With the reform of the Irish Junior Cycle since 2015, the discourse around school ethos in Ireland is gaining momentum. This paper explores one particular quality of Catholic ethos highlighted by Pope Francis since the beginning of his papacy -- the quality of mercy. His articulation of mercy as core to all Catholic ministry reminds Catholic…

This article aims to recover the foundational importance of training in ascesis for Christian education. For early Christian pedagogues such as Basil of Caesarea and John Chrysostom, education was seen not so much as the transmission of information as it was an invitation to a life of virtue and faith; to this end they especially encouraged…

Although John Paul II published "Pastores dabo vobis" specifically for the formation of seminarians for Catholic priesthood, it nonetheless contains much wisdom regarding the formation of any young person on the cusp of full adulthood. John Paul outlines a framework of personal formation according to its human, spiritual, intellectual,…

Four writings by the medieval theologian Bonaventure (c. 1221-1274) provide inspiration for the future of Christian education. His writings cast a vision for Christian education and provide insight into four key areas for hope in the future: a reclaiming of the purpose of Christian education; a recovery of the Great Tradition; a rediscovery of the…

In "To Young Men," Basil of Caesarea asserted that pagan literature could be read discerningly for the pursuit of virtue. As a professor of English, I recognize Basil as an exemplar pedagogue in my own insistence that Christian students read secular texts. Not a scholar of Greek, I rely on patristic scholarship to understand Basil's…

Roman Catholic priests undergo years of formation prior to being ordained. Upon ordination, they are assigned to a particular ministry. Diocesan priests are typically assigned to a parish. As ordained ministers, priests exercise both service and leadership. This study therefore examined the presence, experience, and perceptions of servant…

Based on an ethnographic research study, in an Ecuadorian Amazonian Kichwa territory, I use the notion of 'translation as controlled equivocation' as an analytical tool to explore the making sense of difference. Occurring in the same territory, I analyse these encounters with difference, read in relation to a classroom dialogue between teacher and…

Abram S. Isaacs (1852-1920), editor, intellectual, university professor, and rabbi, was a moral educator dedicated to making American Jews more knowledgeable and more virtuous. His role model was his father, who founded and taught in the Jewish day school that young Abram attended. While embracing the blessings of American life, Isaacs was deeply…

Current trends in disaffiliation and declining enrollment in Catholic schools raise difficult questions about the perceived value of Catholic education and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT). Following the work of theologian David Tracy, the author makes a case for engagement with Christian "classics" as a promising means not only…

This study was conducted in order to fill an existing gap within the field of religious education, specifically regarding standardisation within evangelical education aimed at teaching the youth within the church. There is currently no standardisation of education between sects nor within individual sects of evangelical Christianity, and this…

An International Student Program (ISP) should be an essential part of a church's mission program. A vital purpose of every church must be disciple-making. When a church-operated Christian school sets up an ISP, this must be its primary purpose. With this as its main objective, a church must formulate its central belief systems regarding Truth,…

This paper reports the results of a study of adult ethical development in Christian congregations. Using an empirical hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, this study examined how five pastors understand and encourage ethical development, creating an in-depth analysis and interpretation of their perceptions of the phenomenon of adult ethical…

While issues faced by Catholic schools around the world depend on local context, a number of common challenges are often encountered globally. This article considers eight such challenges: (1) the decline in the depth of faith and values; (2) an inadequate number of clergy and religious serving in schools; (3) a changing scenario for teaching…

This article opens a window on the world of chaplains supporting seafarers, which has largely been neglected by the literature. Shipping happens in ports, which are often far away from urban centres. It is thus removed from everyday experience making seafarers an invisible population and, with them, the chaplains who assist them. The article…

This article consists of remarks made during a panel at the 2017 annual meeting of the Religious Education Association in St. Louis, MO. From his vantage point as a former law enforcement agent, the author explores issues of ethical dilemmas present in policing; the current situation of militarized police forces; community policing and its…