The Catholic Education Service (CES) says the plans will ensure a more 'academically rigorous' religious education for pupils.
The organisation, along with The Church of England's Education Division, worked alongside the Department for Education to draft the proposals, which are now subject to a public consultation.
CES says the reforms will include the teachings of two religions at GCSE and a breadth and depth of study at A-Level to support students progressing to higher education.
The Church of England's Chief Education Officer, Revd. Nigel Genders, said: "Looking at the world today, it is hard to overstate the importance of equipping the young people of this country with a challenging and rigorous education which includes religious literacy.
"This new set of criteria will provide qualifications which do exactly that, and I hope the government will act to launch them publically as soon as possible."
Chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference Department of Education and Formation, Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, added: "We are excited about the opportunities that these will give our schools in delivering an academic study of religious education which conforms with the Bishops' requirements, and look forward to the imminent launch of the consultation."
However, the plans have been criticised by some for not giving non-religious views the same weight as religious viewpoints.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) and the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) want the Government to reconsider the proposals.
They want the subject to include an optional annex on humanism, alongside those on the six major world religions.
The draft currently allows for the discussion of non-religious beliefs in general, but does not include a systematic study of humanism.
BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson said he was "deeply disappointed" by the exclusion: "Inclusion of an optional module on humanism would have been just that - optional - and schools could have decided to cover it or not. But under these criteria they won't even have that choice."
"Forty years of progress in RE, including last year's RE curriculum framework, make it clear that the systematic study of humanism contributes to making the subject both rigorous and relevant.
"What sense does it make for pupils following that new framework and studying humanism, to then be denied the chance to continue that study in their GCSEs, alongside the study of religions?"
The Religious Education Council of England and Wales has also condemned the exclusion.
In a statement REC said, "Religious Education in schools and colleges should include the study of non-religious worldviews alongside religious traditions.
"We want to promote a rigorous and inclusive study of religions and beliefs that is relevant and challenging for young people of all faiths and none.'"
Meanwhile, the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education (NATRE) is encouraging all teachers, senior leaders and governors involved in Religious Education to respond to the consultation, which closes on 29th December 2014.
The plans can be viewed via the government website.
In 2014, Religious Studies as a subject had the highest number of GCSE entries after English, Maths and Science.
Ed Pawson, Chair of NATRE, says R.E.at GCSE and A level have been a "massive success story" in recent years, adding "above all this has shown that young people are interested in engaging deeply with religious, philosophical and ethical ideas.
"I would like to encourage everyone with an interest in this subject to contribute to this consultation, with the aim of creating an even more relevant and challenging Religious Studies examination curriculum."
Here's Paul Barber, Director of the Catholic Education Service, speaking to Premier's Holly Powell-Jones on the News Hour: