A Social Model of Religious Education: The Case of USA and Latin American Countries

Abstract

While since the beginning of the twentieth century Religious Education was interested mostly in the psychological bases of religion and human development, after 1950s, it began to give a great importance on the sociological bases of religion due to the great chances in the modern world in terms of socio-economic justice. As a result of this understanding, religious educators began to ask the following question: How can religions contribute to solving these tremendous socio-economic injustices and violations of basic human rights prevailing in many countries. In this respect, some religious educators developed a new religious education model called “the model of social religious education.” This model is mainly based on the teachings of the Bible, namely preferential for the poor. In order to eradicate the poverty and prevent socio-economic injustices and tyrannies prevailing in the societies, the religious educators developed some methods in light of the teachings of the Bible. Although some scholars including the Church leaders criticize this model claiming that it includes the thoughts of Marks, some others advocate that these thoughts mainly contain the teachings of the Bible. How people evaluate this new model, it is a fact that only belief systems and some religious practices are not enough to solve the problems of modern world’s people. Therefore, religious educators should try to find new common solutions for these contemporary social, economic and political problems. This article is an attempt for this kind of effort developed in the Latin American Countries and the Unites States.

Keywords

• Religious Education, Sociological Religious Education, Liberation Theology, Socio-Economic Justice, Base Comminutes, Peace Education.

Sosyal Din Eğitimi Modeli: ABD ve Latin Amerika Ülkeleri Örneği

Abstract

Yirminci yüzyılın başlarında, din eğitimi daha çok din ve insan gelişiminin psikolojik temelleriyle uğraşırken, 1950'lerden sonra, modern dünyada sosyo-ekonomik açıdan meydana gelen büyük değişikliklere binaen, daha çok dinin sosyolojik temellerine önem vermeye başladı. Bu anlayışın bir sonucu olarak, din eğitimcileri şu soruyu sormaya başladılar: "Pek çok ülkede mevcut olan temel insan haklarının ihlalini ve sosyo-ekonomik adaletsizlikleri çözmede dinlerin ne tür bir katkısı olabilir?" Bu bağlamda, bazı din eğitimcileri, "Sosyal Din Eğitimi Modeli" diye yeni bir din eğitimi teorisi geliştirdiler. Bu model çoğunlukla İncil öğretilerine, yani yoksulluğun tercihine dayanmaktadır. Toplumdaki yoksulluğu ortadan kaldırmak ve sosyo-ekonomik adaletsizlikleri ve mevcut olan zulümleri engellemek için, Hıristiyan din eğitimcileri İncil öğretileri ışığında bazı yeni metotlar geliştirdiler. Her ne kadar bazı Kilise liderlerini de içeren bilim insanları, bu modelin Marks'ın düşüncelerini yansıttığını iddia ederek eleştiriyorlarsa da, diğer bir kısmı bu düşüncelerin temelde İncil öğretilerine dayandığını ileri sürmektedirler. Şunu tespit etmek gerekir ki sadece inanç sistemleri ve dini pratikler, modern dünya insanının sorunlarını çözmeye kâfi gelmemektedir. Bu yüzden, din eğitimcileri çağdaş toplumsal, ekonomik ve siyasi sorunlara yeni ortak çözümler üretmek zorundadırlar. Bu makale, Amerika kıtasında geliştirilmiş olan bu modele ilişkin bir çalışmayı içermektedir.

Keywords

• Din eğitimi, Sosyal Din Eğitimi Modeli, Özgürlükçü Teoloji, Toplumsal Organizasyon, Barış Eğitimi

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