ABSTRACT
Religious education continues to be one the most divisive subjects in the school curriculum, even though it has been a feature of British education since the nineteenth century and the beginning of the state’s formal involvement in the provision of schools. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book introduces readers to the breadth and depth of current debates in religious education, and provides a positive introduction to the contested field of theory and practice that is religious education. It provides the essential context for an appreciation of the nature and role of religious education in British and Irish society. The book focuses on the values necessary for democracy to flourish, and how knowledge of religion can challenge and support the nurturing of such values.
