THE ROLE OF STORYTELLING IN CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of teaching Christian Religious Studies (CRS) on students’ moral development in secondary schools in Apa Local Government (LGA) of Benue State. The study was guided by two specific purposes and two research questions. The researcher adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study was carried out in Benue State, Nigeria. A sample of 200 students, 20 CRS teachers and 10 school administrators were selected using purposive sampling technique. A structured questionnaire and interview were used for data collection. The instrument was validated and in the process a logical validity index of 0.75 was obtained. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha and an overall reliability coefficient of 0.98 was ascertained. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviations) was used to answer the research questions, while t-test statistics was employed in testing the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The finding of the study reveals among others that there was a significant impact of moral development of students in Apa LGA. Based on the above findings the following recommendations among other were made; The government should ensure that Christian religious studies is retained as a core subject in secondary school curricula in order to uphold the moral development of learners and also the teaching of Christian religious studies should lay emphasis not just on knowledge acquisition but should focus majorly on instilling moral values into learners so as to enhance their moral development.

This study aims to examine the implementation of the Islamic Religious Education (PAI) curriculum in shaping students' social cohesion at SMA Negeri 1 Takengon, Central Aceh Regency. It employs a qualitative approach through field study methods. Qualitative data—namely the activities related to PAI curriculum implementation at SMA Negeri 1 Takengon—were obtained via in-depth interviews with the school principal, PAI teachers, and students, as well as through observation and documentation. Data were analyzed inductively through reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions. The results reveal that the implementation of the PAI curriculum at SMA Negeri 1 Takengon has been effective in fostering students’ social awareness. PAI teachers play an active role not only in delivering instructional content but also in exemplifying and guiding students to live harmoniously amidst diversity. The internalization of social cohesion values is carried out through discussion methods, case studies, and experiential learning. The study concludes that the PAI curriculum contributes significantly to forming students' social cohesion when supported by appropriate teaching strategies and a conducive school environment. Strengthening teacher capacities and integrating multicultural values into the curriculum are necessary to make religious education a primary pillar in maintaining national social integrity.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the Influence of Christian Religious Studies (CRS) on the Moral Values and Ethical Development of Students in secondary schools in Apa Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State. The study was guided by two specific purposes, two research questions. The researcher adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study was carried out in Benue State, Nigeria. The Population of the Study comprised of Twenty CRS teachers, Ten school administrators and two thousand Secondary school students in Apa LGA. A sample of 200 students (100 CRS learners and 100 non-CRS learners) using stratified random sampling techniques and 20 CRS teachers and Ten (10) (Administrators) in the population were retained. A structured questionnaire and interview were used for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha and an overall reliability coefficient of 98 was ascertained. Descriptive statistics (percentages, means, and standard deviations) to summarize questionnaire responses Qualitative Data: Thematic analysis of interview responses and observation notes to identify recurring themes and insights. The finding of the study reveals among others that the curriculum of CRS in Apa LGA emphasizes values like: forgiveness and reconciliation, humility and self-discipline, love for others and tolerance, adherence to rules and respect for authority, and also students who receive CRS education generally demonstrate better moral judgment and ethical decision-making compared to their peers who do not. They are more likely to resolve conflicts amicably, respect authority, and exhibit a sense of responsibility in both school and community settings. Based on the above findings the following recommendations among others were made; Schools should design and implement activities that allow students to practice the moral values taught in CRS. This could include community service, social responsibility projects, and collaborative initiatives with local religious organizations to encourage students to apply their moral teachings in real-life contexts. Secondly, it is essential to strengthen the partnership between schools, parents, and religious institutions in the moral education of students. Schools should encourage parents to engage with the CRS curriculum and collaborate with local churches and religious bodies to create a more unified approach to moral education at home and in the community.

