Emeritus Professor Terry Lovat

The chapter examines the intersection between Values-based Education (VbE) and research conducted by the author team under the auspices of the Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory (BEVI). BEVI constitutes a mixed methods instrument with potential to ascertain the beliefs, circumstances, and values that underlie the lives of individuals across a wide range of settings and contexts and, hence, are crucial in understanding and effecting optimal teaching, learning, growth, development, and change. As such, the intersection of BEVI with the aims and objectives of VbE offers potential for enhanced understanding and practice.

In this chapter, Abu al-Tabari¿s The History is subjected to further textual analysis in the interests of maximizing understanding of its central purpose and importance to Islam. Updated textual and philosophical theory is employed in analysing the narrative as a contested ideological text, as a patterned and representational text and as a moral imaginative text, around all of which there are vital contemporary theoretical tools that are relevant to the intentions of this book.

This chapter will recount briefly the main elements of Islam¿s inspirational narrative and explore which aspects align with historically factual evidence and which are best understood as religious narrative, incorporating a measure of creative interpretation. It will examine the contextual background to the origins of Islam, including the array of religious movements that were occurring at the time that the inspirational narrative suggest constitute the foundations of the Islamic community. The chapter will attempt to interpret the inspirational Islamic narrative against this background, especially to help in explaining those elements of the narrative that do not conform easily to recorded history. The chapter will attempt to achieve these tasks with particular attention to al-Tabari¿s voluminous The History.

In this chapter, we attempt to ground the central argument being made in the book that, on the one hand, allowing a religious tradition like Islam to succumb to narrative literalism in relation to its sacred narratives inevitably leaves it prone to being used aberrantly by both radical Islamists and anti-Islamic fanatics. On the other hand, ensuring that the tradition engages in education that assures well-founded levels of respect and avowal towards its sacred texts and history in a way that accords with modern textual method is actually a way in which Islam can be protected from such misuse and the trashing of the tradition that has become such a common sport in Western media and hard-line political circles of late. Furthermore, such education can only serve to place Islam on a more solid platform for being able to contribute to informed religious and social practice and so take up the role of global leadership conceived as appropriate to its charter by Mohamed Talbi in the modern era and, we contend, Muhammad al-Tabari in early medieval times.

This chapter will explore ways in which Muhammad al-Tabari¿s The History influenced and inspired some of the most notable individual Muslims and Muslim civilizations closest to its time. Beyond understanding the author¿s intentions, the apparently immediate effects on notable figures and historical events coming in its wake provide a second important clue to the essential purpose of the narrative. The chapter will ground this investigation in exploring the work of a number of outstanding medieval Muslim scholars, associated broadly with what is often referred to as the ¿Golden Age of Islam¿, and the historical events known widely as La Convivencia. The chapter will underline the apparent connections between these instances and the inspiration given to them by al-Tabari¿s narrative of Islam.

This chapter will build on the preceding chapter in fleshing out the conceptual notions outlined therein and grounding them in methodologies designed specifically to uncover and convey the essential meanings attached to religious texts and narratives. The so-called ¿Ehrman Method¿ of the biblical scholar, Bart Ehrman, will serve to represent the many scholarly efforts in Judaism and Christianity to broaden understanding of Jewish and Christian texts that take them beyond narrative literalism. Mohamed Talbi, the Muslim historical theologian, will serve to represent important scholarly efforts in the present day to address the texts of the Qur¿an and other Islamic sacred sources in ways that go beyond narrative literalism and invoke higher levels of cognitive interest. Finally, the archetypal work of Muhammad al-Tabari will be introduced as a means of establishing that this most crucial narrative about Islam¿s origins, including its sacred texts, was from the beginning one with far greater significance than could be contained by a narrative literal genre. It can never be fully appreciated unless the cognitive interests directed to meaning-making and self-reflectivity are impelled; its challenge was always that it should be understood by way of a form of second naiveté.

