The Good Samaritan in Australian Catholic Schools: Rethinking the Meaning of the Parable for Catholic Identity
Year: 2026
Type: article
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.
Author: Ryan, Maurice
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7135158430