Ignatian Pedagogy and Its Religious Inspirations

Abstract

Research Objective: The aim of this article is to shed light on the religious inspirations that underpin Ignatian Pedagogy.
 The research problem and methods:The research problems involve questions concerning the most important ideas of Ignatian spirituality, which are based on the existential experience of St. Ignatius Loyola, and which are a source of inspiration for Ignatian Pedagogy. Based on the literature, the fundamental ideas of Ignatian Spirituality and their influence on the emergence and development of Ignatian Pedagogy were analysed.
 The process of argumentation:Starting from the historical stages of the formation of the key elements of Jesuit spirituality, the key moments of the spiritual experience of St Ignatius of Loyola are shown. The interpretation of the tenets of the Ignatian tradition and its spirituality made it possible to identify the vital ideas that constitute the sources of Ignatian Pedagogy.
 Research results:The analysis leads to the conclusion that the modern concept of education should be built on the proper concept of the human being. One of the proposals is the concept of a person that we find in Ignatian Pedagogy. It is inspired by Ignatian Spirituality and describes humanity in the perspective of God’s creative act and His love. In this context, the issues of individuality and freedom of each person are especially important. 
 Conclusions, innovations and recommendations: Human existence in the changing and globalised world means a constant need to respond to change. Therefore, education should be understood as the familiarisation of students with change, which is a necessary condition for their development and thus for the progress of society. The Ignatian Pedagogy is effective in this regard, as it assumes an all-round development of a person and involves another person, an educator/mentor, who acts as a kind of witness to the ongoing history of life.