The RE Podcast

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Have you heard of Don Cupitt? Of Big Ideas for RE? Or maybe you have used the In Converstations webinars!  This only skims the surfaces of what the Sea Of Faith Network does to support the RE Community!
The Sofia publication, regional meetings, the Sea of Faith conference, Solarity...
We are so lucky to have this network who provides a space  for people to have conversations about the human experiences free from the bias' of fundamentalist thinking.
My thaks for Dave Francis for talking to the RE Podcast and to the whole network for your work!

Below are all the links referred to in this episode;

https://www.sofn.uk/
https://bigideasforre.org/
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/understanding-by-design/
https://www.solarity.org.uk/

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Today's episode is a delightful chat with Stacey Burman and Carrie Alderton about all things interfaith.  And when I say all things, I mean ALL THE THINGS!
The history and purpose of Interfaith Week and why it is so important.
How we can get involved as a community a school and a teacher.
Where we can go for resources.
But also, how this is part of a bigger picture of Interfaith Education which should permeate schools, communities and RE classrooms? (Linking brilliantly to last weeks episode on Freedom Of Religion or Belief.)
It's a really practical episode with lots of tips and ideas and places to go for support

As part of the epsiode we hear from Alice who talks about all the amazing things she does for Interfaith week to give us some inspiration - get a notebook and make sure you are sitting down!

Please let Carrie know anything you have done for Interfaith week and how it went, or maybe you have some ideas and want some support on this for future IFWs? 
Similarly, if you have any stories about interfaith education you want to share, or need support / resources to improve how you do it, please get in touch
Either contact me @therepodcast1 on X or @therepodcast on insta and bluesky or visit my website www.therepodcast.co.uk.

For more information;
https://www.interfaithweek.org/

https://faithbeliefforum.org/

https://www.ifw4schools.co.uk/

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This chat is just what we need to reinvigorate us as we start a new term,  cold, exhausted from festive celebrations, still arriving and leaving in the dark, with depleted VItamin D reserves.  This episode will give you an hour to be reignited and reinvigorated about the amazing work we all do and what is possible and help us start a new term with renewed energy.
We look at what FoRB is and what it isn't, trauma informed ways of dealing with violations,  why it's so important in today's world.
My guest Josh Cass is as wise as he is humble, and will be the lift you need to see you through the last half of January.
A link to the REC article on The Toledo Principles
https://religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/resource/toledo-guiding-principles/
https://religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/rec/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/toledo-article.pdf

A link to all the FoRB resources from Culham St Gabriel
https://www.cstg.org.uk/campaigns/promoting-freedom-of-religion-or-belief/

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Happy New Year 2025 and the 5th year of The RE Podcast. And welcome to season 14 of The RE Podcast which is shaping up really nicely.  The first half of the season will focus on how we embrace a multi-religious society looking at Islamophobia, Interfaith week, Freedom of Religion or belief and the Sea of Faith Network. Then I am going to explore some smaller religions like The Tao and Shinto. Can't wait to share all this with you. But first asn episode on the Ethics of AI.  
Following the brilliant #REChatUK, last monday about how we use technology in the classroom, I wanted to share with you the thoughts of Henry Taylor.
We chatted about the history of AI, concept of consciousness and how you can test for this in Robots and the subsequent moral obligation towards them.  We also looked at the ethics of using robots in the care of the elderly. Henry shares some ideas for film clips we can use in the classroom to support our teaching in this area.
We also chat briefly about the 'human fingertip' bias in programmes like ChatGTP and the questions we need to answer before this technology evolves.

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To help you celebrate the end of the longest term of the year, to get you in the festive spirit, to shine a beacon to parents, particularly mothers, as we focus on the amazing story of Mary, the mother of Jesus and the central role she plays in the Christmas story, I bring you tidings of great joy!
This last episode of the season, and of 2024, is a spotlight on two RE teachers as they talk about juggling motherhood with their careers. Naila Missous, and Jemma Brown. They are connected through the amazing MTPT Project - The UK’s charity for parent-teachers. It provides support and entitlements for pregnant and expectant staff. And check out the festive name of its founder, Emma Sheppard (so much festive joy). Emma, also joined us to tell us why she made the journey from English Teacher to wanting to support parent teachers.
The conversation not only includes information about the project and how it supported Naila and Gemma,  and what needs to happen in the political sphere to support parents in education, but also how we can include the role of mothers into our curriculums, and where we see the role of mothers in scriptures.
As you can imagine, it is an empowering and uplifting chat.

https://www.mtpt.org.uk/

To all my listeners' my seasonal message for you is from Mary's song because all teachers, but specifically parents are often so humble and they need to be lifted up;

He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.

I hope this episode lifts you up.

