Greek-Catholic Religious Education in the Primary and Secondary School Systems in Eastern Galicia (in the Second Half of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries): Legislation, Curricula, Realities

Abstract

This essay outlines the significance and position of religious education in the primary and secondary education systems in Austria-Hungary around the turn of the twentieth century. The powers of the state and the Church in the organization of these lessons and their means of control over them are indicated. The growing attention of the Church and the clergy to improving the quality of lessons of worship is emphasized, which occurred in response to the deterioration of the moral condition of young people, the spread of religious indifference, atheism, and the growing popularity of leftist ideologies. The clergy's rethinking of the methodology of teaching religion is shown. The measures of the Church to improve textbooks on this subject, increase the requirements for the education and moral and human qualities of priest-candidates for the position of catechists are traced. Emphasis is placed on the importance of religion lessons as an influential factor in the formation of the national identity and consciousness of Ukrainian youth. Special attention is paid to the problem of the opposition of the Greek Catholic clergy to the Latinization and Polonization activities of Polish circles, and in particular to measures to protect the right to teach religion in the Ukrainian language.