Faith in education : a tribute to Terence McLaughlin

This book attempts to get to the heart of debates about religious upbringing and autonomy and the place of faith schools within a liberal society. Contributions are drawn from scholars with research interests in philosophy of education and a range of faith traditions, working in the UK and internationally. They pose key questions such as: What is the justification for faith schools, and for state support of these schools? What is distinctive about upbringing and education within a faith tradition? Is an upbringing and education within a faith tradition compatible with the development of autonomy? Could it be possible that autonomy can be developed through faith? Each chapter applies differing philosophical perspectives to the relevant issues, interacting critically with each other to form a rich and varied debate. This collection is a tribute to the work of Terence McLaughlin, who was Professor of Philosophy of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. He made important contributions to the philosophical literature on the common school, and wrote extensively on the nature and justification of upbringing and education within a religious faith. The timely debates in this book will be of interest to students and scholars, both within philosophy of education and more widely. It will also provide a useful tool to leaders, supporters and critics of faith schools, as well as policy-makers in informing their understanding of this key educational issue.