This article focuses on a method of moral self-cultivation advocated by the Chinese Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi: deep reading. To Zhu Xi, reading is not only an intellectual activity of learning knowledge, but also a spiritual exercise. Through meticulous, thorough, and unbiased reading, people can gradually cultivate their minds to have three virtues,…

The Adult Religious Education and Faith Development project (AREFD) was launched in 2018 at the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education, DCU. As part of the study, the research team consulted variety of people involved in AREFD across a range of contexts. The purpose of these consultations was to harness their 'lived wisdom', showcasing the wide…

Drawing on the work of Simone Weil, this article argues that the human purpose of reading is the creation of meaning through interpretive activity. In the context of institutionalized schooling, however, the activity of reading has been alienated from this purpose. As a result, some contemporary pedagogies of reading might keep us from learning…

We make two interventions in two evolving scholarly literatures. First, we show how fractal metaphors escape a recurring dichotomy in Christian pedagogical scholarship, the either/or of alienation from one's object of study versus union with it in "an act of love." Second, we try to replace recent interdisciplinary work's emphasis on…

In contrast to both behaviourist and cognitive approaches to moral development, neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics has had recent fairly distinctive impact on thought about the practice of moral education. On this view, insofar as moral development is a matter of the cultivation of moral virtues, and virtues are basically qualities of character…

This chapter argues for the centrality of spirituality in lifelong and adult learning theory and practice. As embedded in human experience, the spirituality of learning, including exploring awe and wonder, is vital. We introduce the processes and outcomes of lifelong spiritual formation, profound learning, and human flourishing as underpinnings…

The following paper gives an abbreviated account of the argument in the recent book 'Challenges for Religious Education: is there a disconnection between faith and reason?' In paying particular attention to the perceived opposition between the systematic development of religious faith, on the one hand, and, on the other, the central educational…

Though the promotion of spiritual 'development' is statutory in state-maintained schools in England and Wales, it is neither clear what spirituality is nor how schools might educate in this area. In the literature, one finds an array of divergent conceptions of spirituality and spiritual education. There is, indeed, lack of agreement regarding…

Guided by the three core tenets of a Black feminist love-politic, this article offers a framework of communion for Black men within higher education. Emanating from the embodied experiences of Black men in academe participating in the "site" of communion (i.e. The Gathering) through an Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)…

Given that spiritual formation of students is a key pursuit of theological training and in light of the evolving landscape of Christian spiritual formation, designing an effective educational model for the goal of students' formation is challenging. This article explores the educational means and factors of self-awareness that enhance spiritual…

This article presents and combines theories and philosophies on the spiritual rebirthing and ascension process emanating from psychology, comparative mythology, and comparative religion. It addresses various states of the soul encountered on the mystical journey to Divine Union and the various ways God assists human beings in completing this…

In the face of challenging circumstances, many teachers turn to spirituality for sustenance and strength. Yet spirituality's place in education and in educators' lives has long been a matter of confusion and contention, not least because of the ambiguity of the term in its common usage. What is its relationship to religion? And what defines it? In…

Scripture encourages parents to pass on faith to children, and a multitude of studies show that the biggest predictor of the faith of kids is the faith of their parents. However, raising kids in faith is more complicated and nuanced than simple "parent to child" religious transmission. In this paper, animal family models are used to…

The introduction of mindfulness into schools and its potential effects on health and wellbeing promotion have received substantial attention among scholars. However, the implications and consequences thematised by critics of school-based mindfulness have yet to receive the same analytical scrutiny. One side has praised mindfulness as a useful…

This paper develops work undertaken by the "After Religious Education" project which seeks to reimagine Religious Education in schools for a context in which both religious and non-religious worldviews are taken seriously. One of the longstanding challenges for RE teachers in schools in England has been how to reconcile the broad range…