ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that independently of the particular logical types into which religious statements fall, there are ethical principles deriving from membership of epistemic and democratic communities which dictate that an axiological approach should be part of the study of the subject. Principles and values from an ethics of belief complement democratic values to provide ethical and epistemological norms which should inform the teaching of religion and act as a guide to how religious differences should be handled in the curriculum. The chapter examines the implications of the ethics of belief for the actual teaching of religion in school. It focuses on implications for studies of religion or multi-faith religious education courses rather than for education in faith programmes. For many children the political and ethical dimensions of religion could be the dominant experience they have of the effects of religious belief on human behaviour.
