Dr David Kennedy (BA, MA, Ph.D., SFHEA), Assistant Professor of Religious Education, joined the School of Human Development, Institute of Education, Dublin City University in 2019. David is also connected to the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education, Institute of Education, Dublin City University as a teaching and research associate. He is a member of the Irish Philosophical Society; the Irish Theological Association; the European Society for Catholic Theology; Association of University Lecturers in Religious Education (AULRE); the Network for Researchers in Catholic Education; Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education (GRACE); and Advance HE Connect. From 2013-2015, he was a member of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick where he worked as a researcher and departmental assistant teaching in systematic, biblical and sacramental theology. From 2015-2019, David worked as a researcher for national bodies in Catholic education, namely: the Catholic Schools Partnership (CSP - now known as the Catholic Education Partnership [CEP]); the Association of Trustees of Catholic Schools (ATCS - now know as the Association of Patrons and Trustees of Catholic Schools [APTCS]); the Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA); and the Irish Episcopal Conference (IECON). From 2016-2019, David was a lecturer and research supervisor on the Professional Masters in Education (Primary) programme and the Certificate in Catholic Religious Studies programme at Hibernia College. From 2016-2019, he also lectured (part-time) on the Bachelor of Religious Education (Post-Primary/BrelED). From 2015-2019, he was appointed as lead coordinator and resource writer for Catholic School Week. In 2018, David worked as a theological researcher; catechetical resource writer; and national coordinator for Catholic schools (primary/post-primary) for the World Meeting of Families 2018 and the papal visit of Pope Francis to Ireland.
In 2020, David was appointed as Programme Chair of the Certificate in Religious Studies (Part-time) programme and the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies Supplementary Qualification. He currently lectures and supervises research across a number of programmes at the Institute of Education, Dublin City University, namely; Bachelor of Education (Primary) programme; Master of Education programme; the Certificate in Religious Studies (Full-Time) programme; the Certificate in Religious Studies (Part-Time) programme; the Certificate in Catholic Religious Studies Supplementary programme; and the MA in Chaplaincy Studies and Pastoral Work. Modules include: Scripture, Faith and Diversity; Religious Education and the Child; Religious Education in a Plural Age; Introduction to Theology; and Cultural Diversity and Religious Pluralism. In 2021, David received the DCU President's Award for Excellence in Teaching (Distinctive Approaches to Teaching) in recognition of his successful, effective and innovative teaching and learning practices. In recognition of the demonstrable impact and influence that David's professional teaching practice has on colleagues both nationally and internationally as well as his effective approaches to the support of high quality student learning, David achieved the status of Senior Fellow with the Higher Education Authority in accordance with the UK Professional Standards for Teaching and Learning Support in Higher Education. David is the creator, producer, and host of the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education Podcast series, Conversations from the Classroom with Dr David Kennedy. David’s research interests and publications come from a broad range of disciplines including systematic and philosophical theology, philosophy, religious education, educational studies as well as management, leadership, and governance in education.
Peer Reviewed Journal
Year | Publication | |
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2023 | David Kennedy (2023) 'The Possibility of a Truth-beyond-being and Givenness: Engaging the Work of Jean-Luc Marion in the Hermeneutics of Religious Education'. British Journal of Religious Education, . https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2023.2183383 | |
2021 | Kennedy, D.; Cullen, S. (2021) '‘So, Is It True?’ Time to Embrace the Hermeneutical Turn in Catholic Religious Education in the Republic of Ireland'. Religions, 12 . [Link] https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12121059 | |
2024 | David Kennedy (2024) 'Book Review: Why Teach Philosophy in Schools? The Case for Philosophy on the Curriculum'. Irish Theological Quarterly, 89 (2). [Link] | |
2022 | David Kennedy (2022) 'Book Review: The Politics of Irish Primary Education: Reform in an Era of Secularisation'. Irish Theological Quarterly, 87 (4):368-370. [Link] https://doi.org/10.1177/00211400221129404d | |
2022 | David Kennedy (2022) 'Book Review: Religious Education from a Critical Realist Perspective: Sensus Fidei and Critical Thinking by Johnny C. Go Sensus Feidi'. British Journal of Religious Education, 44 (1):124-126. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2021.1926754 |
Book Chapter
Year | Publication | |
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2024 | David Kennedy (2024) 'Encountering LGBTQ+ Lives in Catholic Schools: A Fragile Hermeneutical Space? - A Response to Dr Seán Henry' In: Queer Thriving in Catholic Education : Going Beyond the Pastoral Paradigm for LGBTQ+ Inclusion. Singapore : Springer. | |
2021 | David Kennedy (2021) 'Religious Enquiry: A Valid Pathway to Human Knowledge' In: Catholic Education: A Lifelong Journey. Dublin : Veritas Publications Ltd. | |
2021 | David Kennedy (2021) 'Education' In: Examplars of Best Practice with Eportfolio Based Assessment at Dublin City University. Online Book : National Institute for Digital Learning. [Link] |
Other Journal
Conference Publication
Year | Publication | |
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2021 | David Kennedy (2021) Pedagogy for Higher Education Large Classes (PHELC) Symposium . In: Farrell, A.M. & Logan, A eds. Using UDL to redesign face-to-face, large class modules for the online, asynchronous environment [DOI] |
Conference Contribution
Thesis
Manual
Podcast
Year | Publication | |
