St Giles' Centre

Welsh version of Challenging Religious Issues journal

Welsh version of Challenging Religious Issues 21

The Welsh version of the popular A-level journal, Challenging Religious Issues, has been published on the St Giles’ Centre website. (The English version was published in November.)

Issue 21 contains nine original articles written by subject experts from universities in the UK, the USA and Austria. Articles include:

What Questions Can We Ask about Jesus’ Birth Narratives?
by Jane Heath

Studying the Gospels: A Situational Approach
by James M. M. Francis

Religion and History
by William K. Kay

Ethics and the Climate Crisis
by Robert Song

‘In the Midst of Life we are in Death’: Christian Perspectives on the Meaning of Death and Life in the Assisted Dying Debate
by Sam Hole

After Anselm: St Bonaventure and the Remaking of the Ontological Argument
by William Crozier

Faithful Wives and Fierce Goddesses: Hindu Attitudes towards Women
by Steven Jacobs

Is Buddhism Pessimistic?
by Phra Nicholas Thanissaro

Gender Equality in Islam: Possibilities and Limitations
by Shama Ajoubi and Fariza Bisaeva

You can read the Welsh and English publication below.

To read other issues in the journal, visit our journal page.

Welsh versionl Download

English version Download

Planning for progression in RVE (3-16): new resource

The St Giles’ Centre has published Planning for progression in Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) age 3-16: an example to support practitioners. The example was created in partnership with the St Asaph Diocese Education Team and in collaboration with five Wrexham primary schools.

The planning for progression resource also includes a section to assist practitioners in nursery settings with their planning for RVE, pre-progression step 1. This was developed in collaboration with expert colleagues working with funded non-maintained nursery settings and schools with nursery provision.

We envisage practitioners using the RVE skills outlined in this example to guide them in evaluating where their learners are and where they are heading at different stages of their learning progression, as well as helping them to make decisions about content and pedagogy in RVE.

As with all resources, the St Giles’ Centre encourages practitioners to critically engage with this example. Practitioners are also encouraged to engage in professional dialogue to support the development of a shared understanding of progression in RVE within their setting.

Download and read about the resource here.

Make your voice heard – The Teachers’ Voice Survey for RVE

Teachers across Wales are invited to take part in the Teachers’ Voice Survey for Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE).

This survey is designed to access directly teachers’ experiences of and engagement with curriculum change in Wales, with a focus on RVE. The aim of the survey is to provide a ‘snapshot’ of teachers’ perspectives on RVE in the Curriculum for Wales, which will help contribute to research-informed professional dialogue and professional learning.

Who can take part in the survey?

The survey is open to practitioners teaching in Wales within a 3- to 16-year school or setting context. This includes teachers in the following schools and settings: Nursery, Primary, Secondary, All-age School, Special, and PRU.

Who is responsible for the survey?

The research project is being led by the St Giles’ Centre and Bishop Grosseteste University in collaboration with staff from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Neath Port Talbot Education Support, and Llanishen High School, Cardiff.

The research has the support of the Wales Association of SACREs / SACs, who are responsible for the promotion of the survey.

How do you take part in the survey?

You may already have had information about the survey from your local advisor, local SACRE / SAC, local authority, consortium, or diocese.

If you haven’t yet heard about the survey, and would like to participate, email Libby Jones (Assistant Secretary to WASACRE) or WASACRE@outlook.com. You will be sent a survey link with further information about the project.

New resource for school Governors in Wales

A new resource for school Governors has recently been published on the Welsh Government Hwb.

The free bilingual resource supports essential professional learning in Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) for school Governors, and is entitled:
Religion, Values and Ethics: What school governors need to know

The new resource is available on Hwb, and can be found within the existing suite of professional learning resources for RVE by following this link:

https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/resource/eef7e399-93bb-4d7c-ab68-145c93f4c6d3/overview

The St Giles’ Centre has been responsible for the development of the resource, and is pleased to see that it is now more widely available.

Religious leaders in Wales come together to oppose Assisted Dying Bill

Religious leaders in Wales have issued a joint statement to oppose the Assisted Dying Bill on 29 November.

