On reflection
Knowledge, suspicion and faith
"Earlier this year, I went to Professor Anthony Thiselton’s funeral. From 1978, he taught me about hermeneutics, philosophy and biblical study, and I was so fortunate to know a man of such genius in these...
The future of (religious) education?
On the Friday evening at the RExChange 2022 conference,1 we were treated to an after-dinner talk by Thomas Fletcher. He is currently Principal of Hertford College, Oxford, having previously been a diplomat and...
Worldviews: it starts with people
"It seems that everyone is talking about worldviews and it feels like there is real curriculum change in the air, leading to important questions being raised. How can we define ‘worldviews’? Will a religion and...
Teachers as Curriculum Developers
I remember the interview that landed me my first teaching job. It was in two parts, and for one of them I was given a flip chart and 30 minutes and expected to plan a term’s work on the topic of food. I remember...
A tribute to Heather Williamson, 1940–2021 (Bath Spa University/ Bath College of HE, 1969–2002)
It was with great sadness that we learned of Heather Williamson’s death on 28 December.
Drawing lessons from the Prophet
In the Autumn 2021 edition of REtoday, my NATRE Executive colleague Neil McKain wrote about the controversy surrounding the use of a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad in an RE lesson (see ‘Je suis RE teacher’,...
Je suis RE teacher
How far RE lessons should go in exploring with students controversial issues that might offend certain sections of religious communities has always been a matter of lively debate. Here Neil McKain tackles this subject...
On reflection: on being Chair of NATRE
It is great to welcome back Ben Wood to these pages. Ben has written here before, including a reflection on taking up the role of Chair of NATRE in the Summer 2019 edition. This time he looks back and reflects upon...
On reflection: this too is for the good
It is with the greatest pleasure that we welcome Anne Krisman back to these pages. It is a pleasure in its own right, but even more so as Anne knew well our previous much- loved editor and contributor to ‘On...
Commonplace reflections: The proof is in the meaning
For generations, particular people – for a variety of reasons – have kept notebooks in which they write and record poems, thoughts, proverbs and sayings, etc. Anything, in fact, that takes their fancy. Some of...
Commonplace reflections: ‘Do we need a table glove?’ The glorious world of misheard and mispronounced words
Commonplace reflections: the tragi-comical life of a stammerer
For generations, particular people – for a variety of reasons – have kept notebooks in which they write and record poems, thoughts, proverbs and sayings, etc. Anything, in fact, that takes their fancy. Some of...
The mystery of the empty chair in the hollow square off from RE
On reflection: disgusting colouring sheets again
Tales from school: a foot in the mouth
The scene: as a local authority education adviser, being invited to a girls’ grammar school in order to assist at the interview for the head of sixth form.
On taking up the role of NATRE Chair
For this edition we have Ben Wood to thank for these honest and humble reflections on his role as a successful head of RE and as Chair of NATRE. Many of you will have heard or seen Ben representing our subject when...
Two parables for today
On reflection: in praise of Smart RE
So many of us in RE draw inspiration from the trail-blazers in our subje