THIS PAPER ARGUES that religious education in England and Wales has fallen into the twin traps of indifferentism and essentialism as a direct result of moving away from the committed teaching of Christianity in the early 1970s. The two attainment targets for RE set by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) are considered. The first results in indifference and the second in essentialism. It is argued that the solution is to recover, in the main, the committed teaching of Christianity which can be done in a way that preserves an element of openness and debate in the teaching. Surveys of parental opinion are quoted in support.
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