Between identity and ideology: tradition and criticism among religious Bible teachers in Israel

This study examines the ideological beliefs of religious Bible teachers in Israel’s State-General education system, challenging the assumed correlation between teacher identity and teacher ideology, and its subsequent impact on Bible pedagogy. Through qualitative interviews with 14 educators, the research identifies two distinct groups. ‘Traditionalist’ teachers maintain orthodox beliefs and reject biblical criticism, either through a priori theological dismissal or by actively undermining its relevance, though some selectively accept scientific claims that do not contradict their core faith. In contrast and paradoxically, ‘Critically Oriented’ teachers integrate academic-critical scholarship – viewing the biblical text as a human creation or the product of ‘soft’ divine intervention – and often find profound existential and faith-based benefits in these approaches. Aligning with broader socio-political progressivism, they maintain their religious commitment through theological flexibility and compartmentalisation, finding a natural home in pluralistic settings. This suggests that educational policymakers and school leaders must move beyond sociological stereotypes, focusing instead on educators’ actual ideological positions when navigating recruitment and placement, thereby offering a new lens for the global discourse on religious education.