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In a move towards multidisciplinary RE, I wonder if you are stuck on how to teach through a social sciences lens - particularly through a psychological lens. Maybe you are not sure what the psychology of religion is, or how to incorporate it into your lessons.  Or maybe you have started to explore but have become overwhelmed. Dr Carissa Sharp is an associate professor of Psychology of Religion from The University of Birmingham and she came on to the podcast to guide us through how to do this.
For example, is this a psychological question – “Does God exist?” – and if not, how do we turn it into one?
For the answer and for much more, listen to this episode.
The links for this episodes are below;

Get in touch with Dr Carissa Sharp
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/tr/sharp-carissa
https://crosstrainingpsychologyandtheology.com/
https://crosstrainingpsychologyandtheology.com/resources/resources-for-re-teachers/

When Children Draw Gods by PY Brandt
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-94429-2

Believing, Bonding, Behaving, and Belonging: The Big Four Religious Dimensions and Cultural Variation by Vassilis Saroglou
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022022111412267#:~:text=Believing%2C%20Bonding%2C%20Behaving%2C%20and,Cultural%20Variation%20%2D%20Vassilis%20Saroglou%2C%202011

Experimenting with Religion by Jonathan Jong
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/experimenting-with-religion-9780190875541?cc=us&lang=en&

Cambridge Elements
https://www.cambridge.org/core/browse-subjects/psychology/psychology-of-religion

Lambi Scale RE Today resource
https://www.natre.org.uk/resources/termly-mailing/bqic-secondary-challenging-knowledge-in-re/studying-god/8-using-psychology-to-investigate-ideas-of-god/

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If any of you want to look at how you can teach the complex socio political tensions between the Abrahamic faiths, or are teaching about interfaith relations, or maybe you want to draw out a feminist lens in your classroom, then please draw on the amazing research and services offered by the Woolf Institute.

A link to all the elements we spoke about are below;
www.woolf.cam.ac.uk/community-engagement/education

• In-Person and Online Visits to School
• Living in Harmony: Resources and Visits for Secondary Schools
• Gender in Religious Experience: Resources and Visits for Secondary Schools
• RE-Framing Education about Beliefs and Practices in SchoolsValuing Diversity: A Guide for Secondary School Teachers

To access these resources, simply email: [email protected]

We also see how well aligned the worldviews approach is with the interfaith dialogue values.

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This may be something you have never heard of, it is certainly a new piece of subject knowldge for me.  Tisha B'Av, which translates as the 9th of Av is an annual fast day in Orthodox Judaism which takes place at the beginning of August.  It serves to remember the Jewish suffering from the past - specifically the destruction of the first and second temple which are said to have happened on Tisha B'Av. This is a day when many Orthodox Jews fast, deny themselves luxuries like chairs, and even refrain from reading the Torah which would offer comfort.
To explore this day, I speak to Adam Boxer and I promise this conversation is a really beautiful look at a solemn day and you will learn things about Orthodox Judaism which may surprise you as it surprised me.

Adam's online learning platform
https://www.carousel-learning.com/

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One thing we love is the messiness of RE!  In the current worldviews approach we embrace this messiness and strive to accurately the diversity within worldviews.  In this episode I speak to Dr Lois Lee, senior lecturer at the University of Kent.  We look at the diversity of belief within the Nones - an area which called fall prey to simplifications if we are not careful.  Lois and I discuss how to authentically represent atheism and all it's beautiful and messy diversity!
My take away is the suggestion of a category of a social worldview which sits inbetween and sometimes straddles personal and organised worldviews!
For more on the explaining atheism research, here is the website;

https://www.explainingatheism.org/

And the work with RE today is below;
https://www.retoday.org.uk/news/latest-news/re-today-working-with-explaining-atheism/

https://www.retoday.org.uk/school-support/publications/samples/primary-curriculum-book-exploring-non-religious-worldviews/

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https://iifl.org.uk/

Faith's transformative power takes center stage as we welcome Dr. Jake Scott, Director of the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life. Join us for an enlightening conversation on how faith is not only surviving but thriving amid growing secularism and religious diversity in the UK. Discover how historical influences and modern movements are shaping a society that values faith as a cornerstone for moral enrichment and societal good, particularly among younger generations who are championing a more active role for faith in public life.

Unravel the complexities of religious plurality and tolerance as we explore the bridges built by education and personal interactions across diverse faith communities. From Christianity's historical impact on British society to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by Islam's growth, we dive into the vital role of faith literacy in reducing prejudice and promoting understanding. Our discussion examines the dynamic interplay between faith and societal acceptance, noting how exposure to different beliefs fosters an inclusive community and how people perceive faith as a force for good.

Explore the multifaceted ways faith influences mental health, work environments, and even environmental stewardship. We spotlight faith's dual role in providing resilience while presenting challenges and how it shapes positive work ethics and community contributions. Our conversation delves into the environmental responsibilities embraced by various religious groups, highlighting the generational divide in climate anxiety and the power of faith as a coping mechanism. Tune in for a thought-provoking analysis of how religious education broadens our understanding of humanity, promising insights that could contribute to a more harmonious and inclusive world.

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