THE USE of philosophy in teaching religion in secondary schools is on the increase because teachers feel it "plugs gaps" and makes religion more credible, a new report claims. It also says that some teachers are uneasy with fundamentalist aspects of religion.

The report's author, Graeme Nixon, who lectures in Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies at the University of Aberdeen, discovered that where once philosophical methods were used implicitly, they are now an explicit feature in the RE classroom.

The initial paper surveyed schools in the Aberdeen area. Nixon is compiling a national survey. When asked why philosophy was being used more explicitly in teaching religion, teachers' reasons ranged from "philosophy fills the gap left by the decline in religion" to wanting "to retreat from the fundamentalism associated with religion".

Nixon said one school inspector claimed philosophy was a fad being used to "sex up" the subject and make it more credible.

"My response was, great, that's great for the subject," he said. "RE has been the Aunt Sally of the Scottish curriculum for long enough, and if it does get taken seriously and fulfils the Curriculum for Excellence criteria for critical thought, then power to it."

The Curriculum for Excellence guidelines recommends pupils embark on a "personal search" within RE to develop understanding for the views of others by comparison with their own experience. But Nixon calls other parts the guidelines "schizophrenic".

"On one hand it says we must recognise the Christian heritage of Scotland and Christianity must be one of the two strands in Religious and Moral Education, but at the same time it recommends that philosophical concepts and philosophical questioning must be part of the armoury of weapons that the teacher must use. There is a tension within the subject, between really advocating something that is non-confessional and faith-neutral but still want a curriculum where one faith is privileged. If we are giving pupils a menu of beliefs and strengthening their reasoning skills by looking at them, then no view should have a privileged place."

Nixon admitted that the rise of philosophy within religious education has upset some. "There are people within the RE world who are suspicious of philosophy and see it as part of the insidious spread of secularism and a threat that religion will eventually be sidelined," he said.

Nixon's findings have been welcomed by secularist organisations. "It is good that children are being asked to take a more critical approach in their religious education classes," said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society. "This is long overdue. Up until now, religion has had a free run to present itself as the only answer. We welcome these new findings and hope eventually that the very ideal of religious education will give way to a wider idea of philosophical exploration."

Reaction from religious organisations have been more moderate. The Church of Scotland said Nixon's findings were "unsurprising". Jeanne Neal from the Association of Christian Teachers Scotland said philosophy's rise has been noted, but argued that teaching religion in a non-confessional way is what has given the subject more credibility, not philosophy. She added that Christians have nothing to worry about.

"Christian teachers find no threat from this approach as it develops critical thinking and a more understanding and respectful attitude towards reflection on personal belief and behaviour," she said. "Although this is a more secular society, in my experience, students in recent years have been much more interested in existential questions than they were even five years ago."