Religious Education Credentialing Program
Revised January 2007
Program Overview:
The UUA Religious Education Credentialing Office is now accepting applications to participate in the new Religious Education Credentialing Program of the Unitarian Universalist Association. This program is the outgrowth of the plan articulated in the June 2002 Report for the UUA Board from the Liberal Religious Educators' Association (LREDA) and Unitarian Universalist Association Joint Task Force on Professional Standards for Lay Religious Education Professionals, the additional work of the Religious Education Credentialing Interim Advisory Committee, and the current work of the Religious Education Credentialing Committee.
The goal of the Religious Education Credentialing program is to strengthen Unitarian Universalist religious education through the professional development and accountability of professional religious educators. It will help to nurture the call to religious education as a profession, provide a comprehensive path for professional development, articulate and uphold professional standards and guidelines, and encourage meaningful institutional recognition of professional achievement.
Administration of the program is the responsibility of the UUA Religious Education Credentialing Office in the Ministry and Professional Leadership staff group. LREDA has responsibility for training and administering mentors for the program. Membership in LREDA is strongly advised for all religious education professionals. A mentoring fee will be charged by LREDA to any non-member mentee. While the Religious Education Credentialing Office will continue to provide professional support for all religious educators, we believe it is important to provide a comprehensive plan for excellence in Unitarian Universalist religious education leadership as an option for professional religious educators.
The Religious Education Credentialing Program is primarily designed for professional religious educators who are committed to Unitarian Universalist religious education as a career, and desire professional development, recognition, and adherence to standards, but do not feel called to the professional ministry. Participants can achieve status in the program at three different levels, based on professional training and academic achievement, integration of knowledge of lifespan religious education, and length of professional experience. A participant may enter the program at any level. While a religious educator may progressively move through the levels of the program, this is neither a requirement nor an expectation of the program. Depending on the needs of the individual and her or his congregation, participants may choose to remain at the credentialing level in which theyentered the program.
Program Requirements:
To qualify for achievement of a program status, a participant will submit documentation of academic and professional experience and completing the requirements of:
- A professional resume and a brief statement of intent form that describes why the candidate wishes to participate and achieve status in the program;
- An endorsement form from persons (lay and professional) attesting to the candidates suitability to the program;
- A reading list;
- A portfolio that reflects understanding and accomplishment in the many areas of lifespan religious education leadership which are further articulated in the Program Plan;
- A brief statement that demonstrates the ability to articulate a personal religious philosophy and philosophy of religious education;
- Recommendation forms from persons (lay and professional) familiar with the participant's professional achievements;
- A relationship with a mentor established through the Liberal Religious Education Association Mentoring Program.
Program
Procedures, Forms and Resources:
Access the link above for application and other program forms, and detailed program resources.
Portfolio Requirements:
While specific areas of religious education leadership to be included in the portfolio will depend on program level, they will be drawn from the following:
- RE program administration, including volunteer management
- UU lifespan religious education curricula and programs
- History and philosophy of UU religious education
- Human and Faith Development
- Learning theories and teaching methods
- Sacred texts
- Multi-age worship
- UU history and polity
- UUA initiatives such as anti-oppression work, safe congregations, and ethics and congregational life
- Stewardship
- Organizational development
- Conflict management
- Right relations and professional ethics
- Systems theory
- Spiritual life, self-care and renewal
Specific Level Requirements:
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Credentialed Religious Educator, Associate Level |
Credentialed Religious Educator Level |
Credentialed Religious Educator, Masters Level |
Academic Requirement
|
At least 75 hours of relevant training |
Bachelor's degree or equivalent and at least 7 relevant structured learning experiences beyond the basic 75 hours of training. |
Master's degree or equivalent, and Graduate credit in:
UU History & Polity
History & Philosophy of Religious Education
Learning Theories & Teaching Methods |
| Professional Experience Requirement |
At least 2 years of paid religious education leadership (at least ¼ time) or equivalent |
At least 2 years of paid religious education leadership (at least ½ time) or equivalent |
At least 3 years of paid religious education leadership (at least ½
time) or equivalent |
| Evaluation Requirements |
Portfolio and program materials reviewed by Religious Education Credentialing Director |
UUA Religious Education Credentialing Committee reviews portfolio and program materials and meets with candidate for evaluation |
UUA Religious Education Credentialing Committee reviews portfolio and
program materials and meets with candidate for evaluation |
The Religious Education Credentialing Committee
A UUA Board-appointed Religious Education Credentialing Committee (RECC) has exclusive jurisdiction over religious education credentialing.
Program benefits:
- Stronger, more vital religious education programs as religious educators integrate their professional learnings into their congregations.
- Personal self-esteem and sense of professional accomplishment for the religious educator as requirements are met and credentials achieved.
- Clear guidelines for professional development.
- More long-term professional viability in religious education. We anticipate that a clear path of institutionally acknowledged achievements of increased professionalization and development of lay religious educators will help to increase the length of their tenure with congregations and within the profession of religious education.
- Assurance to a congregation that a religious educator who has achieved status in this program has met professional development standards in religious education and is held accountable to professional ethics guidelines. Congregational satisfaction in knowing that they have encouraged the professionalization and development of their religious educator.
- Greater potential for collegial relationships. It is our recommendation that governance structures and accountability relationships relating to religious educators who have achieved status in the Religious Education Credentialing Program remain as they have been delineated by individual congregations. However, it is our belief that the program requirement of adherence to professional ethics guidelines and other rules and policies modeled on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, as well as enhanced professional development guidelines and LREDA good offices services (available to LREDA members), will allow for greater potential for collegial relationships between those professional religious educators who have completed the program and their ministerial colleagues.
- Access to Online DRE Settlement system. This system, modeled on the Online Ministerial Settlement system, is fully available to all those who have been credentialed by the Religious Education Credentialing Program, and partially available to those current program participants. It is a joint project of the UUA Settlement Office and Religious Education Credentialing Office.
- Salary recommendations that reflect credentialed achievement. The current basic salary recommendations of the UUA Committee on Compensation, Benefits, and Pension include additional recommendations for those who have been credentialed by the Religious Education Credentialing Program.
- Institutional support and meaningful recognition of achievement. This includes: UUA scholarship funds targeting for those participating in the program; Credentialed Religious Educators, Masters Level celebrated at the Service of Living Tradition; and delegate status at General Assembly for Credentialed Level Religious Educators, Masters Level employed by a certified member congregation, or a director of religious education emeritus or emerita having achieved Credentialed Religious Education – Masters Level status by the Association, designated as such by a vote at a meeting of the member congregation not less than six months prior to the General Assembly, provided such director of religious education has been previously employed in such congregation.
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