Religious and moral education includes learning about Christianity and other world religions, and supports the development of beliefs and values.
It also includes aspects of philosophical enquiry.
Scotland is now a nation which reflects a wide range of beliefs, values and traditions.
Religious and moral education enables children and young people to explore the world’s major religions and approaches to living which are independent of religious belief, and be challenged by these different beliefs and values.
It supports children and young people in developing responsible attitudes to other people, their values and their capacity for moral judgement.
The study of Christianity, which has shaped the history and traditions of Scotland and continues to exert an influence on national life, is an essential feature of religious and moral education for all children and young people.
Learning through religious and moral education enables children and young people to:
- develop a knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other world religions and recognise religion as an important expression of human experience
- explore moral values such as wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity
- investigate and understand the responses which religions can offer to questions about the nature and meaning of life
- develop the skills of reflection, discernment, critical thinking, and deciding how to act when making moral decisions
- develop their beliefs, attitudes, moral values and practices through personal search, discovery and critical evaluation, and make a positive difference to the world by putting their beliefs and values into action.
