‘Faith without ideology is dead’: what are the implications for Religious Education in Catholic schools and colleges of taking this assertion seriously? An essay for teachers of the subject to consider

Abstract

The article seeks to explore a number of ‘double binds' in the theory and practice of Catholic religious education. There is a disparity between the goal of education, as a universal practice of human development, and faith formation, which is more correctly understood as an intentional, ‘elitist' formation of a minority elite. How to make sense of this ‘asymmetry'? With the help of two Jesuit theologians, Karl Rahner and Juan Luis Segundo, the asymmetry can be appreciated, not as a dilemma to be resolved, but as an anthropological constant. Rahner writes of ‘anonymous Christianity', Segundo gives a distinctive account of ‘faith and ideologies’ in need of each other. Taken together, these two theologians help us to re-calibrate our understanding of what Catholic educators are seeking to achieve.