Catholic Teachers, Theological Literacy and Engagement with Biblical Texts

The chapter explores how teachers engage with Old and New Testament scriptures during a professional development course in Catholic theology. It reports from a national survey conducted on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales Board of Religious Studies. Analysis of survey responses indicates that teachers raise questions about meaning, critical understanding and relevance of biblical texts in the classroom and are challenged by their own hermeneutical standpoints and varying pedagogical skills. The chapter confirms the need for opportunities and resources to support teacher biblical literacy for the Catholic religious education classroom