RE as meetingpoint

1. RE asmeetingpoint CoGREE Berin, 2005 Pille Valk (Tartu University)

2. Living in the Post-Socialist Society – Shadows of the Atheist Ideology • Almost all people over 35 have experienced strongly atheistic education: • Is there something more than crusades, inquisition and “opium of people”? • Many prejudges & lack of knowledge • Religion as only a private matter Religion as a “missing file”

3. Religious landscapes in Post-Socialist countries (%)

4. Role of religion in student’s life N=618 (SAAR POLL, 2004) How important is religion to you? Church membership

5. Specific shape of RE in Estonia • Status of RE - an optional, non-confessional subject • Attitudes towards RE – general agreement about the need for RE, but also sharp discussions • Parents, teachers, principals, student teachers have no personal experiences from RE classes – prejudges and fears • Insufficient regulations; subjectivity, ignorance • Different possibilities in different schools => A GREAT CHALLENGE

6. Attitudes regarding the necessity of REP. Valk, O. Raunio-Hannula

7. Evaluation of different topics in RE (%) by teachers (T) and principals (P)P. Valk

8. How do parents see the impact of RE?Mean on the scale: 1= very much, ...., 5=not at all (P. Valk, 2004) • Teaches to take the others into consideration 1,63 • Broadens one’s outlook 1,64 • Helps to distinguish between the good and evil 1,66 • Teaches about the basic values 1,86 • Supports the moral development 1,88 • Helps to understand different cultures 1,88 • Estimates the spiritual values2,05

9. Top-10 of pupils’ favourite topics for REscale: 1 = not at all interested – 5 = very interested (P. Valk, 2004)

10. Pupils’ “Bottom-10” RE topicsscale: 1 = not at all interested – 5 = very interested (P. Valk, 2004) Church and congregational life 2,32 Mission 2,34 Christian churches in the World 2,44 Jesus and his life 2,47 Estonian Church History 2,49 Biblestories 2,51 Owerall Church History 2,54 Bible studies 2,58 Christian Festivals 2,61 Prayer and praying 2,62

11. RE has to base on Christianity +RE -RE SAAR POLL, 2004. N=618

12. RE helps to understand other cultures +RE -RE SAAR POLL, 2004. N=618

13. Knowledge about Religions is necessary in order to understand the world’s cultural heritage -RE +RE SAAR POLL, 2004. N=618

14. Religious literacy is an important guarantee of religious freedom +RE -RE SAAR POLL, 2004. N=618

15. All Religions must be treated equally in RE SAAR POLL, 2004. N=618 +RE -RE

16. I do exist, I don’t exist…U. Nemvalts, “Postimees” 1995, 10.05

17. RE - Hot topic • Most debated issue in Education during last years • Delfi internet portal comments:

18. Critical statements • Religion and violence: • history of Christianity is soaked through with violence • Religion and Science are in antagonism • RE is a violation of human rights • brainwashing, secret plan of the Church • Religion obstructs free development of the individual Positive statements • RE is a guarantee of religious freedom • RE helps to understand cultures • Every human being believes into something

19. Researches: • Teachers of different subjects (2001) N = 157 From 11 schools • Upper secondary schoolpupils (2004) N = 102 From 3 schools, all studied RE • Students of Humanities in the University of Tartu before and after the studies in Christianity (2004) N1 = 276 N2 = 324

20. History of Christianity is soaked through with violence P. Valk, 2004 + = agree strongly; + = agree; ? = uncertain; - = disagree; -- = disagree strongly

21. Religion has been used as means to coerce working people into obedience by oligarhy (P. Valk) + = agree strongly; + = agree; ? = uncertain; - = disagree; -- = disagree strongly

22. P. Valk, 2004 Positions of Christianity clash with contemporary science + = agree strongly; + = agree; ? = uncertain; - = disagree; -- = disagree strongly

23. Religion ostructs the development of Science P. Valk, 2004 + = agree strongly; + = agree; ? = uncertain; - = disagree; -- = disagree strongly

24. RE is another form of brainwashing (P. Valk) + = agree strongly; + = agree; ? = uncertain; - = disagree; -- = disagree strongly

25. Religious literacy is an important guarantee of religious freedom (P. Valk) + = agree strongly; + = agree; ? = uncertain; - = disagree; -- = disagree strongly

26. Knowledge about religions is necessary in order to understand the world’s cultural heritage + = agree strongly; + = agree; ? = uncertain; - = disagree; -- = disagree strongly

27. Every human being believes into something P. Valk, 2004 + = agree strongly; + = agree; ? = uncertain; - = disagree; -- = disagree strongly

28. Some conclusions • RE has to address pupils’ questions and probelms– so what?! • dialogue and interaction as a very nature of RE didactics • social & cultural environment of teaching has to be taken into consideration when teaching RE =>context of RE

29. Model of Contextual Analyses Cultural-historical Background Traditions of RE in own Country RE in Other Countries RE Rel. Landscape Legislative Framework Attitudes towards RE RE and National Curriculum

30. Perspectives • Guarantee and support for RE • Legislative framework • Dynamic models for RE, openness • European standards – RE as a traditional part of European education • Religious topics in other subjects • Objective treatment • In-service teacher training • Including Religious Studies into teacher training programs