The perspectives article explores the prospects of integrating African Traditional Religion (ATR) in Uganda’s Religious Education (RE) curriculum for secondary schools. Uganda boasts of a rich cultural heritage that ranges from tangible religious sites to rituals, customs, traditions, taboos, wise sayings, proverbs, to traditional music and dances. ATR is not only an expression of African spirituality, but a representation of African philosophical epistemologies with the potential to shape young people into holistic, responsible adults. However, Uganda's educational framework marginalises and devalues ATR. Through qualitative theoretical research, the study investigated the prospects of integrating ATR in Religious Education. Qualitative research methods, including documentary review of curriculum documents, interviews and focus group discussions with selected teachers and religious leaders, were used to collect data. RE is an essential subject in Uganda’s curriculum; only Islam and Christianity are considered as religions in the secondary school curriculum. The rest of the religions are considered minor, insignificant and therefore, marginalised in Uganda's education system. The study found that today, Ugandans perceive ATR with a rejuvenated passion and confidence about the status of traditional beliefs and practices in their lives. Data indicates that ATR is scantly incorporated in a few learning outcomes of the curriculum but not in a way that would benefit learners’ academic growth. Yet, education is a sine qua non for illuminating the plight of African philosophy in academic discourses, spirituality and moral values. Subsequently, both literature and interaction with participants agree on the need to integrate ATR as a foundational component of Uganda's education framework.

This paper investigated the perceptions of Religious and Moral Education (RME) teachers with regard to the implementation of RME syllabus in Namibia. The paper engages a crucial global debate on paradigms for teaching religion and moral values while contributing to the literature through research in the Ompundja Circuit of Oshana Region, Namibia. Contrary to the previous colonial era when Christianity was the only recognized religion, the Republic of Namibia adopted a new constitution making it a secular state upon independence in 1990. This new constitution, however, brought new challenges to teachers who were previously trained only to teach Biblical Studies as a school subject. With this new constitution, Namibia adopted a policy of teaching a multi-cultural religious and moral education curriculum. The teaching of RME replaced Biblical Studies in the Namibian curriculum. Teachers are now required to make their learners aware of the different religious and moral values of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, African traditional religions, Bahai and others inextricably. This, paper, therefore, presents findings from a case study research conducted at Ompundja Circuit of Oshana Region in Namibia that examined the perceptions of Religious and Moral Education (RME) teachers with regard to the implementation of RME syllabus. Fourteen teachers from selected schools participated in this study. Teachers were interviewed, observed and later completed a set of questionnaire. Findings indicated that teachers’individual religious and moral values shaped the teaching and learning process; teachers’ individual religious and moral values played a major role regarding conflicting concerns over RME; and as most RME teachers were Christian, they felt a commitment to share their personal Christian religious beliefs and moral values. The paper recommends that teachers be provided with the necessary teaching resources and be trained to develop more confidence and broad understanding of RME as a subject.

This study explores the philosophical and theological foundations in the development of the Islamic Religious Education (PAI) curriculum for elementary schools. The study aims to synthesize a holistic approach that integrates religious, moral, and academic dimensions to strengthen students' character and faith. The research methodology employed is a qualitative approach, utilizing an extensive literature review to analyze relevant principles in Islamic philosophy and theology. The study focuses on developing the PAI curriculum based on a philosophical-theological framework derived from the Qur'an and Hadith. The main findings indicate that integrating these foundations supports a comprehensive learning experience, which not only encourages students' moral development but also enhances their understanding of Islamic teachings. The results highlight the significant role of philosophical and theological foundations in shaping an educational environment aligned with religious and educational goals. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of continuous curriculum evaluation to ensure its relevance in addressing modern educational challenges. This research contributes to the literature on curriculum development by offering a framework applicable in various educational contexts while emphasizing a balanced approach to religious education.

This study investigated the impact of visual instructional materials on the learning outcomes of primary school pupils in Christian Religious Studies (CRS) in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. It utilized relevant pictures depicting Bible stories during the instructional process. A quasi-experimental design was employed, featuring one experimental group and one control group. The participants consisted of 119 primary 5 pupils offering CRS, selected from the central area of Ado-Ekiti through a simple random technique. Data were collected using the Christian Religious Studies Achievement Test (CRSAT), and the research hypotheses were analyzed using t-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed a significant difference in the post-test scores between the experimental and control groups, indicating the effectiveness of the chalk and talk method supplemented with visual instructional materials. However, the interaction between treatment and gender was found to be statistically insignificant. Based on these findings, it is recommended that primary school teachers in Christian Religious Studies (CRS) adopt this method during the instructional process. The study was conducted within a constrained timeframe due to the school calendar. This study's contribution provides empirical validation of the effectiveness of the "chalk and talk" method supplemented with visual teaching materials in improving students' learning performance in Christian Religious Studies (CRS) subjects at the elementary school level. The findings provide important insights for developing effective teaching strategies in the elementary education curriculum. In addition, this study acknowledges the time constraints due to school schedules and recommends further research conducted over a more extended period or in different contexts to gain a broader understanding.

