diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/application/debug-render-tree-test.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/application/debug-render-tree-test.ts
index 904990bbb2b..85f9683711c 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/application/debug-render-tree-test.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/application/debug-render-tree-test.ts
@@ -222,10 +222,13 @@ if (ENV._DEBUG_RENDER_TREE) {
             }
 
             renderTemplate(_: Controller, { showHeader }: Model): void {
-              this.render();
+              expectDeprecation(() => this.render(), /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
 
               if (showHeader) {
-                this.render('header', { outlet: 'header' });
+                expectDeprecation(
+                  () => this.render('header', { outlet: 'header' }),
+                  /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+                );
               } else {
                 expectDeprecation(
                   () => this.disconnectOutlet('header'),
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/application/rendering-test.js b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/application/rendering-test.js
index 7efd7402d5b..2198da8943c 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/application/rendering-test.js
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/application/rendering-test.js
@@ -464,11 +464,13 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:application',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render();
-            this.render('nav', {
-              into: 'application',
-              outlet: 'nav',
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render();
+              this.render('nav', {
+                into: 'application',
+                outlet: 'nav',
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -613,7 +615,10 @@ moduleFor(
           },
 
           renderTemplate(controller, model) {
-            this.render({ controller: model.color, model });
+            expectDeprecation(
+              () => this.render({ controller: model.color, model }),
+              /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+            );
           },
         })
       );
@@ -659,7 +664,10 @@ moduleFor(
           },
 
           renderTemplate(controller, model) {
-            this.render('common', { controller: 'common', model });
+            expectDeprecation(
+              () => this.render('common', { controller: 'common', model }),
+              /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+            );
           },
         })
       );
@@ -672,7 +680,10 @@ moduleFor(
           },
 
           renderTemplate(controller, model) {
-            this.render('common', { controller: 'common', model });
+            expectDeprecation(
+              () => this.render('common', { controller: 'common', model }),
+              /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+            );
           },
         })
       );
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/routing/lib/system/route.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/routing/lib/system/route.ts
index f57c581ef8c..7e2c3474173 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/routing/lib/system/route.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/routing/lib/system/route.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import {
   Object as EmberObject,
   typeOf,
 } from '@ember/-internals/runtime';
-import { isProxy, lookupDescriptor } from '@ember/-internals/utils';
+import { isProxy, lookupDescriptor, symbol } from '@ember/-internals/utils';
 import Controller from '@ember/controller';
 import { assert, deprecate, info, isTesting } from '@ember/debug';
 import { ROUTER_EVENTS } from '@ember/deprecated-features';
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import generateController from './generate_controller';
 import EmberRouter, { QueryParam } from './router';
 
 export const ROUTE_CONNECTIONS = new WeakMap();
+const RENDER = symbol('render') as string;
 
 export function defaultSerialize(
   model: {},
@@ -1485,6 +1486,29 @@ class Route extends EmberObject implements IRoute {
     return route && route.currentModel;
   }
 
+  /**
+    `this[RENDER]` is used to render a template into a region of another template
+    (indicated by an `{{outlet}}`).
+
+    @method this[RENDER]
+    @param {String} name the name of the template to render
+    @param {Object} [options] the options
+    @param {String} [options.into] the template to render into,
+                    referenced by name. Defaults to the parent template
+    @param {String} [options.outlet] the outlet inside `options.into` to render into.
+                    Defaults to 'main'
+    @param {String|Object} [options.controller] the controller to use for this template,
+                    referenced by name or as a controller instance. Defaults to the Route's paired controller
+    @param {Object} [options.model] the model object to set on `options.controller`.
+                    Defaults to the return value of the Route's model hook
+    @private
+   */
+  [RENDER](name?: string, options?: PartialRenderOptions) {
+    let renderOptions = buildRenderOptions(this, name, options);
+    ROUTE_CONNECTIONS.get(this).push(renderOptions);
+    once(this._router, '_setOutlets');
+  }
+
   /**
     A hook you can use to render the template for the current route.
 
