{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Sgwrs Tei Bow","provider_url":"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy","author_name":"Clarke Roberts","author_url":"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/author\/clarke-roberts\/","title":"Schools Failing in Religious Studies: My Response to the BBC | Bow Tie Talks","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"c9sW4Urs11\"><a href=\"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/2013\/10\/06\/schools-failing-religious-studies-my-response-to-bbc\/\">Schools Failing in Religious Studies: My Response to the BBC<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/cy\/2013\/10\/06\/schools-failing-religious-studies-my-response-to-bbc\/embed\/#?secret=c9sW4Urs11\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Schools Failing in Religious Studies: My Response to the BBC&#8221; &#8212; Bow Tie Talks\" data-secret=\"c9sW4Urs11\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=http:\/\/52.19.228.105\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>","description":"An article published today on the BBC news website has definitely caught my attention; so much so it prompted me to write a response. You can read it here, below. Original article:\u00a0http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/education-24399813 &#8220;Having just completed a BA in Theology &amp; Religious Studies, this news disappoints me even more than it would have prior to my degree study. Regardless of the depth studied at degree level, Theology &amp; Religious Studies as a subject (as pointed out by the report) can help promote social cohesion and can prompt in-depth enquiry into topical issues raised by contemporary religious practices. As much as I feel that more focus on Religious Studies is needed, I also feel strongly that the way it is taught and corresponding syllabuses need to be changed radically in order for the subject to have any notable impact on people&#8217;s views and beliefs concerning religiosity. Based on my experiences from both primary and secondary education, the content of lessons seemed to be merely asserting certain religious groups&#8217; views on their respective doctrines and on topical issues; most notably abortion and euthanasia &#8211; &#8220;Muslims believe this&#8221;, &#8220;Christians believe this&#8221;, &#8220;Jews believe this&#8221; etc. It is not until A-level and furthermore degree level (which I must point out, are not compulsory!), that students are encouraged to think more critically about religious ideas. There is a vast wealth of theological and religious ideas out there in the world; the narrow-minded and dogmatic approach of primary and secondary religious education does not even scratch the surface of such ideas. It is this faultless ignorance on the part of students that, I believe, is one of the greatest causes for declining religious adherence not only in the UK but also the rest of the Western World. In addition to this, a failure to understand the reality of differing religious and theological interpretations is, without doubt, a leading cause for racial and religious prejudice.&#8221; &#8211; Clarke Roberts 06\/10\/13"}