The Joint Statement of Faith Leaders was posted on the Church in Wales website on 18 November and reads:

A bill has been introduced to Parliament which allows doctors to supply lethal drugs to people with an incurable illness, in effect physician-assisted suicide.

As people of faith, we share a common heritage of caring for the vulnerable, the sick and dying. This is why we feel we must speak together against the proposed legislation. Compassion is at the heart of all the great world religions. Life is sacred.

We address our message more widely, to all people of goodwill, because the proposals for physician-assisted suicide are not just contrary to the dignity and sanctity of life, they pose grave dangers to vulnerable people.

Cherishing life means building a society where every person is included and the diversity of individuals is not seen as a burden. If the Bill becomes law, the experience of countries such as Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands shows that the most vulnerable can no longer presume on the balance of healthcare being in their favour. The criteria for assisted suicide become widened to include groups of people who need society’s help, rather than assistance in ending their lives.

We raise our voices to remind legislators of the inherent dignity of every person, especially in relation to those who are disabled, elderly or vulnerable. If this Bill were to be passed, many would feel insecure about the future and conclude that they are a burden on loved ones and the health service. We must treasure and value these individuals among us.

The new Bill marks a very serious moment for our country. It raises serious questions about what sort of society we want to be. Especially of concern is whether we will continue to promote a proper care of the dying, and of those who are vulnerable through disability or age. It is good to see that those opposed to a change in the law includes a diverse group of medical professionals (especially, but not only, from the field of palliative care), disability rights organisations, researchers, carers and a range of other concerned institutions.

We urge you write to, or email, your local MP, to express your concerns about the proposed bill.

Signed:

Representing the Roman Catholic Church in Wales

Archbishop Mark O’Toole, Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia

Bishop Peter Brignall, Bishop of Wrexham

Representing the Church in Wales

The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John

The Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron

The Bishop of Monmouth, Cherry Vann

The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Lomas

The Bishop of Llandaff, Mary Stallard

The Bishop of St Davids, Dorrien Davies

The Bishop of Bardsey, David Morris

Representing the Evangelical Alliance in Wales, Tim Rowlands

Representing the Cardiff United Synagogue, Rabbi Michoel Rose

Representing the South Wales Jewish Representative Council, Laurence Kahn

Representing the Muslim Council of Wales, Dr Abdul-Azim Ahmed

Representing the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Wales, Imam Usman Manan

Representing the Sikh Council of Wales, Gurmit Singh Randhawa MBE

Representing the Hindu Council of Wales, Dr Sakti Guha Niyogi

The current debate around Assisted Dying in the UK is of immediate interest to Religion, Values and Ethics practitioners, and shows the unique contribution and relevance of the subject to everyday life in Wales.

Assisted dying, Ethics and the climate crisis, and more in Challenging Religious Issues

Issue 21 of the popular journal for A-level students and teachers has been published on the St Giles’ Centre website today. Challenging Religious Issues is packed once again with short articles on a whole range of issues. Find out more about Ethics and the Climate Crisis, Christian Perspectives on the Meaning of Death and Life in the Assisted Dying Debate, Hindu Attitudes towards Women, and Gender Equality in Islam as well as other informed articles.

Details of the articles are summarised below, where you will also find a link to the free journal.

What Questions Can We Ask about Jesus’ Birth Narratives? by Jane Heath

People ask many questions about the birth narratives in the Gospels, but we should be cautious to try to focus on the questions that the narratives can answer. We cannot prove from them what actually happened or how exactly Jesus was conceived, but we can see how early Christians found meaning in the events that had taken place among them, and how that meaning communicated to them God’s interaction with the world in the incarnation of his Son.

Studying the Gospels: A Situational Approach by James M. M. Francis

This article presents a framework for studying the Gospels informed by reflection on human identity, meaning and purpose. The framework is briefly described and then applied to each of the Four Gospels in the New Testament. Working with such a framework arguably contributes to what is sometimes described as doing theology from below.

