RESOURCES
- RELIGION, BELIEF AND FAITH IDENTITIES IN LEARNING AND TEACHING
- RELIGION IN BRITAIN: Challenges for Higher Education
- MISTAKEN IDENTITIES: CREED by Kwame Anthony Appiah
RELIGION, BELIEF AND FAITH IDENTITIES IN LEARNING AND TEACHING
I became aware of this resource through IT&L class. I found it very comprehensive. It displays a wealth of information, which has aroused my curiosity on the subject. I am guilty of having a disinterest in the subject of religion. I guess that my personal narrative has detached me from this particular subject, and I have not pursued knowledge in this area. This class has driven me to engage in self-reflection regarding religion and my relationship with it. I now realise that being informed on this subject will be very positive. I understand that I will engage with the subject influenced by my own perspective but nonetheless, being informed will facilitate supportive engagement with students that have religious beliefs. I can definitely see this website being a great resource to point students towards.
In general, my job focuses more on the technical processes of creating than on the content/ideas behind the work. Saying that, of course, there are always conversations in which I learn about the students and their work; these occasions mostly happen when I engage in one-to-one tuition. I feel that these interactions are enriching, as I am always learning from students. Religion has not surfaced all that much, maybe because it could be regarded as a private and delicate subject. This fact makes a little difficult for me to think about how I would integrate the student’s work/research on my teaching practice. Although religion could be indirectly reflected in conversations, maybe when discussing values or ethics relating to a particular subject.
Our students embark in a journey of self-reflection, where faith is one more element that shapes their learning curve. As and when students share this learning curve with me, our discussions inform my knowledge. After this kind of discussion, I am able to use reflection as a tool to integrate and activate the newfound awareness on my day-to-day teaching practice.
‘The unfinished character of human beings and the transformational character of reality necessitate that education be an ongoing activity.’
Freire, P. (2000) Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. US
I have been trying to think of an example of a student’s work that has raised my awareness of religion. I found one, but I am not sure how much I have integrated it into my practice. I remember a female student that was researching Islamic geometry and its symbolism, by doing so also asserting her identity. She was proud of her heritage. We worked together in the production of the digital files for a piece of furniture that had an intricate pattern; this pattern was to be cut on wood on the laser cutter. The piece of furniture was to hide a projector that showed a moving image piece with Islamic geometrical patterns. This final piece was her interpretation of her historical research. Aesthetically the work was beautiful and intriguing. It was an exciting project. What I learned is that this was a missed opportunity to have a deeper understanding of her drive to do the research, to learn what her conclusion was, and also to know more about her personal evolution through this work. I would have liked to have the time to converse and discuss her views and values.
RELIGION IN BRITAIN : Challenges for Higher Education
Calhoun and Modood (2015)
These are the three headings from where I learned something new:
CHANGES IN RELIGIOUS DEMOGRAPHY
It was fascinating to learn how London has become one of the most religious places in England. The change is driven by immigration and especially by the younger generation, a generation that attaches more importance to religion than that of their elders.
MINORITY IDENTITIES
The surprising fact was that shared religious practices, such as dress code, which in general expresses personal religious beliefs (e.g. Islamic headscarves) in quite a definite way, in some cases might not be focused on faith at all. This shared practice can express something more concrete, a sense of identity assertion, a sign of belonging.
‘Religious identities are only partly about religion. They are labels for groups that may be distinct in various ways and have a range of concerns that are not strictly religious.’
Calhoun and Modood (2015)
RELIGION AND DISSENT IN UNIVERSITIES
It was interesting to read that those concerned about gender equality feel uncomfortable articulating a position more frequently heard from the anti-immigrant right. It is understandable how these on the surface could be an issue. Sometimes very opposite ideologies can find common ground or position, but those particular points are the extent of it, it does not go any further than that. All the ethical values, politics, approaches to life and, in particular, the attitude towards approaching these common issues are very different. I was raised as a Roman Catholic, and as such, I was given a set of values. Some of those values I kept and some of them I discarded as they did not fit with my political views and ethics. I find it very difficult to reconcile with some of the matters promoted by organised religion, especially regarding gender and sexuality, which I find oppressive and full of prejudice.
‘Gender and sexuality are challenging issues for universities that struggle to combine respect for religion with clarity that a lack of respect or denigration based on gender or sexuality cannot be countenanced.’
Calhoun and Modood (2015
As discussed in these essays, the focus should reside in practising inclusivity; being respectful and acknowledging that religion is part of some people’s identity. It does not mean that religion will necessarily become the main focus of our interactions, as the intersectionalities are many, but at the same time, it should not be ignored. We also need to remember that every person is an individual, and one may live their religion in a very different way to the next person.
As we encounter these different values brought by different religions, we can focus on our commonalities, and hopefully, questions and dialogue will bring understanding. Our challenge is to live with the differences. An understanding of these differences will also be essential to prepare students for their future in our global society.
As an art and design university, students tend to question established values. How does this work with religious students? Will we lose their engagement with the curriculum? How can we make sure that we are not sacrificing the values of secular education?
MISTAKEN IDENTITIES: CREED by Kwame Anthony Appiah
This lecture highlights how identity might preside doctrine, how religion is not just about beliefs, is what you do with it, and whom you do it with. Appiah discusses how religious identities are influenced by the traditions of practice, conventions of interpretation and the communities of worship.
Religion is associated with ‘belonging’; it shapes how we experience life. I could not agree more about the fact that our identities are clearly informed by this set of values transmitted from our ancestors, together with the influence of our community and our social-political context. All these elements create a solid drive in our religious identity, sometimes more so than the doctrine itself. Religion becomes a lens through which we see the world and understand our place in it. Even by distancing myself, as I have done, from organised religion, some of these values remain very relevant to my identity.
Appiah also speaks about how religious practices have mutated throughout history, and the identities and values have evolved.
‘Once you think of creed identities as mutable practices and communities, rather than sets of immutable beliefs, religion becomes more verb than a noun. The identity is revealed as an activity, not a thing, and it is the nature of activities to bring change’.
Appiah (2016)
Appiah has a very positive take on how religion evolves and how it could become more inclusive, and that is very encouraging to hear. Reflecting on this evolution of values and doctrine interpretation makes me think about the importance of role models, how important it is to give voice to those that may be ignored or silenced just because their values could drive a change. From personal experience, I have seen how priests with a progressive and inclusive attitude/politics have been dismissed from their jobs because they were not conforming to the politics of the Roman Curia. Subjects such as contraception, abortion, and homosexuality still create controversy. This kind of power display has distanced many people from organised religion. I believe that communities can bring change and in time, create new traditions, but this may not happen without confrontations with the religious establishment.
‘We not only follow traditions we create them, count that a burden and a blessing.’
Appiah (2016)
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