Conclusion: Religious education as a regional influence on life and values education in Asia

This chapter first gives an overview of the status of religious education in Asia. The landscape of Asian religious education is diverse and complex with dominant religions such as Islam, Hindu, Buddhism, Confucianism and Christianity on the one hand and increasing importance of other religions in the same country. The status of religions and religious education is shaped by historical development as well as legal and education requirements. The chapter then provides some emergent themes related to modernization of madrasah education and how religious, life, moral, citizenship and other values education echo the needs of the 21st century. Against the context of religious diversity and multiculturalism, there is an advocacy of inter-religious and inter-faith dialogue with the view to inter-referencing and nurturing mutual understanding and respect. Copyright © 2021 selection and editorial matter, Kerry J. Kennedy and John Chi-Kin Lee; individual chapters, the contributors.