This chapter introduces the idea behind the book. It deals broadly with the issue that the inspirational narratives of any religious origins involve a mixture of historical and legendary accounts. In terms of belief, fervour and meaning, it matters little to the ordinary believer in time which is which. At the same time, it points to the liability of any religion becoming a seedbed of fundamentalism if fact and legend are overly blurred and the symbolic nature of a religion¿s inspirational narrative is not understood. It is argued that this is, in part, what has happened in Islam and some of the reason that religious radicalization has been so easy to fuel by Islamist radicals and so difficult to counter by Islamic authorities. The book then seeks to address this issue by exploring the formative narratives of Islam to see where history and legend coincide or deviate.

This chapter concludes and summarises the concept of dialogic consensus presented in this book. Clinical encounters are understood as inter-relationships among persons. The final purpose of the clinical encounter is to maximise the good of the patient in all its connotations, via the provision of empathic compassionate care. As has been emphasized throughout the book, the current era is characterised by pronounced value pluralism. The proportionist approach seeks to maximise the patient¿s good, based on a balance between a priori imperatives and empirical utility. It begins from the reality of the patient in the situation of their illness. The practical application of the proportionist approach in clinical practice requires application of the principles contained in Jürgen Habermas¿ discourse theory of morality and his principles of communicative action, moderated further by his ways of knowing theory. Thus, a cooperative search for truth, in order to make a properly shared decision, is undertaken. This process, named as dialogic consensus, is characterised as an inclusive, non-coercive and reflective dialogue aiming to seek consensus in the decision being made. It will be further argued that such a process has potential to address current realities in a way that is more sustainable and appropriate to the circumstances of the contemporary clinical setting.

This chapter introduces and considers the rationale for such a book as this. It considers words including ethics and morals, conflict and dilemma, why there are difficulties with ethical and moral decision making in medical situations, and why this prompts a re-evaluation of moral decision making in medical situations. It introduces the premise that decision making in the clinical encounter should be approached from the perspective that the decision being made follows a process of moral discourse by way of an inclusive and non-coercive reflective dialogue which seeks consensus, as distinct from what might be termed an ethical monologue.

This chapter considers what makes our contemporary era, herein termed post-modern, different from earlier eras, and why we therefore need to move from appeal to a substantive ethical framework, to an active process of moral decision making. Thus, the move is from ego to alterity (otherness) in the notion of dialogic consensus. Dialogic consensus is derived from Jürgen Habermas¿ notions of discourse theory of morality and communicative action. Recognition of our inter-connectedness is important for Habermas because of its contribution to normativity, in that it serves as a motivator to act, consequent upon a sense of oughtness or shouldness. His discourse theory of morality requires that the consequences for all persons affected must be considered, while his principles of communicative action imply that the discourse is based upon consensus, subsequent to inclusive, non-coercive and reflective dialogue. Intersubjective consensus after dialogue within the relevant community imbues the decision with normative force that, in turn, renders the process one which is action-guiding. Habermas¿ discourse theory of morality generalises and expands the Kantian categorical imperative, as determined by ethical monologue, to a wider consensus-seeking dialogue. Thus, consensual agreement is reached about what constitutes morally-correct action. Relocating decision making from a monological space, into one characterised by dialogue within the stakeholder community, is especially appropriate to the clinical encounter. This form of moral decision making is at the heart of the notion of dialogic consensus.

This chapter begins with an exploration of ethical decision making through the Classical period, the Medieval period, and the Modern period of our history. It then considers the workings of three normative frameworks in the secular Western tradition that, historically, have been important in guiding decisions in medical ethics. These are deontology, teleology, and virtue ethics. The deontological framework predicates moral permissibility on the intrinsic nature of the Act. The teleological framework predicates moral permissibility on the consequences of the Act. The virtue ethical framework focuses on the character of the agent. They are substantive¿by which we mean that they are stand-alone frameworks. In considering deontological principles, specific attention is given to philosophical principles which help determine who actually is a person from a moral decision-making perspective, and how we might make moral decisions at the end-of-life, for example in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). In considering teleological principles, aspects of triage are discussed. Under the virtue ethics framework, the Good of the patient is the ultimate purpose of medicine, and empathy, compassion and care are proposed to guide normative moral decision-making in clinical situations. Finally, the theistic framework of the Islamic-Judaeo-Christian tradition is considered.

