- Catholic Identity?
- Religious education?
- Religious life of the school P - 12
Introduction
The Religious Life of the School P-12 is focused on the second dimension of religious education, commonly referred to as “teaching people to be religious in a particular way” (Moran, 1991). The Religious Life of the School P-12 provides a lens through which a school may audit and further develop its religious life.
Structure of the religious life of the school
The Religious Life of the School P-12 comprises four interrelated components: Religious Identity and Culture; Evangelisation and Faith Formation; Prayer and Worship; and Social Action and Justice. Each of these components, while mutually reinforcing, provides a significant focus on a distinctive aspect of the religious life of the school.
Each component is further sub-divided into three elements as the graphic organiser below indicates. These elements form the elaborations and have been developed to provide guidance and support
Components of the religious life of the school
Evangelisation and faith formation
Evangelisation and faith formation are focused in an explicit way on the call to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, to respond to it in daily life and to deepen personal understanding and faith.
Living the gospel
- creating a Christ-centered environments EFG1
- embedding the gospel practices and processes EFG2
- celebrating the Good news EFG3
Spiritual formation
- planning formation for students EFF1
- responding to diversity EFF2
- seeking creative expresssions EFF3
Witness to the wider community
- celebrating with others EFW1
- reaching out EFW2
- making connections EFW3
- communicating the message EFW4
Evangelisation and faith formation
Prayer and Worship
Prayer and worship as integral to the life of all Catholic and ecumenical schools and have the potential to nourish the spiritual growth of all members of the school community.
Christian prayer
- drawing on the tradition PWP1
- nurturing prayer life PWP2
- providing a variety of experiences PWP3
Celebrating liturgy and sacraments
- developing skills in liturgy PWL 1
- promoting participation in liturgy PWL2
- celebrating sacraments PWL3
Ritualising everyday life
- ritualising life events PWR1
- using prayer rituals in school PWR2
Religious identity and culture
All areas of learning contribute to the religious identity and culture of the school. The classroom religion program is not the only learning area that contributes to the school’s religious identity and culture.
Ethos and charism
- embedding ethos and charism ICE1
- living vision and mission ICE2
- communicating the ethos and charism ICE3
Authentic christian community
- respecting dignity and diversity ICC1
- building quality relationships ICC2
- practising christian hospitality ICC3
Sense of the sacred
- creating a sense of the sacred ICS1
- enhancing the religious culture ICS2
- resourcing for a sense of the sacred ICS3
Religious identity and culture
Social justice and action
Catholic and ecumenical schools work to build the dispositions of empathy and solidarity in students through programs for service- learning, social justice and outreach experiences.
Justice in the school community
- respecting the dignity of all SJS1
- praying for justice SJS2
- building a just community SJS3
Action for justice
- applying Catholic social teaching SJA1
- caring for the environment SJA2
- Learning through service SJA3
Reflection on action for justice
- promoting critical discernment SJR1
- building a culture of reflection SJR2
Religious life of the school P-12 elaborations
Each of the four components of the Religious Life of the School P-12 has further been sub-divided into three elements and form the elaborations.
These elaborations can be used to critique current practice with a view to further enhancing the spiritual and faith development of students.
Elaborations of the Religious Life of the School P-12 align with the content descriptions of the Religion Curriculum P-12 and are coded accordingly.
Schools should ensure a range and balance of elaborations from across all four components are represented in the religious education curriculum.
Further detail can be found on each component located in the religious life of the school elaborations .