Religion and History by William K. Kay

Religious history is a branch of general history, and the same types of evidence are used in both cases. Different types of information about the past must be blended into coherent narratives and these narratives will be driven by implicit philosophies of history. Some religions have a much stronger anchorage in historical events than others, but all religions have been influenced by the rise of science since the 17th century CE.

Ethics and the Climate Crisis by Robert Song

This article explores some central issues in environmental ethics. It starts by thinking about what ethical questions we should ask in relation to the climate crisis, and then considers where the responsibility lies for it. Finally, it draws a distinction between optimism and hope, and provides some suggestions for how we might go about living more hopefully.

‘In the Midst of Life we are in Death’: Christian Perspectives on the Meaning of Death and Life in the Assisted Dying Debate by Sam Hole

This article lays out key aspects of the Christian understanding of death and dying, in order to cast new light on contested issues in the assisted dying debate.

After Anselm: St Bonaventure and the Remaking of the Ontological Argument by William Crozier

This article explores the reception of Anselm’s ontological argument within the thought of Thomas Aquinas’ Franciscan colleague, Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, and his attempt to reconcile it with versions of the cosmological argument.

Faithful Wives and Fierce Goddesses: Hindu Attitudes towards Women by Steven Jacobs

This article addresses two seemingly contradictory representations of women. The first is the idea of the perfect wife who is subservient to her husband. This concept of womanhood is epitomised by the story of Sītā, in the epic tale the Rāmāyaṇa, who faithfully follows her husband into exile. However, in contrast, the fiercely independent and macabre goddess Kālī, who is represented as transgressing social norms, seems to be the antithesis of the submissive Sītā.

Is Buddhism Pessimistic? by Phra Nicholas Thanissaro

Early Western scholars equated Buddhism with pessimism mostly owing to its inclusion of ‘suffering’ amongst the ‘noble’ truths. What Buddhists actually mean by suffering is indicated by its categorisation of dukkha – which includes physical suffering, mental suffering arising from the changing nature of existence and suffering inherent in the building-blocks of human existence. Although Buddhism portrays suffering as dire, it is defended against the charge of pessimism by accentuation of positive features of human existence, and the emphasis in Four Noble Truths on the end of suffering and the path to this.

Gender Equality in Islam: Possibilities and Limitations by Shama Ajoubi and Fariza Bisaeva

Already a heated topic, the subject of gender equality becomes even more so when it comes to Islam. Some believe Muslim gender equality an oxymoron because of Islam’s irrevocably patriarchal nature. Others believe that Islam has already given all the rights there are for women and thus is not in need of any ‘modern projects’ like gender equality. Both extreme positions share a view of Islam as static and unchangeable. This article sets out to introduce a third perspective, which aims to focus on the spirit of Islam when it comes to gender equality and asks the question how the realisation of this spirit could look today.

Read the latest issue here:

English issue Download

The Welsh version is available soon.

Yes, Religion, Values and Ethics really matters!

A short film was released on 18 November to promote the value of Religion, Values and Ethics in the Curriculum for Wales. Aimed at young people, schools, parents / guardians, and others with an interest in Religion, Values and Ethics, the film shows how Religion, Values and Ethics really is a part of everyday life in Wales.

Awen, a young girl and star of the film, takes viewers through some of her big questions which are relevant to Religion, Values and Ethics. In her words: “Exploring big questions like these helps us to think critically about our world and the people in it. At the same time, we can develop our own beliefs and values, and be prepared for life and work in this fast-changing and diverse world.”

The film has been created for the Wales Association of SACREs (WASACRE) by Fresh Gecko Productions. Libby Jones and Tania ap Siôn (Co-Directors of the St Giles’ Centre in Wrexham) were both closely involved in the development and scripting of the film, working with teacher and advisor colleagues.

The film is available on YouTube and the WASACRE On Demand Conference resources page.

Major national conference on RVE and the Curriculum for Wales to be held in Wrexham

The Wales Association of SACREs / SACs is planning a full programme of events for their forthcoming RVE Conference, which will take place during the summer term 2024.

The WASACRE Conference 2024 is a major national initiative supporting and promoting RVE within the Curriculum for Wales. It includes the Conference Day itself in June and also a series of online seminars for practitioners, SACREs / SACs, RVE advisers and ITE students pre- and post-conference day.

