This study is an exploration of the experience of faith from a psychodynamic perspective. The main purpose of this study is to provide a coherent and convincing account of the roots and characteristics of Christian women’s faith experience which will complement and, in some respects correct, existing accounts. Attachment theory is mainly employed as a conceptual framework for the research and the study pursues attachment as an important key factor for faith development. Examining the patterns of God-attachment in relation to human attachments, this study employs a qualitative methodological approach, focusing analysis on linguistic meanings, and using open-ended and unforced autobiographical narrative in-depth interviews with a group of 10 Korean Christian women. The main findings indicate what the key characteristics in women’s faithing are: the language, means and context with or in which women practice their faith; the relational and affective understanding of faith within the women’s accounts and the interaction of attachment issues in their experience of faith. Three major patterns are identified in which the women’s faithing strategies and their representations of self and God are presented: these are Distance/Avoidance, Anxiety/Ambivalence and Security/Interdependence. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are identified for Christian education, pastoral care and counselling for women.

This thesis aims to determine whether the teaching of Tajwid science in the UK is of a sufficient standard. This stems from the author’s experience in professional studies and teaching experiments performed in Britain in this field, which have indicated that current instruction is substandard. The research aim is to contribute to developing Tajwid teaching in Britain. To conduct this research, the author evaluated Tajwid teaching using a series of methods. A pedagogical study was applied; specifically, a questionnaire with Tajwid students from different UK Islamic organisations. She then engaged in two group meetings with Tajwid teachers, conducted close-ended telephone interviews with Islamic organisations based in the UK, reviewed five English-language resources, and suggested alternative sources for Tajwid instruction that explain the subject through al-Shāṭibiyyah, which features the most well-known form of recitation among Muslims. Finally, she hosted a series of free Tajwid classes to examine research-recommended sources and their effects on learners’ attitudes. The findings proved that different approaches are required to develop Tajwid teaching in the UK; furthermore, they helped to establish the criteria required to develop effective Tajwid teaching, and clarified the importance of incorporating new sources that use topics comprehensibly and provide solutions to related problems.

This thesis concerns the ethics of faith schooling. More precisely, it asks whether faith schools constitute legitimate (that is, morally permissible) institutions for liberal democratic societies. I begin by examining five senses in which the term ‘faith school’ might be used and the possible objections that each of these might motivate. Since, as traditionally conceived, faith schools teach for religious belief, I pay particular attention to the criticism that such institutions are indoctrinatory. Via an examination of recent work in the philosophy of psychiatry, I illuminate the concept of indoctrination and propose two reasons why it is morally unacceptable: first, it results in a mind-set where, like delusion, beliefs are held separate from reason and, second, it involves a violation of autonomy. Drawing on a conception of autonomy proposed by Ben Colburn (2010), I go on to argue that, because the development of autonomy is a fundamental aim of the educational enterprise, this gives us strong grounds to avoid both indoctrination and other autonomy violating practices (particularly “Comprehensive Enrolment” (Clayton, 2006)). However, while traditional accounts of the legitimacy of faith schooling have correctly identified that confessional faith schools are indoctrinatory, much less has been said about religiously distinctive pedagogies which fall short of indoctrination. For this reason, the final part of the thesis addresses these ‘priming pedagogies’ and suggests ways in which they may be adapted to provide a morally permissible form of liberal faith-based schooling.

This study addresses the question of church schools’ compatibility with the tradition of liberal education and the extent to which these schools contribute to intolerance in society. Critics of church schools argue that the religious foundation of church schools contributes little to their academic success and that any school with a similar pupil intake will be academically successful. Critics therefore advocate removal of church schools from the English education system. However, using the evidence in the relevant literature, research studies, and eighty Church of England and Roman Catholic schools’ prospectuses, this study argues that church schools understand and express their nature as: (i) denominational; (ii) voluntary-aided; and (iii) comprehensive. This understanding is crucial to the schools’ approach to their role of providing pupils with skills necessary to live in all forms of society. The skills provided in church schools stem from the Christian understanding of Man as made in the image of God to share in, and provide stewardship for, the created order. In conclusion, this study rejects the argument that church schools: (i) contribute to intolerance in society; (ii) indoctrinate pupils; and (iii) undermine pupils’ autonomy for the following reasons: 1. The schools provide Christian education which accepts differences in human nature and prepares individuals to live in diverse communities. 2. Christian education is incompatible with coercion and manipulation. 3. Christian education provides opportunity for pupils either to accept or to reject the Christian faith or teaching.

This is a study of the teaching of other faiths at a traditionally oriented Muslim independent school in Britain. Traditional Muslim schools have gained a high profile for two reasons: Firstly they are founded upon the most traditional and orthodox of Islamic teachings which some fear may promote extremism and separatism. Secondly they provide the training for the next generation of religious leaders so the understanding and attitudes that are inculcated in their students can be expected to influence many in the Muslim community. The background to the study uncovered medieval scholarship that is rich in examples of the objective study of other faiths but also highlighted a contraction of the traditional syllabuses in the post-colonial period that has left traditional scholarship narrow and devoid of critical enquiry. The case study used semi-structured interviews with the staff and management to reveal the current curriculum and examine the attitudes of the staff and management towards the teaching of other faiths. The findings were that while the school’s ethos is very positive, the school is currently not engaged in any explicit teaching of other faiths. The root cause of this was found to be the failure of the school to establish any policies relating to either curriculum or pedagogy for the teaching of RE. This failing was then compounded by the appointment of an unqualified and inexperienced teacher for RE who did not share the positive vision of the management. The study also highlighted the lack of any established pedagogy for religious education rooted in orthodox Islam.

An examination of the spiritual and temporal roles of Catholic chaplains in WW1 in France and Belgium. All the formative influences at home are assessed from religious, political, social, and geographic perspectives. The roles of the bishops in England and Ireland are reviewed and how their post war ambitions were interpreted at the Front are explained. Lancashire's traditional Catholic strength makes it a significant contributor, not least as the fulcrum between Irish and English catholics.

This research considers the role of those who support voluntary youth leaders in their responsibility to nurture spiritual development in children and young people. It discusses particularly those who work in organisations with an ethos of supporting such spiritual development and at the same time of welcoming members of many faiths and encouraging their full participation in their various faith traditions. The specific context of the research is the work of the Guide Movement and, in particular, of Girlguiding in the United Kingdom. The research addresses the current challenges but also the enormous value of providing for young people a multi-faith space in which it is genuinely ‘OK to do God’. It discusses the issues which leaders are raising and some suggestions which trainers have made for addressing these.