National Institute for Christian Education Research (NICER)
Bob Bowie
154
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6:
What’s Going On
CA23120 – Religious Identity, Bullying and Wellbeing at School: A Transnational Collaboration (ORBIT)
Professor Bowie is the UK lead for this EU funded transnational cooperation. A funded network of interested academics from across Europe and beyond, led by DCU in Ireland. It relates to NICER’s work on Spiritual Flourishing. It. Working Group 3 is especially interested in understanding how teacher education curricula and school pupil curricula relates religious education and spiritual flourishing in the context of religious related bullying. This is a fascinating area, with important contextual factors such as the experience of countries who have experience mass migration and recent or ongoing conflict. The first virtual meeting of WG3 is about the take place. You can find out more about this COST ACTION here – www.cost.eu/actions/CA23120/
NICER Project Chaplains Update: Loss and Spiritual Resilience
The final report and other outputs of this project are being prepared. The NICER project led by Dr Ann Casson with Ann Pittaway was called Chaplains: Loss and Spiritual Resilience (£60,000), a two year qualitative investigation into the role of chaplains and pupil transition, especially those impacted by COVID- 19. The follow up study revisited the students who have moved from primary to secondary during COVID. Now in year 10 they are offering a fascinating perspective on their experience and the vital role school chaplains played. Read more at nicer.org.uk/spiritual-resilience
Cultivating Deeper Interdisciplinary Dialogue (CDiD)
Dr Mary Woolley leads a NICER team comprised of teacher educators at Canterbury Christ Church University launched, and Cardiff Met university. Recently new blogs updating the project have been written: one reporting the origins of the project with the fascinating traction that findings from our Science Religion Encounters had with the Wales context ; another examining Curriculum for Wales the initiative that aims to transform education in Wales, and a third reporting the teams experience of a Climate Escape Room and how this informed reflection on Sustainability education. We recently held a network meeting with experts on Religion Values and Education, the new name for RE. To find out more about the project, visit nicer.org.uk/cultivating-dialogue
AULRE Seminars 2024/2025
NICER once again hosted a seminar as part of the AULRE series, with the second session held on Monday, December 2nd. The topic was ” Consequences of not Decolonising Religions and Worldviews, and beyond.” In this AULRE webinar, hosted at CCCU by NICER, Prof Sally Elton-Chalcraft, Dr Yonah Matemba and Alexandra Brown considered why it is important to firstly decolonise RE/RWE before engaging in anti racist strategies.
Faith in the Nexus Online Resource Community
The December 3rd forum for leaders and teachers in education and church communities was another opportunity to share innovative ideas and resources based on the key findings of the Faith in the Nexus research. It focussed on practitioners sharing their ideas to bring research into practice, rather than simply presenting them.
Upcoming Events
January 13th, 2025 Freedom of Religion or Belief Education Research Network
NICER and colleagues from various universities and organizations will meet to discuss forming an education research network focused on Freedom of Religion or Belief. For more information, contact Bob.
January 24th, 2025 Youthscape
NICER has been invited to join Youthscape’s research community’s first annual gathering. To find out more about Youthscape and their work, visit – www.youthscape.co.uk/about
In the pipeline
External organisations that we are currently in dialogue with:
