Exploring what it means to share Religious Education in Northern Ireland James Nelson 1 , Stranmillis University College, Belfast Paper Presented at the RE21 Conference, University College Cork, Ireland. August 2013 Abstract: This paper provides an outline and evaluation of ways in which religious education has been shared in Northern Ireland. Some issues and difficulties with the practice of curricular sharing (around a local Core Syllabus for Religious Education) are explained and it is argued that, if the subject is to reach its potential for creating ‘reasonable’ and tolerant citizens, then progress is required, particularly around the development of forms of sharing within and across schools of different ethos that prioritize collaborative learning and dialogical engagement. Evidence to support the likely success of such an approach is drawn from research into shared education initiatives in Northern Ireland, including research conducted as part of the author’s PhD study of collaboration between schools of different religious ethos in Northern Ireland. In conclusion, an example of shared religious education, the Face to Faith programme, is offered as an example of good practice. There is a view that the schooling system in Northern Ireland is religiously divided and that school pupils in the region are taught to studiously cultivate their differences. David Coulby (2008, p. 307) ǁƌites that the edžpliĐit teaĐhiŶg of oppositional religion and culture in schools has exacerbated and perpetuated conflict in… NoƌtheƌŶ IƌelaŶd. But that is not a picture of religious education (RE) that I recognize. This presentation will provide a more accurate description of how Religious Education is being delivered in Northern Ireland – a situation where there is a good deal more sharing than opposition around religious education, but it will not be an uncritical exploration of the context. It will be shown that where there has been sharing in religious education it has, at times, been confusing and difficult, yet it will be argued that, despite obvious challenges, there is a need to expand opportunities for the sharing of religious education in the form of collaborative learning opportunities for young people as this can have particular potential for helping children to mature in the development of their own beliefs and values and, in turn, contribute towards inter-cultural learning and improve community relations. In brief then, I will: 1 j.nelson@stran.ac.uk