All events are free to SACREs / SACs which are members of the Wales Association of SACRE / SACs and their schools.

The Conference Day will held at Wrexham University on Thursday, 13 June 2024. The Minster for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles MS will open the Conference with a keynote speech.

The aims of Conference 2024 include:

celebrating RVE in the Curriculum for Wales;
providing significant professional learning opportunities for SACREs / SACs who are members of WASACRE and their schools;
offering opportunities to raise and discuss issues that really matter for RVE in Wales;
making connections and sharing insights across Wales.

Book your place: Online booking form

Download conference flyers:

Bilingual-Conference-2024-Flyers-PDF Download

Supporting planning and progression in Wrexham primary schools: A collaborative RVE project

The St Giles’ Centre is pleased to announce the start of an exciting collaborative RVE project to support teachers’ professional development focussing on planning and progression across Wrexham primary schools. This project is funded and facilitated by the St Giles’ Centre, working in partnership with the St Asaph Diocese.

The objectives of the project are to:

develop a collaborative professional learning network for RVE;
develop teachers’ professional understanding of progression within RVE;
work together exploring in detail the Principles of Progression and the RVE Learning Journeys; and
explore how learners’ integral skills might develop and progress from early years up to Year 6.

Participating schools include: All Saints’ Church in Wales Voluntary Aided School, Gresford; Gwersyllt County Primary School; St Mary’s Church in Wales Voluntary Aided School, Overton; St Peter’s Church in Wales Primary School, Rossett; Wats Dyke County Primary.

We are very grateful to our enthusiastic schools, and hope to be able to share project insights and outcomes more widely later in the year!

Welsh version of Challenging Religious Issues published

The Welsh language version of Challenging Religious Issues (20) has now been published.

Articles include:

Virtue Ethics in Business Organisations by Professor Geoff Moore
In the first part of this two-part article a brief summary of virtue ethics is provided before turning to construct a framework of practices, institutions, goods and virtues that Alasdair MacIntyre offers in his book After Virtue. In the second part, the implications of this framework for business organisations are explored.

Making Sense of Non-religion: Revisiting Secularisation from the Other Side … by Professor Matthew Guest
This article considers the question of secularisation from the point of view of those who identify as ‘non-religious’ and asks what this label might mean.

Was Hinduism Invented? by Dr Stephen Jacobs
This article addresses how and when Hinduism was conceived as a distinctive religion that could be compared with other religions. While the roots of Hinduism may possibly be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilisation (c.2500BCE–1700BCE), the term ‘Hinduism’ was not widely used until the 19th century. The article focuses on the encounter between Indians and Europeans during the colonial period, which was the context for the emergence of the idea of Hinduism as a coherent and unified religious tradition.

Should Buddhists abandon rites and rituals? by Phra Dr Nicholas Thanissaro
Although rites and rituals appear to be widespread in traditional Buddhism, some ambiguity surrounds whether historically ceremonies were to be encouraged or abandoned, especially when ‘adherence to rites and rituals’ is listed amongst the fetters holding a practitioner back from enlightenment. This debate has resurfaced in present-day Western Buddhism where those influenced by Protestantism tend to deprioritise ceremony in favour of meditation. This article examines possible attitudes to ceremony that can reconcile both sides of the argument.

Sikh Discernment of the Divine by Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar
This article focuses on the Sikh perspective on the nature and discernment of the Divine. Teachings from the Guru Granth Sahib portray the Ultimate Divine as gender-free, formless and experienced through the senses – especially by the process of ‘seeing’ the Divine [darśan]. The devotees’ experience of the Divine (often referred to as Waheguru) is compared to the blissful union with one’s Beloved. This union is understood as the mechanism by which the devotee can elevate their consciousness from the worldly [manmukh] to the Divine [gurmukh]. This personal relationship with the Divine is explained as experiencing this essence within, rather than looking for the Divine in spaces external to the body.

Read / download issue 20 of the journal here:

Challenging Religious Issues 20 (Welsh)Download

Challenging Religious Issues 20 (English)Download