This thesis analysed Religious Education Coordinators' perceptions of their role in Catholic secondary schools of the Archdiocese of Melbourne from 1970 - 2000. The theoretical framework for the study, which was reported on in this thesis, was drawn from Catholic Church documents on religious education at both international and national levels, and from the work of researchers within the field of religious education. In particular the study investigated the diversity of language used to describe religious education and religious education theory and analysed the significance that this has had in the development of an understanding of the role of the Religious Education Coordinator. It was argued that there were significant factors in the development of the role of the Religious Education Coordinator that included changes in the understanding of the nature and purpose of religious education during the second half of the twentieth century. In addition there were historical factors peculiar to the Archdiocese of Melbourne that played an important part in the understanding of the RECs role. Quantitative data in the form of annual survey material (1988-1999) from the Catholic Education Office Melbourne provided a framework for the empirical component of the research. The empirical component involved the interviewing of Religious Education Coordinators from a deliberately selected sample that covered the range of skills and experiences deemed necessary in the research. The purpose was to ascertain from the perspective of the Religious Education Coordinators themselves how they analysed their role. Grounded theory methodology was used as the basis for the inductive analysis of the data that emerged from the in-depth interviews. Theory that was generated on the role of the Religious Education Coordinator includes: the importance of an understanding of the theoretical dimensions of religious education and the role of the Religious Education Coordinator; an elaboration of the role of the Religious Education Coordinator in the school context and the necessary skills and attributes that are required to meet the challenges in the role; and the complexity of the challenges that are faced by the Religious Education Coordinator.

An analysis of Religious Educaton Coordinators' perceptions of their role in Catholic Secondary Schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne

In the discourse about religious education in the Catholic Church one of the greatest difficulties has been with language and definition. The meanings of terms such as evangelisation, catechesis, religious education, education in religion, religious studies and religious instruction are confused, often lack clarity, and at other times are used with contradictory meanings. Moran (1971, 1983, 1984, 1989) has been a consistent voice in the debate about the language of religious education, and the difficulties that are faced in developing a systematic and cohesive language. The issue of language, Moran argued in 1971, had reached the point where there was a crisis of religious education that emerged ‘from the relationship between the two words religious and education’ (Moran, 1971, p. 18). He concluded in the late 1990s:

Catholic Church Documents on Religious Education

Towards a contextually relevant catechetical model for south african churches: a critical evaluation of john h. westerhoff iii's model of catechesis.

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Marvin J. Taylor

Papers

Changing patterns of religious education