@@ -1521,7 +1545,7 @@ class Route extends EmberObject implements IRoute {
   */
   renderTemplate(_controller: any, _model: {}) {
     // eslint-disable-line no-unused-vars
-    this.render();
+    this[RENDER]();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -1652,9 +1676,16 @@ class Route extends EmberObject implements IRoute {
     @public
   */
   render(name?: string, options?: PartialRenderOptions) {
-    let renderOptions = buildRenderOptions(this, name, options);
-    ROUTE_CONNECTIONS.get(this).push(renderOptions);
-    once(this._router, '_setOutlets');
+    deprecate(`Usage of \`render\` is deprecated. Route: \`${this.routeName}\``, false, {
+      id: 'route-render-template',
+      until: '4.0.0',
+      url: 'https://deprecations.emberjs.com/v3.x/#toc_route-render-template',
+      for: 'ember-source',
+      since: {
+        enabled: '3.27.0',
+      },
+    });
+    this[RENDER](name, options);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/ember/tests/routing/model_loading_test.js b/packages/ember/tests/routing/model_loading_test.js
index 9a9151286e8..0f71d5c5fe1 100644
--- a/packages/ember/tests/routing/model_loading_test.js
+++ b/packages/ember/tests/routing/model_loading_test.js
@@ -214,7 +214,10 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           controllerName: 'myController',
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('alternative_home');
+            expectDeprecation(
+              () => this.render('alternative_home'),
+              /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+            );
           },
         })
       );
diff --git a/packages/ember/tests/routing/template_rendering_test.js b/packages/ember/tests/routing/template_rendering_test.js
index df0f00a8ea1..f33f0c72dfc 100644
--- a/packages/ember/tests/routing/template_rendering_test.js
+++ b/packages/ember/tests/routing/template_rendering_test.js
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:home',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('homepage');
+            expectDeprecation(() => this.render('homepage'), /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:home',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('homepage');
+            expectDeprecation(() => this.render('homepage'), /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           controllerName: 'foo',
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('homepage');
+            expectDeprecation(() => this.render('homepage'), /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -159,7 +159,10 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:homepage',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render({ controller: 'home' });
+            expectDeprecation(
+              () => this.render({ controller: 'home' }),
+              /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+            );
           },
         })
       );
@@ -199,7 +202,7 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:home',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('homepage');
+            expectDeprecation(() => this.render('homepage'), /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -219,9 +222,11 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:home',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('bio', {
-              model: { name: 'emberjs' },
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render('bio', {
+                model: { name: 'emberjs' },
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -266,10 +271,12 @@ moduleFor(
           templateName: 'the_real_home_template',
           actions: {
             showAlert() {
-              this.render('alert', {
-                into: 'home',
-                outlet: 'alert',
-              });
+              expectDeprecation(() => {
+                this.render('alert', {
+                  into: 'home',
+                  outlet: 'alert',
+                });
+              }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
             },
           },
         })
@@ -299,7 +306,7 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           templateName: 'alert',
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render({});
+            expectDeprecation(() => this.render({}), /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -420,7 +427,10 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:middle.bottom',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('middle/bottom', { into: 'top' });
+            expectDeprecation(
+              () => this.render('middle/bottom', { into: 'top' }),
+              /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+            );
           },
         })
       );
@@ -454,8 +464,10 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:home',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('person/profile');
-            this.render('person/details', { into: 'person/profile' });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render('person/profile');
+              this.render('person/details', { into: 'person/profile' });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -485,11 +497,13 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:posts',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render();
-            this.render('posts/menu', {
-              into: 'application',
-              outlet: 'menu',
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render();
+              this.render('posts/menu', {
+                into: 'application',
+                outlet: 'menu',
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -637,7 +651,10 @@ moduleFor(
         },
 
         renderTemplate() {
-          this.render('shared', { controller: 'shared' });
+          expectDeprecation(
+            () => this.render('shared', { controller: 'shared' }),
+            /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+          );
         },
       });
 
@@ -707,17 +724,19 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:posts',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('posts/menu', {
-              into: 'application',
-              outlet: 'menu',
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render('posts/menu', {
+                into: 'application',
+                outlet: 'menu',
+              });
 
-            this.render();
+              this.render();
 
-            this.render('posts/footer', {
-              into: 'application',
-              outlet: 'footer',
-            });
+              this.render('posts/footer', {
+                into: 'application',
+                outlet: 'footer',
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -782,10 +801,12 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           actions: {
             showModal() {
-              this.render('posts/modal', {
-                into: 'application',
-                outlet: 'modal',
-              });
+              expectDeprecation(() => {
+                this.render('posts/modal', {
+                  into: 'application',
+                  outlet: 'modal',
+                });
+              }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
             },
             hideModal() {
               expectDeprecation(
@@ -806,9 +827,11 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           actions: {
             showExtra() {
-              this.render('posts/extra', {
-                into: 'posts/index',
-              });
+              expectDeprecation(() => {
+                this.render('posts/extra', {
+                  into: 'posts/index',
+                });
+              }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
             },
             hideExtra() {
               expectDeprecation(
@@ -912,10 +935,12 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           actions: {
             showModal() {
-              this.render('posts/modal', {
-                into: 'application',
-                outlet: 'modal',
-              });
+              expectDeprecation(() => {
+                this.render('posts/modal', {
+                  into: 'application',
+                  outlet: 'modal',
+                });
+              }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
             },
             hideModal() {
               expectDeprecation(
@@ -965,7 +990,7 @@ moduleFor(
     }
 
