In Martin Buber: From Vienna to Jerusalem Buber as an educator tried to refute these ideological “prejudices of youth,” who, he asserted, rightly criticize outworn images of God but wrongly identify them with the imageless living God himself. Read More
gurus
In revelation: Revelation and experience …necessary to live under the tutelage of a guru (see also Guru), monk, or holy man. To the extent that revelation is identified with a profound and transforming personal experience, the spiritual preparation of the subject by prayer and asceticism is stressed. Among the great living religions of the world,… Read More
Islam
In Islam: Education Muslim educational activity began in the 8th century, primarily in order to disseminate the teaching of the Qurʾān and the Sunnah of the Prophet. The first task in this endeavour was to record the oral traditions and collect the written manuscripts. This information was… Read More
monasticism
In monasticism: Nature and significance …institutions of religious and secular learning and in transmitting cultural goods, artifacts, and intellectual skills down through the generations. Monastic institutions have also fulfilled medical, political, and military functions, though since 1500 the latter two have become completely secularized in most societies. Read More
prophet guilds
In prophecy: Nature and significance …in which they received their training. The guilds were led by a prophet master, and their members could be distinguished from other members of their society by their garb (such as a special mantle) or by physical marks or grooming (such as baldness, a mark on the forehead, or scars… Read More
Sufism
In Sufism: The path …him to follow strict ascetic practices, and suggests certain formulas for meditation. It is said that the disciple should be in the hands of the master “like a corpse in the hand of the washer.” The master teaches him constant jihad, or struggle (the real “Holy War”), against the lower… Read More
Christianity
Baptist churches
In Baptist: Developments in education From the beginning, American Baptists displayed an interest in an educated ministry. The Philadelphia association in the 18th century collected funds to help finance the education of ministerial candidates. Hopewell Academy was established in 1756, and in 1764 Brown University was founded in Rhode… Read More
catechesis
In kerygma and catechesis …term catechetics referred to all religious education outside of that found in the liturgy and preaching. Twentieth-century developments reflected an appreciation of trends in the psychology of learning and pedagogy, as well as the renewal in the theology of the sacraments and in biblical scholarship. In reaction to the abstract… Read More
forms
In Christianity: Forms of Christian education The Christian church created the bases of the Western system of education. From its beginning the Christian community faced external and internal challenges to its faith, which it met by developing and utilizing intellectual and educational resources. The response to the external challenge… Read More
In Lutheranism: Pietism …and a fundamental reform of theological education. Stressing the religion of the heart and the piety of the individual, the movement cultivated “small churches within the larger church” for prayer, Bible reading, moral scrutiny, and works of charity. Although Spener gave no thought to leaving the Lutheran Church, he was… Read More
Reformed and Presbyterian churches
In Reformed and Presbyterian churches: Religious education Lay education was accomplished through preaching the word and teaching the catechism, such as Calvin’s Little Catechism, which was designed for teaching the young. Others, such as the Westminster Larger Catechism, were used to instruct pastors and teachers. More recently catechetical instruction has given way to… Read More