In African societies marked by religious pluralism, Christian Religious Education (CRE) and African Traditional Religious (ATR) practices coexist, often blending through syncretism and fostering dialogue that shapes moral values. This paper examines how the interplay between CRE and ATR influences ethical development in educational contexts, promoting interfaith understanding and social cohesion. Through an in-depth analysis of historical syncretism, shared moral frameworks, and innovative pedagogical strategies, the study highlights the potential of integrating these traditions to create inclusive curricula that respect cultural diversity while advancing universal ethical principles. The paper proposes actionable approaches for educators to navigate religious pluralism, address tensions, and leverage syncretism for moral education. The findings underscore the transformative role of dialogue in fostering ethical growth, cultural integration, and mutual respect in African educational systems.

Introduction. The article analyzes social security components and its interaction with social cohesion. Approaches to understanding social security and its elements are considered. Key approaches to understanding social cohesion and its components are presented. The main indicators of social security and social cohesion and their impact on society's current social development are investigated. Directions for further development of their effective interaction with the aim of forming high-quality social capital are identified. Aim. The aim of the article is to study key features of the formation of social security and cohesion, taking into account current trends in society. Method (methodology). The methodological foundation of the study is based on scientific works on the current state and peculiarities of the formation of social security and cohesion. Dialectical, systemic, and synergistic approaches were used at all stages of the study along with the methods of general scientific cognition: comparison, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction. Results. Globalization processes and current crises in the world, pandemic challenges and war in our country, the socio-economic problem of increased export orientation, dependence on energy imports and shortcomings in domestic market development significantly raise the issue of social security at all levels. The decline in the standard of living and quality of life, imperfect reforms in Ukraine's economy, social deformations and property inequalities that lead to aggravation of social confrontations in society require analysis and assessment of the level of social security in order to improve the population's welfare. In modern conditions, there are different approaches to defining social security and social cohesion. Moreover, the criteria and indicators of social security in the European Union have been considered and improved for quite some time. One of the possible indicators of the effectiveness of social security can be the Social Progress Index, which is an integral indicator and is determined by a number of parameters and criteria. The goal of further research is to structure the components of social security and clearly define the role of social cohesion in it.

This study compares the religious education (RE) curriculum policy in England and Indonesia focusing on state schools. It explores political, socio-cultural and religious principles informing the curricula, and investigates topical issues within the particular type of RE being promoted. The learning and teaching strategies employed to engage students with the curriculum are also discussed. We assert that multicultural and critical approaches need to be employed in educating pupils, in order to raise awareness of their responsibility to work toward more harmonious and prosperous societies. In practice, the writing uses content analysis by investigating policy documents issued by various government agencies. It is demonstrated that both countries politically support RE as a subject projected to build up social cohesion. In terms of religious principles, RE in England includes multiple religions and even non-religions such as Humanism in the curriculum, while RE in Indonesia has a mono-religious focus. RE in Indonesia only teaches pupils about their own faith and religious identity, whereas RE in England offers information about various religious and non-religious philosophies or life-orientations. In brief, RE in England employs religious and non-religious exploration to build a broad knowledge of many religions, while RE in Indonesia tends to endorse religious judgment and commitment. This suggests that Indonesia and England have divergent views regarding the multi-cultural understand that is constructed by the two curricula. The multicultural and critical approaches discussed in the study are offered as tools to develop strategies to improve RE curricula so as to produce students with greater religious and cultural competence.

The study aims at consideration of modern academic and applied approaches to the construction of social and cultural cohesion as a component of social cohesion in order to further explore the prospects for the consolidation of Ukrainian society. Methods. Interdisciplinary approach, axiological approach, structural analysis, methods of political science and sociology are used to study the division of modern societies along the lines of ethnic, linguistic, religious differences, and inequality of opportunities to fully perform their potential through education, access to health care, digital technology, communication, income gap, ideological differences that hinder internal transformations. It is founded that the growing gap in opportunities and inequality exacerbated by the pandemic creates an environment of mistrust both within societies and between collective communities, an atmosphere of alienation and irritation, which often become conflict triggers. Such social fragmentation and differentiation raise the question of inclusion and exclusion of individuals and collective groups (in particular, states) in / from the sphere of social interaction and, as a consequence, generates academic and analytical search for answers to the question of social cohesion as a guarantee of steadily progressive development and hence, security. The deficit of socio-cultural cohesion as a high degree of solidarity and cohesion between groups and members of these groups, which should be a fundamental prerequisite for building resilience, makes the state vulnerable to external threats and makes the national security system poorly managed. It is this context that challenges Ukraine with construction of socio-cultural cohesion as a guarantee of progressive security development and resilience. The study analyses approaches to the interpretation of social and cultural cohesion in the modern search for conflict-free forms of interaction, the dichotomy of social and cultural / social cohesion in the approaches of international governmental organizations to the assessment of political and social transformations. Recommendations are provided for building the social and cultural cohesion of Ukrainian society on the basis of indicators for assessing social and cultural integrity, taking into account the international political context and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

