The (non)transgressive character of religious education for children and young people in Polish schools

ABSTRACT

Social debate in Poland revolve around the legitimacy of the current model of religious education. Statistical research shows adramatic decline in the number of youth attending religious lessons, and the decreasing interest in religious education. Atransgressive approach might overcome the crisis. The purpose of this research is to look for the answer to the following questions: to what extent should current religious education in Polish schools betransgressive?, and to what extent is it capable of transgressing the limits of self-understanding to take up contemporary challenges in apluralistic society? The authors have analysed the model of religious education in Polish schools. The analyzes required attention to both the psychological and socio-culturaldeterminants of religious education. The secondary analyzes of pedagogical, sociological and theological literature were enriched by referring to the practice and the previous research results at national and international level. The analysis and processing of data and information from existing sources allowed them to draw conclusions regarding the (non)transgressive character of religious education in Poland. The results of the research conducted prove that both the formation of religious teachers and the very concept of teaching religion in Polish schools should be thoroughly revised.

KEYWORDS:

• Religious education
• transgression
• dialogue
• culture
• school
• religion teacher

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna Zellma

Anna Zellma is a professor of theological sciences; holds the Chair of the Department of Pastoral Theology and Catechetics at the Faculty of Theology at University of Warmi and Mazury in Olsztyn; member of the board of the Association of Polish Catechists; consultor of the Catholic Education Committee of the Polish Episcopal Conference, member of the Committee for Science Evaluation, member of the European Equipe for Catechesis (EEC). Author of three monographs, co-author of two monographs and numerous scientific and popular science articles in the field of integral catechetics, Christian pedagogy and family studies.

Address: Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie, Wydział Teologii, 11-041 Olsztyn ul. Kard. Hozjusza 15. Orcid:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3612-3454; email: [email protected]

Roman Buchta

Roman Buchta – dr hab. prof. University of Silesia in Katowice; Director of the Catechetical Department of the Katowice Archdiocese; President of the European Forum for Religious Education in Schools (EuFRES); ambassador of the Internationales Bildungsnetzwerk PILGRIM (Vienna). Organizer of international and national scientific conferences devoted to broadly understood religious pedagogy. Author of numerous studies on teaching religion at school and parish catechesis. Particular research interests focus on the issues of Christian mystagogy.

Address: Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach, Wydział Teologiczny, 00-043 Katowice, ul. Jordana 18. Orcid:https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9984-3910; email: [email protected].

Wojciech Cichosz

Wojciech Cichosz is a professor at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (Poland); Dean of the Faculty of Theology and the Chief of the Chair of Social Sciences and Canon Law; pedagogue, philosopher and theologian; deals with Christian pedagogy and upbringing, in particular Catholic Education. Author of many books and articles.

Address: Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika, Wydział Teologiczny, 87-100 Toruń, ul. Gagarina 37, Tel:[phone]. Orcid:https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0839-2179; www.cichosz.pl; email: [email protected].