The History and Development of Religious Education in Ontario Schools

The present thesis is concerned with the history and development of religious education in Ontario schools, but it attempts to interpret the Ontario system for a readership which primarily knows the system and lives within the cultural and national context of the United States. A glossary is therefore included to explain certain terms which may be unfamiliar to the reader. A comparison of similarities and differences between the Ontario program for religious education and that prevalent in other jurisdictions is provided throughout the discussion. Chapter I presents an overview of the historical situation in Ontario concerning religious education and outlines the direction this thesis will take. Chapters II through VI discuss the development of the teaching of religious education in Ontario schools in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries while Chapters VII and VIII deal with the present situation in more detail. A brief concluding statement points out the direction of the future of religious education in Ontario and summarizes the findings of the thesis