The Kerygmatic Approach to Religious Education

During the early twentieth century, the kerygmatic movement

developed in the Catholic Church as a result of a growing

dissatisfaction with the dogmatic approach in religious education.

Changes to religious education came at a time when United Kingdom

and United States of America teachers of religious education started to

question whether rote learning and memorisation of facts was the

most effective approach to teaching (Whenman, 2012).

Hobson and Welbourne (2002) state that since Vatican II a

quantum leap has been made from an approach that

concentrated on memorised doctrine to a process that

applies critical reason to Christian texts, rituals and

symbols.

As early as the mid nineteenth century there were

developments in theological thinking (Gallagher, 2001).

Thinking included viewing the Church as a community

rather than the church being an impenetrable fortress.

Lance (as cited in Gallagher, 2001) states the

purpose of the kerygmatic approach was to

enable students to reflect on themselves and

their lives and to examine these in depth so that

they came to see God present in their own lives.

The aim being to renew the significance of the

Church liturgies and scriptures.

AdvantagesThe kerygmatic movement signified an important change. The Bible became a much

more important tool in religious education.

A series of text books were integrated into classrooms such as ‘My Way to God’

which led to new styles of teaching that resulted in improved engagement of student

learning (Whenman, 2012).

Rummery (1977) states another advantage was that the gap between teachers and

students lessened as both were seen as participants. This less formal relationship

between student and teacher allowed for informed discussion.

The catechism was no longer used as a starting point for discussion rather, it was

used to link to students’ life experiences.

Limitations

Gallagher (2001) identifies the disadvantages in the approach were that many of

those involved in teaching religion were ill equipped to cope with the change from

dogmatic to the kerygmatic approach.

Many religious educators failed to make the historical approach relevant to

children in the twentieth century.

Bible stories became repetitious and were not modified to suit the needs of the

students.

Educators assumed all students were believers which made it

difficult for students to make connections with the Bible.

Moran (as cited in Gallagher, 2001) saw this approach as a rigid

construction of words and ideas imposed on people from outside

their lives.

Older members of the clergy did not accept the change easily as it

was very different to their own education.

The kerygmatic approach introduced radical

changes to religious education.

The disadvantages of this approach outweighed

the advantages and therefore this approach to

religious education evolved.

Reflection

Identify aspects of teaching religion

and teaching people to be religious in

a particular way.