Moral Education as Grounded in Faith

Abstract

Abstract Inquiry into the grounding of moral education inevitably raises questions of the relation of morality and religion. To break through this perplexing issue, it is helpful to shift conceptual ground and focus on moral education as grounded in faith. Consistent with Cantwell Smith and Tillich, faith can be understood as that which is of ultimate concern, that which is the focus of trust and commitment. Kohlberg's theory is examined in this essay as a test case for the claim that moral education is grounded in faith. It is argued that a pre‐reflective acceptance of the intrinsic worth of persons represents the convictional core of Kohlberg's theory. The worth of persons is accepted by Kohlberg not as a conclusion of reason, but as an article of faith. This convictional core lends a radically human‐centered thrust to Kohlberg's theory, and brings it into varying degrees of tension with orientations which operate from a differing convictional core. If it makes sense to regard moral education as grounded in faith, then the issue of the grounding of moral education in a pluralistic society becomes acute. The concept of pluralism is examined, and a strategy of fostering the public educational expression of varying convictional orientations is proposed.