Religion and beliefs Toolkit icon

Religion and Beliefs Toolkit

Religion and Beliefs Toolkit

Toolkit collated by Zahara Chowdhury

What Are Religion and Beliefs?

Religious beliefs are a set of principles, which are sacred and holy for individuals and communities. Religion often involves a belief in a God, Gods or a higher power.

It is important to remember that religion and religious beliefs are not limited to organised and institutionalised systems.

Religious beliefs and religions are a way of understanding the origins and history of our existence and world; they help communities and individuals navigate their day to day lives, morality, cultures and societies. For many countries around the world, religion and religious beliefs are the foundations for political and legal systems.

Professional and public spheres can impact how people with religious beliefs navigate the society, community and workplaces they are in. Organisations can create policies and practices, which appreciate and acknowledge religion and therefore create a culture and environment of belonging, without bias for individuals with religious beliefs.

The Diverse Educators’ Religion and Beliefs Toolkit

We are collating a growing bank of resources to support you in reflecting on the following questions:
  • What do I know about religion and religious beliefs?
  • How can I support and appreciate people with religious beliefs in personal and professional lives?
  • How do I challenge religious bias and stereotyping?
  • How do I support and create a safe and inclusive culture for people with religious beliefs?
  • How do I ask questions and navigate conversations about religion and religious beliefs?

Articles

Church Times

School prayer ban a step too far

Read

Farrar

Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Schools

Read

The Guardian

Banning prayer rituals in school?

Read

Harvard Business Review

Creating Space for Religious Diversity at Work

Read

The Independent

American Feminism Doesn’t Include Muslim Women – or Hijabs

Read

The Independent

How not to be a ‘white saviour’ when you talk about women in Afghanistan and Texas

Read

The Independent

When teaching evolution, we need to stop forcing people to choose between their faith and science

Read

Learn Religion

How many religions are there in the world?

Read

Schools Week

How Schools Can Reverse Gypsy and Roma under-achievement

Read

Blogs

DiverseEd: We Wish You an Inclusive Christmas

View

DiversityQ: Faith is the forgotten D&I characteristic

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School Should Be: Diversity, Politics and Education. A Personal (re) view

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School Should Be: Why are pictures of Prophet Muhammad forbidden in Islam?

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Schools Week: Teachers are losing their religion and breaking the rules

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Schools Week: Helping victims of this and every conflict in our schools

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Books

Akhtar, Sabeena. Cut From the Same Cloth?

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Everett, Helen. Faith Schools, Tolerance and Diversity: Exploring the Influence of Education on Students' Attitudes of Tolerance

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Imani, Blair. Read This to Get Smarter

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Jen, Gish. Mona in the Promised Land

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Mirza, Fatima Farheen. A Place for Us

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Osman, Firoza. How to Talk To Your Muslim Child About Sex

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Powers, Richard. A Time of Our Singing

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Stravrakopoulou, Francesca. God: An Anatomy

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Wertheimer, Linda K. Faith Ed: Teaching About Religion in an Age of Intolerance

View

Podcasts

BBC Radio 4: In Our Time Podcasts

Listen

Breaking Binaries

Listen

Freshly Grounded

Listen

LSE: Thou Shalt Not Stand Idly By: A Conversation with Dr Georgette Bennett

Listen

Making the World Fairer - Religion At Work: What Does The Law Say? With Shoosmiths LLP Part I

Listen

Making the World Fairer - Religion At Work: What Does The Law Say? With Shoosmiths LLP Part II

Listen

Serial: The Trojan Horse Affair

Listen

Resources

Burst The Bubble - School Student Led Activist Organisation

View

Evolution Education: A Sensitive Issue

View

Examples of Microaggressions

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Facing History: Religion and Belonging

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Halaqah - Muslim Meditation

View

Imam Connect

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Penguin: Lit in Colour

View

Religion and Corporate Culture Report

View

Solutions Not Sides

View

World Religions

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