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RE Council e-newsletter November 2008
The first regular RE Council newsletter
Conference on Black and Womanist TheologyThe Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies is holding a one-day conference to consider issues around the teaching of Black and Womanist theology at under- and postgraduate levels in the UK. For more information about the Subject Centre, please visit http://www.prs.heacademy.ac.uk/
For more details on the conference, or to register, visit http://www.prs.heacademy.ac.uk/view.html/prsevents/418 The event is provided at no charge to those involved in the teaching of Black theology.
A level above? Progression to Undergraduate Studies in Philosophy
This conference is organised by the Subject Centre for PRS and will take place at St Anne’s College, Oxford, form 2nd – 3rd July 2009. It will provide an opportunity for academics, school teachers, exam boards and policy-makers to consider ways to enhance students’ progression in philosophical education, with a particular focus on the transition from school or further education (including A Level, Highers, International Baccalaureate and Access courses) to undergraduate level study of Philosophy in the UK.
For further details please contact Dr Clare Saunders , email
James Hemming prize for 6th form studentsThe James Hemming Essay prize has been instituted by the British Humanist Association, South Place Ethical Society and New Humanist in memory of Dr James Hemming, teacher and educational psychologist. The competition is open to any student at a UK school or college studying for AS or A2 levels who will not have passed his or her 19th birthday by 31st March 2009. The prize awards are: 1st Prize £1000; 2nd Prize £500; 3rd Prize £250, and there are also prizes of books for the school or college of the winners.
Please do advertise the website link, where teachers and students can obtain more information, as widely as possible. www.hemmingprize.org.uk
The essay question for 2009 is: "In life, the meaning comes in living." (James Hemming, Individual Morality, p.191). Discuss.
JAINpediaThe Institute of Jainology has recently launched its online manuscript project. This
illustrates Jain manuscripts and artefacts held by major UK libraries and museums including the British Library, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Bodleian Library (Oxford) and the Wellcome Trust Collection. The project commenced in March 2008 and will run to May 2013 with exhibitions at the holding institutions, regional museums, local libraries, Jain temples and other places of worship. For further information see the project website at:
http://www.jainology.org/?q=en/jainpedia/jainpedia
‘Byzantium’ exhibition at the Royal Academy, LondonHighlighting the splendours of the Byzantine Empire, Byzantium 330–1453 comprises around 300 objects including icons, detached wall paintings, micro-mosaics, ivories, enamels plus gold and silver metalwork. Some of the works have never been displayed in public before. The exhibition includes great works from the San Marco Treasury in Venice and rare items from collections across Europe, the USA, Russia, Ukraine and Egypt. The exhibition begins with the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great and concludes with the capture of the city by the Ottoman forces of Mehmed II in 1453. This is the first major exhibition on Byzantine Art in the United Kingdom for 50 years. Full details are on the exhibition website www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/byzantium/
The exhibition has special rates for faith groups as well as for school parties. There are also competitions to win exhibition catalogues and a trip to Thessalonia. 020 7300 8027 or
Subject knowledge booster courses for RERecruitment to teacher training courses for RE in England is threatened because of a recent decision by the DCSF to remove RE from the list of teacher shortage subjects eligible for subject knowledge booster course special funding. Brian Gates, Chair of the RE Council, has written a letter to the government ministers concerned to argue the case for RE to be reinstated as a booster course subject. See the full text at www.religiouseducationcouncil.org
Media toolkit for RE teachersThe RE Council has just published a new guide to generating positive local media coverage for religious education. The guide includes ideas for stories; tips for news releases; and for avoiding pitfalls. It is available for download free of charge from the REC website www.religiouseducationcouncil.org, following the link to ‘Publications’.
TV clubs In partnership with Channel 4 and Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, NIACE is undertaking a feasibility study between now and mid-December about whether the concept of TV Clubs - the media equivalent of book groups - has any validity.
The idea is to get groups of adults (families, friends, learners, work colleagues) to enhance their media literacy and critical viewing skills by discussing television programmes, genres, production techniques and so on, on a regular basis - supported by guidance and topics via a Channel 4-hosted website. Would there be any interest amongst REC members and others in developing this from an RE perspective?
Anybody who would be interested in taking this idea forward should contact NIACE at
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