Religious Education, Formation, and Transformation
Religious Education, Formation, and Transformation
The term ‘religious education’ is a broader term than ‘Christian education’ since it includes Christianity as well as other religions. However, in this paper, it is primarily employed for Christian religious education. This paper will first define and explore the term ‘religious education’ and then continue to define and discuss the terms ‘information’, ‘formation’ and ‘transformation.’ Religious education must go beyond the delivery of biblical knowledge and solidify a person’s identity as a follower of Jesus Christ and help live a transformed life.
I. Religious Education
The term ‘religion’ includes Christianity as well as all other religions. There is no scholarly consensus regarding the definition of religion, but its concept should be distinguished from spirituality, theology, and worldview. There are a couple of key elements to be a religion. It should include belief/faith, believers (an individual and a community), and doctrine/tradition. The term ‘education’ comes from a Latin word educare, which means drawing out something from what people know. It is simply bringing knowledge out of a person.
Religious education has both conservative and liberal aspects. On the one hand, it can be said that religious education is conservative since it wants to conserve and pass on religious tradition. On the other hand, it can be also said that religious education is liberal since it challenges customs or traditions which have been accepted by believers and finds something new. For example, when Jesus said something in his day, it was too liberal and radical, but now we think his teachings were so insightful.
Education has many positive aspects. Above all, by providing knowledge, information, and technology, education gives learners an opportunity to live a better life. Education also helps an individual to be able to live as a member of society. Unlike secular or general education, religious
The term ‘religious education’ is a broader term than ‘Christian education’ since it includes Christianity as well as other religions. However, in this paper, it is primarily employed for Christian religious education. This paper will first define and explore the term ‘religious education’ and then continue to define and discuss the terms ‘information’, ‘formation’ and ‘transformation.’ Religious education must go beyond the delivery of biblical knowledge and solidify a person’s identity as a follower of Jesus Christ and help live a transformed life.
I. Religious Education
The term ‘religion’ includes Christianity as well as all other religions. There is no scholarly consensus regarding the definition of religion, but its concept should be distinguished from spirituality, theology, and worldview. There are a couple of key elements to be a religion. It should include belief/faith, believers (an individual and a community), and doctrine/tradition. The term ‘education’ comes from a Latin word educare, which means drawing out something from what people know. It is simply bringing knowledge out of a person.
Religious education has both conservative and liberal aspects. On the one hand, it can be said that religious education is conservative since it wants to conserve and pass on religious tradition. On the other hand, it can be also said that religious education is liberal since it challenges customs or traditions which have been accepted by believers and finds something new. For example, when Jesus said something in his day, it was too liberal and radical, but now we think his teachings were so insightful.
Education has many positive aspects. Above all, by providing knowledge, information, and technology, education gives learners an opportunity to live a better life. Education also helps an individual to be able to live as a member of society. Unlike secular or general education, religious
Bibliography: Groome, Thomas H. Will There be Faith. Harper One: New York, 2011. Schaller, Janet. “Mentoring of Women: Transformation in Adult Religious Education.” Religious Education 91, no.2 (1996): 12.