As the custodian of St Mary’s strong research tradition in Catholic education, The Centre for Catholic Education, Research and Religious Literacy (CERRL) serves to improve and inform Catholic schooling and religious education, while also promoting inter-religious and inter-denominational dialogue.
Formed in 2021, CERRL is a hub for fostering research, knowledge exchange, and teaching related to education in schools, colleges, and universities, as well as sites of informal religious education. Working in partnership with leading institutions within the UK and internationally, CERRL seeks to re-imagine, resource, and positively impact upon Catholic education. It aims to do this by fostering evidence-informed debate about education policy, curriculum, and pedagogy, and supporting educational leaders and teachers in their work.
Drawing on deep and wide-ranging expertise, CERRL endeavours to provide effective leadership and guidance in the service of Catholic and religious education. For example, in partnership with the Koinonia Group, the Centre delivers innovative and practical research that supports contemporary Catholic schools to realise their mission in meaningful ways. Staff and affiliates act as founding leaders of the Association of Teachers of Catholic Religious Education and the Catholic Teaching Alliance, and fulfil leadership roles in the Catholic Association of Teachers, Schools and Colleges, the Network for Researchers in Catholic Education, and the World Union of Catholic Teachers.
Through a multidisciplinary approach, CERRL also aims at promoting faith literacy, inter-religious, and inter-denominational dialogue, and debate around issues at interface of the religious, educational, and cultural questions of our time. CERRL staff and affiliates shape current debates through their editorship a number of prominent journals, including Brill Research Perspectives in Religion and Education, International Studies in Catholic Education, the Journal of Beliefs & Values, and Pastoral Review.
The Centre is actively searching for new projects to serve Catholic, religious, and inter-faith education.
For further details please contact Centre Director Professor Stephen G Parker, at stephen.parker@stmarys.ac.uk.