This research examines the integration of ulos culture in Christian religious education for multicultural communities in Indonesia, by utilizing a Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) approach. Amid the cultural and religious diversity that exists in Indonesia, Christian religious education is often trapped in a paradigm that does not consider local cultural diversity, such as the ulos culture which is very strong in the life of the Batak people. This culture has spiritual and social values that can enrich the learning of Christianity but is often marginalized in religious education curricula which are more focused on aspects of the teachings and doctrines of the religion itself. This research aims to examine how the ulos culture, which is a symbol of local Batak wisdom, can be integrated into Christian religious education through the CRP approach to create an inclusive learning space that respects cultural diversity. In this research, the author used a qualitative method with a literature study approach. The results of research on the integration of ulos culture in Christian religious education through a culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) approach recommend a model of Christian religious education that is multidimensional, empowering, transformative, emancipatory, and promotes equality and social justice. It is hoped that this can enrich understanding, experience, and strengthen social ties, especially in a multicultural context.

THE INTENTION OF THE ANALYSIS in this paper was to determine, from interviews with 11 early years' teachers, what informed their knowledge of children's learning and teaching strategies regarding moral development. Overall, the analysis revealed four main categories: definitions of moral behaviour, understanding of children's learning, pedagogy for moral learning, and the source of knowledge for moral pedagogy. Children's learning was attributed by five of the teachers to incidental/contextual issues. Nine of the teachers reported using pedagogies that involved discussion of issues, in various contexts, as a way of teaching about social and moral issues. The majority of the teachers ( n = 7) described the source of their knowledge of pedagogy as practical/observed as opposed to being theoretically informed. There was no clear relationship between teachers' definitions, understanding of children's learning, pedagogy or source of knowledge. These results suggests a strong need for the teaching of moral development to be given more prominence and addressed directly in in-service courses so that teachers are clear about their intentions and the most effective ways of achieving them.

This study is an attempt to address the issue of religion in the public sphere and secularism. Since the Eastern Orthodox Church has been established by the Greek constitution (1975) as the prevailing religion of Greece, there are elements of legal agreements- which inevitably spawn interactions- between state and Church in different areas. One such area is Religious Education. This article focuses on Religious Education (RE) in Greece which is a compulsory school subject and on two important interventions that highlight the interplay between religion, politics and education: firstly the new Curriculum for RE (2011) and secondly the introduction of an Islamic RE (2014) in a Greek region (Thrace) where Christians and Muslims have lived together for more than four centuries. The researches are based on fieldwork research and they attempt to open the discussion on the role of RE in a secular education system and its potential for coexistence and social cohesion.

This article explores the concept of 'adaptive symbiosis' between religion and culture, challenging the notion of religions as static or immutable entities by showcasing their dynamic engagement with and adaptation to local cultural contexts. The notion of ‘adaptive symbiosis’ transcends mere coexistence or amalgamation, embodying a deep, complex process of mutual adaptation. Within this evolutionary dance, both religion and culture emerge not merely as participants but as co-creators of a new reality. Through the examination of various religious traditions—such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and others—it illustrates how religions evolve in symbiotic relationships with host cultures, leading to the creation of hybrid cultural-religious identities. Highlighting the mechanisms of biological adaptation—mutualism, amensalism, commensalism, and parasitism—as metaphors, the article delves into the complex interplay between religious teachings and cultural integration. It argues against viewing religions as immutable, instead presenting them as evolving entities that contribute to the richness and diversity of human civilization, especially in the context of globalization. This dynamic, evolving space of adaptive negotiations underlines the importance of understanding the fluid nature of cultural and religious boundaries in contributing to novel forms of expression and identity. Through this exploration, we aim to shed light on the enduring and evolving relationship between religion and culture, highlighting how this dynamic interplay contributes to the richness and diversity of human civilization.