Religious education: resurrecting the lived application of religious teaching
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Religious education: resurrecting the lived application of religious teaching
We have the very accepted and common meanings of how the words ‘religious’ and `teaching’ are defined, particularly in relation to current understandings of the lived application of these words in our society, and perhaps more specifically in our education systems.
Indeed, religious education in its organised context is often associated with versions of religiosity that are removed from the lived godly essence that is known and realised through living connected with Soul and God. A connection that has always been and will always be within us, it is always a question of when one is ready to reignite this natural relationship with Soul and Thy Heavenly Father.
We begin here with this introduction as this offers a platform in further developing our understanding of what is meant in essence when we are referring to ‘Religious Education’. If we can be playful here, religious teaching is not about one being all pious and sitting in a building recanting all the so-called ‘sins’ one has indulged. It has been well known throughout the ages by many a true scholar and student of life, that true religion is not `taught’ in the intellectual sense – it is lived. Meaning it is how we live in all aspects of life and the quality of our lived movements; it is important to clarify that a ‘movement’ can and does also refer to behaviours in all manners of speaking.
In focussing our attention to working with students in a typical educational setting, the person who lives the essence of their religion will be connected with their soul, and from that will naturally bring that connection to the students they are working with. We can say this is true religious education.
This connection will also be brought to working with colleagues, for certainly this is all part of the equation in what we are presenting here. To understand religious teaching is to appreciate that it is about working in true brotherhood and sisterhood with everyone you have contact with. By virtue of this, everyone naturally learns from each other through lived experience known by the body where there is no confinement to the intellect only.
Living a truly religious way naturally teaches you much about yourself and the bigger picture of humanity, where you deepen your innate love for all. You embrace the deep wisdom that everyone is an equal brother and sister to you. Despite all the things we see on the surface that are not love, indeed this is where the understanding is brought which dissolves judgment and disconnection.
Ultimately, resurrecting the lived application of religious teaching is about living all the deep natural beholding godliness that is within us all. Never is it flimsy, whimsical, superficial or intellectual but rather it is truly solid, honouring, loving – where true embodied learning is known and realised through us all living together in this world.
This is Religion and it is experienced by us all learning in relationship with ourselves and each other in the ways we have captured – this is the way of Religiosity, which is in deep essence, the way of God.
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Wisdom, Religion, Lifestyle, Connection, Ageless Wisdom
