“Everything is in Parables”: An Exploration of Students' Difficulties in Understanding Christian Beliefs Concerning Jesus

Abstract

This article reports the findings of interviews conducted with students (aged 11–13) in four English secondary schools, examining reasons why young people find it difficult to understand Christian beliefs regarding Jesus' miracles, resurrection, and status as the Son of God. For the students in this sample, understanding and belief are closely related concepts. Many of them assume that belief is a necessary condition for understanding. The article argues that greater attention should be paid in Religious Education (RE) to the relationship between belief and understanding and to the ways in which young people experience and conceptualize their learning in RE.

Dr. Rob Freathy is lecturer in History of Education and Director of Teaching and Learning, and Dr. Karen Aylward is lecturer in Religious Education and Director of the Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education programme at the University of Exeter, UK. E-mail: [email protected]