Unearthing Ecumenical Influences on Education Policy in England and Norway using Statement Archaeology

Abstract

This paper focuses on the development of Religious Education in England and Norway examining changes that took place in the 1960s. Using Statement Archaeology, the influence of the Christian ecumenical movement on English RE is identified. This movement has mostly been overlooked in the historiographies of RE, yet it appears to play a key role in creating circumstances in which the legitimate study of non-Christian worldviews becomes possible. The paper presents existing research that demonstrates how these global ecumenical discourses affected educational policies in England, setting out a compelling case for further exploration of the developments in Norway.