ABSTRACT
These questions raise the case for an enhanced political awareness for religious education, and present human rights as but one important aspect of historical and contemporary international relations that would suit, arguably best of all, the citizenship agenda. Religious education will only be able to fulfil a developed role in the twenty-first century – including a strong relationship with developing areas like citizenship – if it continually reminds itself of the political dimensions of religion and the necessity for religious education to contribute actively to a raising of political as well as religious consciousness. The best models for emulation for such a political religious education are those that look at the place of religion in the context of an international values consensus that, however short of perfection, has been agreed by democratic process.