This chapter explores some practical difficulties that will inevitably be encountered in the clinical setting characterized by expanded technological capacity and value pluralism within the stakeholder group. Responding to these entails more intensive analysis of the Habermasian notions of discourse theory of morality and communicative action, and especially aligning them with his theory of the ways of knowing. By basing the dialogue around a way of knowing characterized by self-reflectivity, each member of the stakeholder group can be: (1) facilitated in seeing technological capacity as merely a factor to be considered¿but not necessarily the determinative factor; and, (2) to take better account of the interpretations offered by other members of the decision-making group. That is, without listening, there can be no knowing. It makes sense that we cannot have a discussion about morals if we do not have the words for the concepts and if we do not agree about the meanings of the words. We will argue that, practical difficulties in achieving the ideal dialogue notwithstanding, the process described herein has both applicability and great merit for moral decision making in clinical settings.

This chapter considers the four principles that have been distilled from the normative frameworks identified in the previous chapter, proposed as ways of guiding practical decision making in medical ethics. These are respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice. They have had considerable influence on moral decision making in clinical situations, and, at a minimum, they offer a common ethical language amongst clinicians. Shortcomings in their theoretical and practical application will be identified. Various understandings of autonomy¿considered to be first amongst the four principles¿will be considered. Critical re-examination suggests that our traditional understanding of autonomy is impoverished and requires re-evaluation. What is formed herein as the proportionist approach seeks a virtuous mean or balance-point in maoral decision making that takes account of the frameworks and principles identified in this and the previous chapter but in a way that is more grounded in the realities of the modern era (as will be expanded upon in the following chapters). It seeks to balance intrinsic rules and empirical consequences, hence utilizing but also going beyond the bounds of the deontological and teleological frameworks alone. Its starting point is the actual reality of the patient in their situation. It is put into clinical practice via a process we term dialogic consensus, a term we explore in Chaps. 4 and 5.

This chapter offers a theory of religion as a cultural artefact with historical significance that lies beyond historical facticity or the lack of it. An individual or group¿s religion connotes above all a belief system that constitutes an option among a myriad of options, rather than a single inherent truth based on historical fact. While challenging to institutional religion and its many adherents, it is contended that such an appreciation of religion is not necessarily a threat to either but in fact has potential to be a source of enrichment to both, as well as to religion¿s enhancement of global harmony. It is when such an appreciation is not present that an exclusivist ¿trigger¿, lying hidden in any religion, can be released and become the cause of immeasurable conflict.

This chapter explores the historical and theological grounds of radical Islamism, showing it to be in part an aberration of Islam but one also founded in an element of the tradition. Islamist theology is partly an outgrowth of central Islamic belief but one that results from the hidden exclusivist trigger being released. In turn, the trigger is partly a result of Jewish and Christian exclusivist triggers being released in earlier times and partly fuelled by ongoing misunderstanding and diminution of Islamic claims by the Jewish-Christian inspired ¿West¿.

This chapter explores the Islamic version of the Abrahamic (Ibrahimic) sacred Story in which Ibrahim, still identified as the ¿Friend of God¿ becomes also the first in the line of Islamic prophets. It is Ibrahim who first apprehends the monotheism of Allah, the central tenet of Islamic faith. Ibrahim and his son and heir (mainly referred to as Ishma¿il) establish the foundational shrine to Allah, the Ka¿aba in Mecca. In Islam, the sacred Story is used principally to underline the oneness of God and the legitimacy of Muslim claims that Muhammad stands in the Ibrahimic line of true prophets, indeed is the last and greatest of the prophets.

This chapter builds on the preceding one in appraising how the principles that applied to medieval Convivencia might be applied successfully to twenty-first century interfaith living. Again, it looks especially at the vital role that needs to be played by Islam, granted its historical precedents and the fact that it, alone of the three religions, possesses a theology that can accommodate the entirety of the Abrahamic tradition. It also examines the importance of each of the three religions being aware of the explosive potential of releasing their exclusivist triggers, a potential being realized all too often in modern times. It explores the features of education necessary to ensuring the greater understanding and self-understanding that might facilitate restoration of Convivencia.

