Teachers, policymakers, parliamentarians, academics and faith leaders gathered at the House of Lords on Tuesday for the launch of new Religious Education (RE) resources created to help secondary school pupils explore freedom of religion and belief in the UK.
The resources are based on Lived Experiences of Religious Freedom: Organisational Challenges in the UK, a research project led by Dr Matyas Bodi of Oxford’s Regent’s Park College. Developed by teachers working with Professor James Holt of the University of Chester, the lesson plans use real case studies to help pupils examine dialogue, legislation, religious life in their communities, and how people practise and express their beliefs.
Dr Bodi said his research revealed a clear gap between the UK’s legal protections and people’s everyday experiences:
“In my research, representatives of religious and non-religious belief organisations often described a disparity between current legal and social conditions and the circumstances they would regard as ideal. Understandings of what an ideal situation looks like vary, so organisations respond differently — some seek change, some want to preserve key protections, and others simply want existing laws to be applied properly in practice.”
One of the case studies included in the new materials is about how the Catholic Church in the UK was impacted by Covid-19 restrictions which prohibited people from attending Mass and the celebration of the Eucharist.
Another is the high-profile case of Felix Ngole, the Christian social work student removed from his course after expressing views on marriage online.
Prof Holt said: “What was really interesting is that it wasn’t one of the original case studies. But as teachers explored the research, they realised they needed that example. It’s something students may have seen in the headlines, and it helps them explore what freedom of speech really means.”
Prof Holt added that the materials emphasise lived experience: “We often talk about what a religion believes, but we don’t always ask how that affects the individual. Listening to people’s experiences helped us highlight some of the smaller things that affect how freely they can practise their faith.”
Teachers in a number of secondary schools have already begun trialling the materials, which are freely available online.
The launch event was hosted by Baroness Berridge, who praised the participation of more than 30 organisations from a broad range of religious and non-religious traditions, saying this “brings richness of experience and insight".
Rt Rev Philip Mountstephen, Bishop of Winchester, and a leading voice on religious freedom, welcomed the project and urged Christians not to focus solely on their own concerns:
“There is a danger that we look at this issue in a reductionist manner, thinking only about how our own rights feel compromised. But our responsibility is not to stand up for our own rights — it’s to stand up for the rights of others. We have a Christian responsibility to protect others far more than to protect ourselves.”
In addition to the RE materials, the wider research project has also inspired further tools, including a Freedom of Religion and Belief online monitoring platform.