     ['@test Route silently fails when cleaning an outlet from an inactive view'](assert) {
-      assert.expect(3); // handleURL
+      assert.expect(4); // handleURL
 
       this.addTemplate('application', '{{outlet}}');
       this.addTemplate('posts', "{{outlet 'modal'}}");
@@ -990,7 +1015,10 @@ moduleFor(
               );
             },
             showModal() {
-              this.render('modal', { into: 'posts', outlet: 'modal' });
+              expectDeprecation(
+                () => this.render('modal', { into: 'posts', outlet: 'modal' }),
+                /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+              );
             },
             hideModal() {
               expectDeprecation(
@@ -1012,7 +1040,9 @@ moduleFor(
     }
 
     ['@test Specifying non-existent controller name in route#render throws'](assert) {
-      expectDeprecation('Usage of `renderTemplate` is deprecated.');
+      expectDeprecation(
+        /(Usage of `renderTemplate` is deprecated|Usage of `render` is deprecated)/
+      );
       assert.expect(2);
 
       this.router.map(function () {
@@ -1074,11 +1104,13 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:application',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render();
-            this.render('modal', {
-              into: 'application',
-              outlet: 'other',
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render();
+              this.render('modal', {
+                into: 'application',
+                outlet: 'other',
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -1105,11 +1137,13 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:application',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render();
-            this.render('modal', {
-              into: 'application',
-              outlet: 'other',
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render();
+              this.render('modal', {
+                into: 'application',
+                outlet: 'other',
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
           actions: {
             banish() {
@@ -1153,11 +1187,13 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:application',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render();
-            this.render('modal', {
-              into: 'application',
-              outlet: 'other',
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render();
+              this.render('modal', {
+                into: 'application',
+                outlet: 'other',
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -1180,10 +1216,12 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           actions: {
             launch() {
-              this.render('modal', {
-                into: 'application',
-                outlet: 'other',
-              });
+              expectDeprecation(() => {
+                this.render('modal', {
+                  into: 'application',
+                  outlet: 'other',
+                });
+              }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
             },
           },
         })
@@ -1221,14 +1259,16 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:app',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('app', {
-              outlet: 'app',
-              into: 'application',
-            });
-            this.render('common', {
-              outlet: 'common',
-              into: 'app',
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render('app', {
+                outlet: 'app',
+                into: 'application',
+              });
+              this.render('common', {
+                outlet: 'common',
+                into: 'app',
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -1237,10 +1277,12 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:sub',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('sub', {
-              outlet: 'sub',
-              into: 'app',
-            });
+            expectDeprecation(() => {
+              this.render('sub', {
+                outlet: 'sub',
+                into: 'app',
+              });
+            }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -1282,10 +1324,12 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           actions: {
             openLayer() {
-              this.render('layer', {
-                into: 'application',
-                outlet: 'modal',
-              });
+              expectDeprecation(() => {
+                this.render('layer', {
+                  into: 'application',
+                  outlet: 'modal',
+                });
+              }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
             },
             close() {
               expectDeprecation(
@@ -1328,7 +1372,7 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:root',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('exports/root');
+            expectDeprecation(() => this.render('exports/root'), /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
           },
         })
       );
@@ -1337,7 +1381,10 @@ moduleFor(
         'route:root.index',
         Route.extend({
           renderTemplate() {
-            this.render('exports/index');
+            expectDeprecation(
+              () => this.render('exports/index'),
+              /Usage of `render` is deprecated/
+            );
           },
         })
       );
@@ -1360,10 +1407,12 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           actions: {
             openLayer() {
-              this.render('layer', {
-                into: 'application',
-                outlet: 'modal',
-              });
+              expectDeprecation(() => {
+                this.render('layer', {
+                  into: 'application',
+                  outlet: 'modal',
+                });
+              }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
             },
           },
         })
@@ -1480,10 +1529,12 @@ moduleFor(
         Route.extend({
           actions: {
             showModal() {
-              this.render({
-                outlet: undefined,
-                parentView: 'application',
-              });
+              expectDeprecation(() => {
+                this.render({
+                  outlet: undefined,
+                  parentView: 'application',
+                });
+              }, /Usage of `render` is deprecated/);
             },
             hideModal() {
               expectDeprecation(
diff --git a/tests/docs/expected.js b/tests/docs/expected.js
index 6b265de0ec7..33df88a6323 100644
--- a/tests/docs/expected.js
+++ b/tests/docs/expected.js
@@ -556,6 +556,7 @@ module.exports = {
     'testing',
     'textarea',
     'then',
+    'this[RENDER]',
     'throttle',
     'title',
     'to',