Mission as public theology: Bridging the worlds of mission and Religious Education (RE) in Church of England schools

Abstract

At a time when RE is being reviewed and reassessed in England, this article offers a vision as to how the insights of Christian theology can offer a possible future that connects RE to the mission of God. In the UK there is a tension in Church schools between inclusivity and Christian distinctiveness, an area of misunderstanding between faith groups and the wider public. This article suggests that the problem can be navigated by applying the concept of the missio Dei to the work of the Church school, so that Christian mission can be advanced in the public sector. By connecting the educational concepts of religious literacy and community cohesion in the teaching of RE, the article suggests that the missio Dei is achieved. It is argued that these concepts can be bridged by a theological understanding of missio Dei using prophetic dialogue in a way that is wholly compatible with the school’s Christian mission. The article unpacks the four definitions; of “ missio Dei,” of “Church schools (as places of inclusive mission),” of “religious literacy,” and of “prophetic dialogue.”