Abstract
The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) has been influential in defining and directing the identity of Australian Catholic schools. Traditional interpretations of the parable focus on themes that stress love of enemies, care for those in need, and consideration of all humans as neighbour. A sub-text in understanding the parable has been the priority accorded to Christian conceptions of compassion over and against perceptions of Jewish adherence to legal requirements to observe purity prescriptions. This article seeks to challenge these traditional ideas about the meaning of the parable. A refreshed understanding of the parable offers Catholic schools more solid foundational notions of dialogue, openness to the Other, extension and inclusion of Catholic identity, and the consequent enlargement of Catholic self-understanding.
Recommended Citation
Ryan, Maurice
(2026)
"The Good Samaritan in Australian Catholic Schools: Rethinking the Meaning of the Parable for Catholic Identity,"
eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia: Vol. 5
:
Iss.
1
, Article 4.
Available at:
https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/ecea/vol5/iss1/4
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