How much education or practice do you have within religion?

[Spirit of Light]

I hope this can be a OP that inspire people to say a bit about if they have any form of formal education within their own religious faith, or if their knowledge and understanding purly comes from a long life within their own religious life and practice

Personally i do not have any formal education within the field of religion, so what i do speak out of is my personal understanding and experience through religious practice. And now when i do have a spirtual teacher who guides me, i have realized that i did actually have very little knowledge about deeper topic of religion. i kind of only scratched the surface

Everyone is welcome to speak in this thread. and if you are a non believer but have a lot of education or experience within religion please share your story too

 

[Rival]

I have no formal training.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I have no formal training.

Me either. I was guided by people with a formal background, however when it comes to religion, save for actual university level archeology, culture, and languages, a formal education is pretty worthless in terms of a religions community doctrines and various interpretations of what a religion entails and its actual purpose and meaning.

Even then, you have the likes of 'Dr'. Kent Hovind among others to put things into perspective of what is regarded as formal and what isn't.

 

[ChristineM]

England

Religious Education (RE) is a compulsory subject in the state education system in England, despite it not being part of the national curriculum. Schools are required to teach a programme of religious studies according to local and national guidelines.

Religious Education in England is mandated by the Education Act 1944 as amended by the Education Reform Act 1988 and the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. The provision of Religious Education is compulsory in all state-funded schools, but it is not compulsory for any children to take the subject. The subject consists of the study of different religions, religious leaders, and other religious and moral themes. The syllabus is agreed locally by a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education, and it may reflect the predominant place of Christianity in religious life, but also it might give an equal platform to all of the major world religions. All parents have the right to withdraw a child from religious education, which schools must approve.[1]

Additionally, all schools are required by law to provide a daily act of collective worship, of which at least 51% must be Christian in basis over the course of the academic year.[2] This is separate and unrelated to RE lessons. Sarah Smalley, the chair of the Association of Religious Education inspectors, advisors and consultants, stated that some "schools did have problems fulfilling the requirement for worship" due to what they thought was "a lack of space to gather the entire school for worship" although Smalley noted that "there is actually no requirement for such a gathering, as smaller groups are allowed."[3] The National Union of Teachers suggested in 2008 that parents should have a right to have specific schooling in their own faith and that imams, rabbis and priests should be invited to offer religious instruction to pupils in all state schools.[4]

Each government jurisdiction in England has a Local Agreed Syllabus which serves as a mandate for the scope and sequence of subject teaching for each Key Stage, and possibly for each school year; use of the syllabi is only mandated for certain types of schools, such as Voluntary Controlled schools. Voluntary Aided and independent schools are free to outline their own course of study; the schools most likely to actually use the syllabi maintained schools and Voluntary Aided nondenominational schools. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has also produced the non-statutory National Framework for Religious Education, which provides guidelines for the provision of RE at all key stages, and models the eight-levels as applied in National Curriculum subjects.
Religious education in primary and secondary education​

So yes, formal education is provided for those who don't opt out in English schools. When i was at school weekly RE classes and morning assembly were a must for all students. Not sure when the opt out option was provided

 

[ChristineM]

I have no formal training.

Did you opt out of RE at school?

 

[Rival]

Did you opt out of RE at school?

No, but I didn't think that is what we are talking about here. I thought it meant formal religious training in a particular religion.

 

[Spirit of Light]

England

Religious Education (RE) is a compulsory subject in the state education system in England, despite it not being part of the national curriculum. Schools are required to teach a programme of religious studies according to local and national guidelines.

