Teaching Virtue: The Contribution of Religious Education

In this review of Teaching Virtue: The Contribution of Religious Education, the bottom line is clear: this book is for teachers, curriculum leaders and teacher-educators who want a practical ethical framework to bring religious life into the classroom. The authors argue convincingly for focusing on virtue ethics and on 'learning from' religion rather than merely 'learning about' it, offering a bridge between diverse traditions that is both thoughtful and classroom-aware. Readers seeking concrete ways to foreground moral formation in plural settings will find the book consistently useful.

Key Features

• Engagement with religious life: The book prioritises direct engagement with how religious virtues are lived, helping teachers create learning experiences rooted in practice rather than only information.
• Virtue-focused framework: Concentrating on eight key virtues gives a clear, repeatable structure for lesson planning and discussion of moral formation.
• Plurality-aware approach: The authors present methods for building bridges between diverse religious traditions, useful in multi-faith classrooms.
• Practical orientation: Chapters translate theory into visions of future religious education and classroom application, aiding professionals planning curriculum change.
• Ethical grounding: By placing virtue ethics at the heart of the discussion, the book supports responsible religious education decisions for teachers and leaders.

Who It's For

This book is aimed chiefly at secondary and initial teacher-education professionals who are responsible for shaping religious education curricula or who want to introduce virtue-centred approaches to classroom practice. It will also suit headteachers and policy-conscious educators interested in ethical aims of schooling and interfaith understanding.

Those looking for detailed lesson plans or classroom-ready worksheets may need to supplement this with practical resource packs, since the book focuses on frameworks, virtues and educational vision rather than minute, scripted activities.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clear theoretical rationale for making virtue ethics central to religious education.
• Useful emphasis on learning from lived religious traditions to foster mutual understanding in plural classrooms.
• Structured focus on eight virtues gives a coherent scaffold for curriculum design and reflection.

Cons

• Not a substitute for ready-made lesson plans; teachers seeking step-by-step activities may need additional resources.

Specifications

Title	Teaching Virtue: The Contribution of Religious Education
Authors	Marius Felderhof, Penny Thompson
Primary focus	Virtue ethics and engagement with religious life in education
Audience	Teachers, teacher-educators, curriculum leaders
Approach	Learning from religion; building bridges between traditions
Content highlights	Eight key virtues; visions for future religious education; responsible religious education

Our Verdict

Teaching Virtue is a thoughtful, well-argued resource for educators who want to centre moral formation and lived religious practice within plural classrooms. It offers a coherent virtue-based framework that is strong on rationale and classroom implications, making it good value for teacher-educators and policy-minded practitioners, though those needing ready-made lesson materials should plan to pair it with practical resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book offer lesson plans?
The book focuses on frameworks and visions rather than detailed, scripted lesson plans, so teachers may want supplementary activity resources.

Who wrote the book?
The book is authored by Marius Felderhof and Penny Thompson, aimed at educators and curriculum developers.

Is it suitable for multi-faith settings?
Yes; the approach emphasises building bridges between diverse religious traditions and supports plural classroom contexts.