ABSTRACT
The provision for religious education has traditionally been by agreement between churches and local education authorities. The long-term strength of the movement towards teaching world religions needs also to be guaranteed by professional academic developments. The revolution was philosophically propelled, almost independently of the recognition of religious pluralism in the country. A professional consensus emerged that religion’s place in any curriculum had to be justified ‘on educational grounds’, and seen to be so.* During the transition period, and probably beyond, there are likely to be different ways of teaching world religions. In history teaching, there is continuing dispute as to whether it is more effective to take a ‘grand survey’ approach or to concentrate on a much more specific time and place. In the ‘early days’ of the movement towards teaching world religions, the possibility was discussed of treating them separately from (Christian) religious education.