This chapter introduces the notion of Abrahamic Religions as it applies to Islam, Christianity and Judaism. It is contended that the notion constitutes a foundational sacred Story for each of the religions that is held in common. The chapter begins exploration of the major similarities and differences between and across the three religions in their conceptions of the sacred Story, similarities that bind and differences that divide them.

This chapter investigates the historical models of Convivencia to be found in medieval times, largely in and around the Moorish regions of southern Europe. It appraises the features of these exemplars in an attempt to ascertain the conditions, beliefs and social policies that served to assure the relatively harmonious and mutually beneficial features of Convivencia that persisted over long periods of interfaith living. It focusses especially on the central role that Islamic communities played in such communities, both when holding central authority and when merely as members of such communities.

This chapter begins the exploration of the similarities and differences within and between the three religions¿ understanding of the Abrahamic sacred Story. In the case of Judaism, the Story is conceived as being essentially an establishment one, justifying its land and hierarchical claims. Such claims were about land possession but as a means rather than an end in itself of its wider religious claims. Land and Temple possession were seen as inextricably bound up in the greater possession of God¿s favouring the Jews as a Chosen People.

This chapter examines the ways in which Christianity utilized and changed the Jewish Abrahamic Story it inherited. Abraham became above all a symbol of faithfulness to God and his son, Isaac, near sacrificed as part of his father¿s fidelity, became the prototype of Jesus who was sacrificed on the cross to atone for the sins of humanity. The Story comes to play a different role as Christianity becomes more Romanized and less Jewish dependent, although its broad acceptance of its place in Judaism¿s foundational claims persists.

This chapter extends on the importance of the Ibrahimic sacred Story to Islam, how it inherited (in part at least) the Story and adapted it to constitute a distinctive strand of the Ibrahimic tradition. The distinctiveness is especially around its use of the Story to undergird Islam¿s foundational belief in the oneness of God and God¿s universal love for those who submit, rather than those who belong to a particular race. The Story is also central to the Islamic practice of dhimmitude, respect for and incorporation of minority groups in early Islamic communities, a concept that underpinned Convivencia.

There is little recorded knowledge about the attitudes and perspectives of non-Jewish and non-Christian religious followers in Australia towards the inclusion of broad-based Religious Studies or Values Education courses in the curriculum of public schools. This paper traces ethnographic work conducted with a Hindu temple community in Sydney with the intention of gathering such knowledge. © 1995, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

The teacher as researcher movement has, among other things, increased awareness of the human interventionary nature of teaching. In turn, in a day and age of heightened ethical consciousness, the human interventionary nature of teaching has thrust the profession into the forefront of those requiring ethical direction. To the extent that the teacher role is one of human intervention, the question of its ethical parameters must be posed. The human interventions of regular classroom practice must be seen as being subject to the same ethical scrutiny which inveighs in professional life generally. Even more so, when the teacher role moves closer to that of researcher, involving intervention with students, parents, consultants and the community which goes beyond normal classroom interaction, the ethical constraints pertinent to all human research intervention must apply. In either case, albeit differently, new sensitivities and legal trends in many Western countries are impinging on ethical consciousness in the teaching profession. The paper proposes that the principles of bioethics, a subdiscipline which has impacted particularly on the medical profession, may well offer suitable guidelines by which the human interventions of the teacher and the teacher researcher might be evaluated for their ethical suitability and propriety. 1994 British Educational Research Association

The ' ¿exnerience-centred¿ era in relizious education as a direct reaction to an older. prescriptive and doctrinal mode, was short-lived. The critical perspectives of Habermas and their curricular application by Van Manen showed up the inadequacy of any educational proposal which does not draw on both technical and hermeneutical aspects of learning in order to produce self-reflection. One modern set of curriculum parameters which attempts to do this is Action Research. Through the American, Thomas Groome, religious educators now possess a religious education curriculum model which is designed to follow the same types of critical guidelines. that is, to offer a religious education proposal which aims ultimately at Praxis, action with a view to change. The present paper examines Groome¿s thesis and model in terms of their educational and theological soundness and, in particular, queries their consistency as an instance of genuine critical education. © 1988, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.