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2024 | David Kennedy; Elizabeth A. Johnson, CSJ (2024) Science, Religion, and Education: 'Come, have Breakfast' with Prof Elizabeth A. Johnson, CSJ - Part Two. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2024 | David Kennedy; Elizabeth A. Johnson, CSJ (2024) Science, Religion, and Education: 'Come, have Breakfast' with Prof Elizabeth A. Johnson, CSJ - Part One. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2024 | David Kennedy; Br Guy Consolmagno, SJ (2024) Science, Religion, and Education: Astrophysics, Education and Creation with Br Guy Consolmagno, SJ. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Raymond Friel (2023) Catholic Social Teaching, Social Justice and Education: Part Two. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Raymond Friel (2023) Catholic Social Teaching, Social Justice and Education: Part One. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; John Sullivan (2023) Lights for the Path: the Enduring Relevance of the Christian Tradition for Teachers in Catholic Schools. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Jonathan Tiernan (2023) The Politics of Primary Education in Ireland: Reform in an Era of Secularisation. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Seamus Mulconry; John Curtis (2023) The Genesis Research Report: Perspectives on Catholic Education in the Republic of Ireland. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Andrew McGrady (2023) Catholic Education and the Common Good in a Liberal Democratic Pluralist Society. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Bernadette Sweetman (2023) The Adult Religious Education and Faith Development Project (AREFD). Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Pádraig Ó Tuama (2023) Truth, Spirituality, and Art. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Seán Henry; Vivek da Silva (2023) What might it mean to Queer Catholic Education and Schooling?. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Claire Jenkins; George White (2023) Transgender Perspectives in Catholic Education. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Seán Henry (2023) The Tip of the Iceberg - A Brief Introduction to Queer Theologies. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Sean Whittle; Cora O (2023) LGBTQ+ Matters and Catholic Education: Reflections on the One Day Conference at the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education, DCU. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Daniel O'Connell (2023) The Grace Project, Catholic Education, and Beyond. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Marie Griffin (2023) What is the Catholic Education Partnership?. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Thomas Carroll; Amalee Meehan (2023) Wellbeing, Christian Mindfulness, and Catholic Education. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Ian Corbett; Cora O'Farrell (2023) An Early Career Teacher Perspective on Teaching the. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Alan Hynes (2023) School Ethos and the Interview Process for Teachers in Catholic Primary Schools. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Alan Hynes; Miriam McCabe (2023) The Role of Partnership amongst Stakeholders in Catholic Education. PODCAST [Link] | |
2023 | David Kennedy; Elaine Mahon (2023) Inclusivity and Good Practice in the Catholic Religious Education Classroom. Online: PODCAST [Link] | |
2021 | David Kennedy (2021) DCU Podcast: Transformation and Innovation in Teaching. PODCAST [Link] |
Web Page
Year | Publication | |
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2021 | David Kennedy (2021) Engaging Students Through Asynchronous Teaching. Online: WEBP [Link] |
Professional Associations
Education
Honors and Awards
Media
Research Interests
- Philosophy/Philosophy of Education:
The question of truth; Epistemology; Ontology; Continental philosophy; deconstructionist and post-structuralist critiques of modernity; Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics; the phenomenological work of Martin Heidegger; the phenomenological work of Jean-Luc Marion; the critical hermeneutics of Paul Ricoeur; philosophy of education – particularly, the hermeneutics of education, critiques of positivist educational paradigms, the relationship between theology and philosophy in the meta-concepts of education; the role of religions, worldviews, values, beliefs in education systems in liberal democratic pluralist societies.
- Religious/Ethical/Multi-Belief, and Values Education:
Hermeneutics of Religious Education; meta-concepts of religious education; inclusion in religious education; Catholic Religious Education; European approaches to Religious Education and Ethical Education – particularly, critical realist, conceptual enquiry, and interpretative approaches; Approaches to Religious/Ethical/Multi-Belief and Values programmes in Irish Education.
- Educational Studies:
Management and Governance in Education – particularly, the roles and functions of patrons and trustees in Irish primary and post-primary education; ethos whole school evaluation; the development of ethos literacy; and development of authentic, affective, and agentic ethos leadership in educational contexts; Curriculum Development – particularly, the use of the Universal Design for Learning framework in curriculum design; Digital (Online) Teaching and Learning – particularly, the presence of the educator in virtual learning environments; methods and tools for effective asynchronous and synchronous teaching and learning.
- Philosophical and Systematic Theology:
The question of religious truth in an age of pluralisation, secularisation and detraditionalisation; Christology; the relationship between faith and reason in religious enquiry; the theological work of Jean Luc Marion; the reception of, and response to, Heideggerian phenomenology in contemporary theology; the reception of, and dialogue between, Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics and contemporary theology; responses and critiques of onto/de-ontological theology
- Sacramental and Liturgical Theology:
Pre/Post-Conciliar theologies of the Eucharist; the liturgical movement and reform of the 20th Century; the refinement and modification of Dom Odo Casel’s mystical theology in the work of Louis Bouyer and Edward Schillebeeckx; sacramental mediation and exchange in the work of Louis-Marie Chauvet.