Why education in public schools should include religious ideals (original) (raw)

Pupils’ views of religious education in a pluralistic educational context

This article examines Finnish pupils’ views of religious education (RE) in a pluralistic educational context. The focus is on pupils’ views of the aims and different approaches to RE in a multi-faith school. The study utilised a mixed method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data. It employed a survey (n=1301) and interviews (n=38) of pupils from grade levels 3, 6, and 9 (age groups 9–10, 12–13, 15–16) in Finnish comprehensive schools located in Helsinki and Pori. This article focuses on the data sets from the sixth and ninth grades. Besides the overall description of the pupils’ views, the influence of gender, age group and the place or residence were examined. Many differences were found between the genders, age groups and between the pupils living in the more diverse capital city and those growing up in a smaller and less diverse town context. In presenting the findings, statistical analyses are presented together with some interview extracts. Keywords: religious education (RE); diversity; pluralism; school; children; youth

The (educational) meaning of religion as a quality of liberal democratic citizenship

Religion has become a prominent issue in times of pluralism and in relation to citizenship in school and in society. As religious education (RE) is assigned to be one of the main school subject where issues of what religion is are to be raised, RE teachers’ conceptualizations of religion are of vital concern to investigate. In this article, RE teachers’ descriptions of ‘religion’ are scrutinized and analysed in terms of implications for citizenship with special regard to the role of RE. Three vital conceptions of religion emerge in teachers’ descriptions. First, religion is mainly individual or private, secondly, it denotes ethical guidance, and thirdly, it relates to sociocultural systems for thinking. Taken together, these conceptualizations share two characteristics about religion: religion as being individual-centred and private, and religion as being mind oriented. Out of this analysis, we discuss the role of religion and RE in contemporary liberal democratic life in society. The discussion is concluded by addressing two key things; the importance of the RE teacher as a curriculum maker, and the importance of religion and RE as active interventions in today’s contemporary discussion about pluralism in liberal democratic societies.

Editorial: Religion, Education, and the Challenges of Contemporary Societies

CEPS Journal, 2019

Religions have had, and still have, a critical role in shaping the world in which we live. As an ideology, they play a vital role in shaping world politics. In recent decades, we have been witnessing a kind of revival of religion and its re-entry into the public sphere. The context of modern globalisation in tandem with various political, economic, and ecological crises makes Western societies increasingly susceptible to influxes of heterogeneous groups of migrants, who bring with them cultural and religious traditions that are often markedly different from those of the majority of the local populations. The contrast between historically established religious practices and relatively newly established religions , combined with power struggles over the new public role of religion in some countries (especially evident in post-socialist Central and Eastern Europe), is giving rise to complex social challenges, some of which are also manifested in the field of public education. The present issue of CEPS Journal systematically addresses these challenges. The growing pluralisation of European societies is bringing forth some old questions and opening up new dilemmas. The changing circumstances are probably not eroding the foundations of the modern public school laid during the Enlightenment period; the public school's commitment to secularity and neutrality (while also allowing for private schools with religious or other kinds of worldview affiliation) continues to remain at the core of its purpose in the 21 st century. However, some social developments and conflicts of the recent past are undoubtedly opening, repeating and/or worsening a number of difficult questions about the practical application of foundational democratic principles in specific social contexts of individual societies and nation-states. The old, fundamental question of the presence of religion-related content in school curricula has long been morphed into much more than the simple question of confessional religious instruction (as in catechesis) in public schools. When we discuss religion-related content in the public school today, we also-if not mostly-talk about the different forms of non-confessional education about religion(s). In the contemporary European context, which is marred by growing Islamophobia and the related growth of intolerant and radically exclusionist political (and other) extremisms, the need for a systematic critical introduction of pupils to the complex social and cultural phenomenon that is religion (with all its diversity in today's world) is particularly evident.

Religion and Religious Education on the Journey to the Ideal Society

Analysis, 2024

We all want to find a way to live fulfilling lives together in spite of our differences. What beliefs must be held in common if we are to do so? What beliefs must be excluded? And what are the implications for religion’s place in society? Philip Kitcher recognises that our answers to these questions have important implications for education, and he devotes a chapter of 'The Main Enterprise of the World' to the role of religion in education and wider society. This paper is a critical response to that chapter. I argue that Kitcher is right to recognise that religious beliefs cannot be confined to the private sphere and thus they are a matter of educational concern. However, I question whether Kitcher makes an adequate case for the distinctive harmfulness of the beliefs that he wishes to exclude. I also question Kitcher’s suggestion that students be taught that all religions are ‘on a par’, epistemically speaking. I finish by shining a light on Kitcher’s proposal that education should aim for students to develop specific beliefs about religion, clarifying the proposal and highlighting some implications for education in practice.

Learning from religions. Post-secular Schools and the Challenge of Pluralism

2013

The postsecular notion highlights the increasing religious pluralism and the persistent public role of religions in secularized western societies. Besides, the concept recommends a way to deal with differences in social spaces, referring to mutual recognition and to Habermas's idea of complementary learning. Adopting the postsecular frame, the paper focuses on religion and education in public schools. An overview on the European scenario is drowned and solutions for the accommodation of religious plurality inspired by the 'postsecular school' idea are outlined. The paper refers to the concept of 'learning from religion' as not far from the suggested view, since it extends the 'about religions' teachings to what students may learn about themselves and the others through religious studies. However, from the postsecular perspective the 'learning form religions' may also mean the possibility for schools to increase new forms of awareness, reflexivity and innovation implementing practices of cooperation with religious organizations.

Religion, Education, and Pluralism

2020

This article examines the relevance of Sufism morality education in developing character of pluralism in Indonesia. Through the library research methodology with a historical-philosophical approach, the results show that someone practicing Sufism morality has a high level of tolerance while dealing with the issue of diversity. Internalizing Sufism moral values in modern life strengthens spiritual, personal and social intelligence. In pluralism, Sufism morality teaches two clear and explicit principles. This includes exclusivity in theology and the principle of inclusiveness in the socialinteractive aspects. These principles guide how to socialize with community members having different backgrounds. In the context of Indonesia, the noble values of Sufism can be developed to strengthen various pillars and build harmony among religious communities, raise historical awareness and cultural maturity.

Religious Education in Schools: Contribution or Not to Dialogue and Tolerance?

2013

Lately, our public has been facing the question of whether children and youth in primary, secondary and high schools should be enabled to get acquainted with those religious contents which represent an integral part of the religious, cultural and national identity of regions they inhabit. The ways in which this question is posed and answered differ from each other to a great degree. They reflect a wide range of thought: starting from the position that in schools we should only find the “scientific” type of information on religion/religions, down to the idea that a “classical” type of religious instruction should be reintroduced to schools. The current interest in this question is a result of the democratisation of our social reality and of the processes of demarxisation and deatheisation of our educational system. Along with this, the process of transforming a traditional into a modern social structure, i.e. striving to reach civil positions in post-socialist countries, which our co...