The role of occupational standards in workplace religious literacy. Issue 3 (2nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Crisp, Beth R.; Dinham, Adam
• Is Part Of: Journal of beliefs & values. Volume 41:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 358
• Page End: 370
• Publication Date: 2020-07-02
• Subjects: National occupational standards -- religious literacy -- United Kingdom; Religions -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Theology -- Periodicals; Religious education -- Periodicals; Values -- Periodicals; 200.1
• DOI: 10.1080/13617672.2019.1672437
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1361-7672

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper explores the UK National Occupational Standards to identify the breadth of occupations for which it has been determined that workers need some degree of religious literacy. A total of 465 standards documents which mention religion and beliefs relating to a diverse range of occupations were retrieved, of which 13 had a primary focus on religion and beliefs. Approximately 60 percent of these standards noted the need for knowledge about religion and beliefs, though only a quarter of these specified actual performance criteria. With some exceptions, most of the standards were vague as to what is meant by religion and its proxies, with very few attempts to define their terms. A lack of specificity renders the inclusion of references to religion largely tokenistic rather than reflecting a measure of religious literacy which could be practically operationalised.