Teaching Religion in Schools
INTRODUCTION
A religion is a set of spiritual beliefs about two key aspects of life: concern with the ultimate meaning of human existence; and identification with a supernatural power beyond the limits of the human and natural worlds. The religious studies is the recognition that religions are collections of ideas, practices, values, and stories that are all embedded in cultures and not isolated from them. Just as religion cannot be understood in isolation from its cultural manifestations, it is impossible to understand culture without considering its religious dimensions. In the same way that race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality are always factors in cultural interpretation and understanding, so too is religion. Whether explicit or implicit, religious influences can always be found when one asks “the religion question” of any given social/historical experience. Religious Studies is an academic and multi-disciplinary enterprise. The term Religious Education refers to the knowledge, awareness and skills that are required to teach the subject in schools. Religious Studies is a means of learning about and interpreting all religions (Newlands, 2011/12).
Context
Teaching Religions in School is always been a matter of debate. It has been discussed in many different situations because it is of very important aspect of making a school curriculum and setting a school culture.
The topic of Religious illiteracy is defined in this document as a lack of understanding about the following term like of the basic tenets of the world’s religious traditions and other religious expressions not categorized by tradition; the diversity of expressions and beliefs within traditions and representations; and the profound role that religion plays in human social, cultural, and political life historically and today.
Findings
The school curriculum, legal systems are influenced by the dominant religion of the particular country. For example, Nepal was known as a Hindu nation for a
A religion is a set of spiritual beliefs about two key aspects of life: concern with the ultimate meaning of human existence; and identification with a supernatural power beyond the limits of the human and natural worlds. The religious studies is the recognition that religions are collections of ideas, practices, values, and stories that are all embedded in cultures and not isolated from them. Just as religion cannot be understood in isolation from its cultural manifestations, it is impossible to understand culture without considering its religious dimensions. In the same way that race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality are always factors in cultural interpretation and understanding, so too is religion. Whether explicit or implicit, religious influences can always be found when one asks “the religion question” of any given social/historical experience. Religious Studies is an academic and multi-disciplinary enterprise. The term Religious Education refers to the knowledge, awareness and skills that are required to teach the subject in schools. Religious Studies is a means of learning about and interpreting all religions (Newlands, 2011/12).
Context
Teaching Religions in School is always been a matter of debate. It has been discussed in many different situations because it is of very important aspect of making a school curriculum and setting a school culture.
The topic of Religious illiteracy is defined in this document as a lack of understanding about the following term like of the basic tenets of the world’s religious traditions and other religious expressions not categorized by tradition; the diversity of expressions and beliefs within traditions and representations; and the profound role that religion plays in human social, cultural, and political life historically and today.
Findings
The school curriculum, legal systems are influenced by the dominant religion of the particular country. For example, Nepal was known as a Hindu nation for a
References: 1. Newlands, T. (2011/12 ) PGCE professional handbook religious studies 2 3. Schreiner, P. (1999) Different approaches to RE/RS in European schools – the Scandinavian approach in a European context in N.-Å. Tidman (ed) Into the third Millennium... EFTRE conference August 1998 in Copenhagen, pp. 111-129. 4. Schreiner, P. (2002) Münster / Germany Teaching for tolerance, respect and recognitation in relation with religion or belief Oslo, 7 – 9 December 2002 5 6. Hay, D. (1990) Widening Horizons – the religious education teacher as deindoctrinator, in Hammond, J., Hay, D. et al, New Methods in R.E. Teaching: An Experimental Approach, Harlow, Oliver & Boyd 7 10. Bell, R. and Hall, R. (1991) Impacts: Contemporary Issues and Global Problems, Jacaranda Press, Brisbane. Cited in Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future © UNESCO 2010