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In the western world, there has been a change in religion. Some researchers speak of a general secularization in the sense of a decline of religion in general. Other researchers claim that religion, represented by the dominant churches in particular, are losing importance. Still others are discovering that religious vitality is an inherent dimension of modernity. The analytical profit might be the greatest if empirical researchers succeed in achieving some sort of balance between functional and substantial dimensions of religion. This is the goal of the authors of this volume. It is in this balance that the task of practical theology rests: to reflect on the tension between traditional Christian religion and actual religious practice and to open up perspectives for action in the pastoral practice and teaching. Hans-Georg Ziebertz, series editor, is professor of practical theology/pedagogics of religion at the University of Wrzburg, Germany.
The Promise of Ecumenical Interpretation pursues its ecumenical goals by allowing the Bible itself to serve as the point of commonality. The volume retains the Bible's centrality as a guideline for individual faith and for the institutional design of churches in the context of contemporary social conflicts. The authors--one Protestant, one Catholic, one Orthodox--present ten unifying theses on the understanding and function of a conception of Scripture under the sign of Sola Scriptura. They agree that only Scripture, when correctly understood, bears witness to good news for everyone, and that only a shared, expectant, and critical turn to Scripture makes sustainable ecumenism possible. This is the basis for bringing biblical insights to the conditions that make community life possible amid the global and local, ecclesiastical and social conflicts of the present.
Can children theologize without substantial requirements? Initially, the movement of child theology accentuated children’s original theological creativity. But in the last years, several authors point out that children need theological food in order to originally theologize. One of the most appropriate medium are children’s books. This volume presents the lectures of the international symposium “Children’s books: Nurture for children’s theology”. Proven experts demonstrate empirically studied strategies in order to stimulate children’s theological reasoning, be it about God, Jesus as the savior, death, the soul, Christmas and many other theological topics more. This reader presents the state of the art in theologizing with children stimulated by children’s books.
Visiting the local church is said to be a powerful case of participa tory learning. Inside the church the students have an actual, multi-sensory encounter with Christian practice. Moreover, leaving the classroom to visit some artifact nearby is attractive and is said to raise the situational interest of the students. An empirical study on the effects of such field trips, however, is still missing. This volume addresses this research gap in religious education. It provides insight into the theoretical background, the empirical design and the results of a project about field trips to the local church in compulsory Catholic religious education in German primary schools. It draws a comprehensive picture of such effects by identifying the benefits of scholastic field trips as well as the obstacles of this didactic set-up. The volume closes with a description of didactic principles and methods which help to improve scholastic field trips to the local church. Ulrich Riegel ist Professor für Religionspädagogik am Seminar für Katholische Theologie der Universität Siegen.
Bildungsprozesse mit, in und durch digitale Medien etablieren sich zunehmend in der Schule. Die einzelnen Fachdidaktiken stehen vor der Herausforderung, Methoden und Themen, die diesen inhärent sind, für sich zu bewerten und Sinnvolles zu integrieren, indem sie es für das jeweilige Fach entsprechend modifizieren. Der Lehrkraft kommt dabei eine entscheidende Rolle zu. Die vorliegende empirische Arbeit analysiert die Faktoren, die eine Integration digitaler Medien in den Ethik- bzw. Religionsunterricht bedingen, vor dem Hintergrund der jeweiligen Fachdidaktik, um mögliche Handlungsoptionen für die Lehrkräfteausbildung zu benennen.