski, Farid Panjwani, Jo Pearce, Jane Savill, Christof Schilling, Peter Schreiner, David Smith, Alexis Stones.

This book brings together two topics which have both been of increasing interest in different countries. The first refers to the quality of Religious Education as a school subject (RE) in general, the second is about the education of teachers of RE and its possible contribution to better quality RE. There have been many public, and often controversial, debates concerning both of these topics. The chapters contained in this volume, however, are not meant to continue such debates (even if it is inevitable that they will contribute to these debates as well), but to make use of research, especially research on teacher education in the field of RE, in order to provide insights based not just on political or personal opinions, but on rigorous academic scholarship.

International knowledge transfer in religious education (RE) is still a fairly new topic. Many scholars in the field consider this discussion of prime importance for the future of both the academic discipline of religious education and the related school subject RE. This book continues this discussion and specifies it in the direction of teacher education. Its focus is on the challenges that teacher students and their trainers are facing in the light of RE in a pluralized and detraditionalized society. The impact of these challenges on RE research is obvious. However, international exchange of research results for purposes of comparison and mutual enrichment is still rare. This book provides insights that can encourage and facilitate this exchange.