Abstract
Social and civic conflict inspired by the fundamental convictions of different religious groups seems to be rife all over the world, also in schools. One way of addressing this problem is to promote inter-religious dialogue. To establish the viability of this solution, the authors take several steps. They analyze the phenomenon “religion” and discover that it is constituted of several layers or levels that have to be accounted for in the proposed inter-religious dialogue in schools. After discussing the term “dialogue” they consider several approaches to religious diversity or plurality to find a suitable basis for the proposed inter-religious dialogue in schools. Based on these analyses, the authors argue that schools (teacher-educators and learners) should be allowed to engage in inter-religious dialogue as part of their pedagogical and civic duty. This will ensure a better understanding of others and their religions, also at the deepest spiritual level. Such comprehension can contribute to the more peaceful co-existence of people in religiously pluralist societies.
Highlights
Social and civic conflict inspired by the fundamental convictions of different religious groups seems to be rife all over the world, in schools
In 2004, a Bangladeshi Muslim girl living in Britain lost a legal battle for the right to wear full Islamic dress in school
2 There is anecdotal evidence of small-scale conflict in schools due to religious differences. These examples of social and civic conflict in schools and communities worldwide that can be ascribed to religious differences among groups[3] in modern pluralist societies underscore the importance of finding a solution to the problem
Summary
Research by Cnaan, Gelles and Sinha (2004:197) confirms that religion can “serve as a tool for social cohesion and reduced anomie”. The bombing of the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001 in New York shows, that religion, in this case in a fundamentalist-extremist form, can have a seriously deleterious effect on social cohesion and civic peace This attack was only one in a series of recent incidences associated with conflict inspired by religious differences[1] among people. Buruma and Margalit (2005:passim) confirmed this view in their investigation into the hostile stereotypes of the Western world that seem to fuel the hatred of Occidental fundamentalist movements These examples of social and civic conflict in schools and communities worldwide that can be ascribed to religious differences among groups[3] in modern pluralist societies underscore the importance of finding a solution to the problem. Our investigations are aimed at finding a way of eradicating and avoiding social and civic conflict due to fundamental differences between individuals and groups belonging to different religious denominations or groups, and in doing so, to aim at enhancing the quality of citizenship in such religiously diverse communities
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