Religious Education in England is mandated by the Education Act 1944 as amended by the Education Reform Act 1988 and the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. The provision of Religious Education is compulsory in all state-funded schools, but it is not compulsory for any children to take the subject. The subject consists of the study of different religions, religious leaders, and other religious and moral themes. The syllabus is agreed locally by a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education, and it may reflect the predominant place of Christianity in religious life, but also it might give an equal platform to all of the major world religions. All parents have the right to withdraw a child from religious education, which schools must approve.[1]

Additionally, all schools are required by law to provide a daily act of collective worship, of which at least 51% must be Christian in basis over the course of the academic year.[2] This is separate and unrelated to RE lessons. Sarah Smalley, the chair of the Association of Religious Education inspectors, advisors and consultants, stated that some "schools did have problems fulfilling the requirement for worship" due to what they thought was "a lack of space to gather the entire school for worship" although Smalley noted that "there is actually no requirement for such a gathering, as smaller groups are allowed."[3] The National Union of Teachers suggested in 2008 that parents should have a right to have specific schooling in their own faith and that imams, rabbis and priests should be invited to offer religious instruction to pupils in all state schools.[4]

Each government jurisdiction in England has a Local Agreed Syllabus which serves as a mandate for the scope and sequence of subject teaching for each Key Stage, and possibly for each school year; use of the syllabi is only mandated for certain types of schools, such as Voluntary Controlled schools. Voluntary Aided and independent schools are free to outline their own course of study; the schools most likely to actually use the syllabi maintained schools and Voluntary Aided nondenominational schools. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has also produced the non-statutory National Framework for Religious Education, which provides guidelines for the provision of RE at all key stages, and models the eight-levels as applied in National Curriculum subjects.
Religious education in primary and secondary education​

So yes, formal education is provided for those who don't opt out in English schools. When i was at school weekly RE classes and morning assembly were a must for all students. Not sure when the opt out option was provided

Do you feel this education has helped you understand religion better? or does it not matter in for example RF discussions?

 

[Spirit of Light]

No, but I didn't think that is what we are talking about here. I thought it meant formal religious training in a particular religion.

This is a part of what i thought of yes But i am ok with @ChristineM answer too

 

[ChristineM]

No, but I didn't think that is what we are talking about here. I thought it meant formal religious training in a particular religion.

Maybe i am wrong (i sometimes am ;-) but i considered schooling to be formal education.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I have no formal training.

Same. No formal training. Heck, I don't even have a guru, as many in my religion do.

Everything I know about my current religion comes from what I already brought to the table in my own personal experiences, researching on my own, asking questions of others of the religion, contemplation, and meditation.

That said, I do have formal education in Catholicism...

 

[Rival]

Maybe i am wrong (i sometimes am ;-) but i considered schooling to be formal education.

It is, but it doesn't teach you doctrine or theology or how to pray etc. That's why I made the difference between education and training. Learning about a religion is not the same as being taught how to properly practice it.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Maybe i am wrong (i sometimes am ;-)

That's the difference between you and me. I usually am.

 

[ChristineM]

Do you feel this education has helped you understand religion better? or does it not matter in for example RF discussions?

My schooling was abysmal but i must have picked up some snippets to enable me to have my 2cents here on RF. That along with reading the KJV in my last year of school and a couple of others since.

 

[ChristineM]

That's the difference between you and me. I usually am.

Can't say I've noticed but i will file that juicy snippet of info for when i need it

 

[Spirit of Light]

My schooling was abysmal but i must have picked up some snippets to enable me to have my 2cents here on RF. That along with reading the KJV in my last year of school and a couple of others since.

I have to admit you have some interesting points when we discuss, so you have understanding in more than just a few topics.

 

[ChristineM]

It is, but it doesn't teach you doctrine or theology or how to pray etc. That's why I made the difference between education and training. Learning about a religion is not the same as being taught how to properly practice it.

Oh. Ok

 

[ChristineM]

I have to admit you have some interesting points when we discuss, so you have understanding in more than just a few topics.

I try

 

[Vinayaka]

A couple of my friends signed up for a 'Hindu mysticism' class at university. It was incredibly boring, according to them. The intellectualisation of religion wrecks it, in my view.

I have no formal training, but hey if you want a doctorate from Vinayaka University, just PM me, and I'll get something printed up for you. It's gonna cost you though.

 

[rocala]

I have done two online Buddhism courses with Harvard and Columbia Universities. I am currently studying Modern Druidry with O.B.O.D.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I have done two online Buddhism courses with Harvard and Columbia Universities. I am currently studying Modern Druidry with O.B.O.D.

Do you find your education help you understand people from other religions better when you discuss with them?