Synopsis of the Religious Education Eras by the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth M. Strong
Catechetical: 1700s to late 1800s
Method: Rote memorization, didactic
Content: Biblical exclusively
Writers: Male ministers (Judith Sargent Murray’s is the first by a woman)
Led by: Father in the home and later by the minister in the church
Focus: Catechisms for children seen in the mid-1700s
Cultural and theological challenges: Higher Biblical Criticism and Evolutionary theory, Progressive education theories and geological discoveries begin to impact at the end of this time period
Primary Resource(s) Various Catechisms from Unitarianism and Universalism
Early Curricula: late 1800s to 1930s
Method: Memorization with critical thinking components
Content: Biblical with extra secular resources and Unitarian and Unitarian Helpers
Writers: Men
Led by: Trained teachers in the International Uniform Lesson System
Focus: Book centered but with graded lessons attempting to be more child friendly
Cultural and theological challenges: The impact of Higher Biblical Criticism, Evolutionary theories, geological discoveries and progressive education becomes significant. The formation of the Unitarian Education Directors’ Association in 1949– UEDA (later to become LREDA) began the professional development of our educators.
Resource(s) The Children Were My Teachers by the Rev. Dr. David Park; The Larger Message: Universalist Religious Education’s Response to Cultural and Theological Challenges: 1790 to 1930 by the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth M. Strong
The New Beacon Series/Fahs/MacLean Era: 1930s to 1965
Method: Stories and experiential exercises
Content: Biblical, the sciences, stories of ethical and moral exemplars- Unitarian, Universalist and others and included pamphlet and booklet guides for teachers
Writers: Women, men, laity, educators as well as ministers and professors
Focus: Graded lessons with Child centered focus, but still centered around books
Cultural and theological challenges: advances in educational theory, humanist impact on Unitarian Universalism in the 1930s, world religions more influential, WW II,
Primary Resources: Today’s Children, Yesterday’s Heritage by the Rev. Dr. Sophia Lyon Fahs; The Method is the Message by the Rev. Dr. Angus H. MacLean
Multi-Media Kit: 1965-1980
Method: Guided Discovery and Inquiry
Content: Life Skills
Writers: Women, men, laity, educators as well as ministers and professors
Focus: Multiple learning styles of children and youth. Adult courses developed
Cultural and theological challenges: Major movements in Civil Rights: blacks, feminism, gay and lesbian rights, the Vietnam War, youth empowerment within Unitarian Universalism, divorce rates increase single parent families, situation ethics and the sexual revolution. The Accreditation of Directors of Religious Education program began that morphed into the Independent Study Program for Ministers of Religious Education increased RE professionalism.
Primary Resource: A Philosophy for the Multi-Media Kits by the Rev. Dr. Hugo Hollororth
RE Futures/Anastos Era: 1980 to 2000
Method: Praxis
Content: Centered on the Unitarian Universalist Principles
Writers: Women, men, ministers, laity, educators and experts in various fields
Focus: Child and experience centered/ graded with some multiple-age programs for small RE programs, child development characteristics included in the curricula, adult education programs, social action and OWL (Our Whole Lives Human Sexuality), Chalice Time/worship components
Cultural and theological challenges: intentional addressing of racism and homophobia within the context of Unitarian Universalism, cult incursions into society, the need to articulate our own faith, the rise of fundamentalism, the beginning impact of the technological age. The Ministry of Religious Education impact on religious education and the degree granting for that ministry at Meadville Lombard again increased the professional level of religious educators.
Primary Resource: The RE Futures Report
Tapestry of Faith/Essex Conversations: 2000 to present
Method: Praxis, guided discovery, inquiry, experiential, multi-modal, on-line courses, templates, instilling the experience of teaching as faith development by our volunteer teachers.
Content: Faith Based within Unitarian Universalism
Writers: women, men, ministers, laity educators and experts in various fields
Focus: child, youth, young adult, adult, elder centered in the context of faith development
Cultural and Theological Challenges: Safe Congregations needs, Iraq war and unrest within the nation, fundamentalism and rising religious intolerance, the need to articulate our faith, the need to re-examine our Principles. The RE Credentialing Program to train professional religious educators focused on the non-ordained educators and again promises to have a positive impact.
Primary Resource: Essex Conversations
If you have any questions about the Meadville Lombard Archives and Special Collections, just ask!
We can help with...
Meadville Lombard Wiggin Library
180 N. Wabash Ave.
Suite 625
Chicago, IL 60601
Library and Archives Phone: 312-546-6488 Library Email: library@meadville.edu Archives Email: archives@meadville.edu