Ο χαρακτήρας και ο σκοπός του Μαθήματος των Θρησκευτικών: Έρευνα για τις αντιλήψεις των Θεολόγων-Εκπαιδευτικών στη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση με κριτήριο τις θρησκευτικές πεποιθήσεις τους. / The character and purpose of Religious Education

Abstract

Τhis article attempts to explore the perspectives of in-service secondary Religious Education teachers in Greece concerning the aims of Religious Education (RE) in schools and the potential correlation between their educational methods or practices and their religious beliefs. The survey was conducted in 2020-21. The method was the completion of anonymous questionnaires by 259 secondary RE teachers. The quantitative analysis of the results showed that RE teachers tend to prefer all pedagogical approaches with a dim priority in the modern and postmodern approach, without marginalizing the pre – modern. In terms of their teaching methods, the results showed that they give high priority in the aims of the RE (why) and afterwards to the method (how) and to the content (what). As far as their personal religious belief is concerned, it seems to affect their preference for the aims of RE, since the higher it is, the more they prefer the pre- modern – traditional and the modern educational approach rather than the post-modern. Faith also seems to have a very important role in the life of RE teachers.