Critique of religion and critical thinking in religious education

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores the relationship between the critique of religion and critical thinking in religious education. The contribution reports on research into religious education in upper secondary schools in Norway based on interviews with teachers, student focus groups, and observations of planned teaching. I claim that teaching about the critique of religion can facilitate more accurate understandings of religious diversity (descriptive facticity), scholarly differentiation based on scientific terms (scientific accuracy), reflections on religious legitimation, reproduction of power and the social and psychological effects of religious beliefs and practices (correlative judgement), as well as active thinking about whether religious practices or beliefs are warranted or sustainable for modern democracies (normative judgement). The implication is that teaching about the critique of religion foster critical thinking about what is and about what is right but not about what is religiously true.