1. LTLRE Conference Controversial RE October 2016 Ed Pawson
“RE provokes challenging questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life … and what it means to be human.”

2. Controversial RE
What do we mean by controversial issues?
Where is the line drawn between questioning RE and controversial RE?
Should RE explore controversial issues?
What are the dangers with controversial RE?
What are the limits to using controversy in teaching RE?
What guidelines do we need when doing controversial RE?

3. Teaching about controversial issues in RE
“Engagement with controversial issues is at the heart of good RE and one aim of the subject is to enable respectful disagreement.”
P26, RE Review, 2013
Good RE “provokes challenging questions about the meaning and purpose of life”, and it encourages teachers to explore “controversial religious issues” including mis-representations of religion.
P22RE Non-statutory Guidance, 2010
Teachers are too often “limiting the opportunity to explore more controversial possibilities.”
P11, Ofsted report on RE, 2013

5. Setting the context for learning
Needs to be based on an ethos of trust and collaboration
Needs to take time to develop pupil interactions
Needs to involve human encounter
Teachers & learners need to learn to talk comfortably about religion
Teachers & learners need to engage with identity and difference

6. Ground rules for discussing controversial issues
LISTEN: Everyone is listened to, and each point made makes a useful contribution.
Agree on ground rules cooperatively at the start of a topic.
SECURE/SAFE: It is a secure & safe space to ask questions and share ideas: focus on issues rather than personal examples
Remind the class that it is important to have a secure & safe environment where everyone is listened to.
RESPECT: We can respect the right of everyone to express their view‐ even if we do not agree with it.
Comments are not to be personal, and discussion will remain in the room.
REFLECTION/ DEBRIEF/ PLENARY

7. Alphabet interaction activity
Choose a letter that starts a word which represents something important for you
Stand by the letter
Say something about your word/idea
The place I was born
My favourite colour
Something that is special to me
My favourite subject at school
An important idea from your tradition or family
Something I find hard to talk about
Something I want to know more about
Allow children to speak for themselves, expressing feelings

8. Encouraging questioning RE
What questions do you want to ask about these images?

9. Who is the real Jesus?

10. “Christians outraged by poster showing Mary and Joseph after sex”
The Christians who created this image have a liberal view of Christianity. What do you think they were trying to say to more literalist Christians about the relationships between Mary, Joseph, Jesus and God?
“Christians outraged by poster showing Mary and Joseph after sex”
(Daily Telegraph 17/12/09)
A risque church billboard showing the Virgin Mary and Joseph in bed apparently after having disappointing sex has caused outrage among Christians in New Zealand.

11. Would it be acceptable for us to look at the Danish cartoons?
The Danish Muhammad cartoon controversy
The Danish Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad (pbuh), were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005.
This led to protests across the Muslim world
Within Muslim communities there are differing views about whether Muhammad (pbuh) can be pictured. Many Shi’a have no problem with showing images of him. However, it is usual for Sunnis to forbid his pictorial representation, believing it to be a form of idolatry.
Why might some Muslims object to the image of Muhammad (pbuh) being shown?
Do you think it is wrong for western cartoonists to draw images of him?
Over the centuries, Muslims have developed complex calligraphy techniques to produce artistic images from Arabic and Qur’anic passages about Allah.
Would it be acceptable for us to look at the Danish cartoons?
Homework: ask parents, carers, friends, family for their opinion, reporting back next lesson

12. What questions does this image pose?
What makes it a dramatic image?
How does it show a culture clash?