Recent years have seen the publication of a number of interesting volumes on Catholic education. For example, Stratford Caldecott's two books Beauty for Truth's Sake and Beauty in the Word offer some challenging perspectives on the unique Catholic vision of education. Alongside these two short monographs, the recently published Teaching the Tradition: Catholic Themes in Academic Disciplines (Morey and Piderit, Eds.) is set to become a classic volume on education. I do not say this lightly, so let me explain.
The theme of Catholic education is never far from the surface of contemporary debate on education. It is right that this should be the case as the roots of modern education lie in the monastic schools which were dotted around Europe in medieval times. Catholic educational thought is hence the parent of education today!
Dr. Morey and Fr. Piderit's scholarly volume shows why any Catholic educational institution should do far more than simply add a course in 'Religious Education' or 'Theology' to a standard 'secular' curriculum. Catholic educators will be reminded of (or even introduced to) the distinctive Catholic approach to knowledge. Of course, there is no such thing as 'Catholic Maths' or 'Catholic Modern Languages': this is not a claim of the book. The Catholic educational body, rather, seeks to teach from a perspective which sees all knowledge as part of the revelation of God to humanity. This volume succeeds in setting out in an innovative way just how a Catholic (Higher) Education institution can configure a rigorous 'Catholic syllabus' in the tense, utilitarian and target-driven world of contemporary education.
If you know any teachers in Catholic schools or Higher Education institutions who are searching for good reading material for forthcoming winter staff development sessions, this book is worth a look. Its availability via Oxford Scholarship Online should help it gain a wide readership.
