This article presents a developmental-spiritual framework for childhood worship education based on a pedagogical reading of the hadith Buniyal-Isl & amacr;m 'al & amacr; Khams. Using a conceptual-interpretive method, it integrates Islamic sources with developmental theories (Bandura, Erikson, Fowler, Kohlberg, and Piaget) and Islamic educational thought. Each Islamic pillar is aligned with a specific age range (3-14 years), supporting age-appropriate, embodied, and participatory practices. The model critiques Iran's propositional religious curriculum and promotes child-centered, experiential learning in home, school, and mosque. By positioning children as spiritual meaning makers, this framework offers a transformative vision for Islamic education in contemporary pluralistic contexts.
Holy Listening is an innovative spiritual practice developed by the Children's Spirituality Research & Innovation Hub that involves adults meeting one-on-one in preschool classrooms with two-to-five-year-olds for spiritual reflection. The process is facilitated by the use of battery-operated candles, deep breathing, finger labyrinths, a set of small stones with simple images, and a blessing. This paper examines data gathered from two-and-a-half years of research involving seven sites and over 150 children. It includes findings related to the children's experiences (as recorded by facilitators in verbatims), as well as critical reflections on the effectiveness of the practice as a form of spiritual nurture for young children.
This article explores how two curriculum units, one begun in the early 1980s and the other in 2024, the first intended for Jewish high school students and the second for Christian adult education groups, are linked. Both are focused on discussion of a moral dilemma posed by a sacred text. Following descriptions of the two units, how they were composed, and how they are connected, reflections are offered regarding educational lessons learned along the way, and when, where, and how the resulting materials might continue to prove useful.
In the context of religious education aimed at promoting moral behavior among adolescents, the role of affection remains a critical question that warrants further investigation. This study surveyed 212 adolescents, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist, aged 12 to 18 years, who attended Buddhist classes at three Tr & uacute;c L & acirc;m (Bamboo Forest) Zen monasteries, and it conducted in-depth interviews with 12 participants. The findings revealed that adolescents who had taken refuge engaged less frequently in risky behaviors. Their Buddhist religious affection appeared to motivate them to explore Buddhist teachings more deeply, thereby enhancing their understanding of Buddhist doctrines and contributing to their moral development.
Utilizing the theoretical framework of Caillois and Durkheim's sacred-profane dichotomy, this qualitative study explores perceptions of the priesthood's dual nature among six students at Moscow theological academies. Analysis of semi-structured interviews reveals idealized views, the impact of mentors, and strategies of sacralization through distancing. This small-scale research is crucial for understanding Russia's unique religious context and provides insights into the formation of professional identities in the priesthood and the crucial role of religious mentors in this process, thereby translating the problem of the present study into the realm of theological education and pastoral formation.
The rapid advancement of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) has intensified global inequalities, especially impacting marginalized communities and resource-scarce nations. This phenomenon, known as "Digital Colonialism," reflects the persistence of colonial ideologies and the militarization of AI, posing threats to human dignity and global justice. A postcolonial approach interrogates the ideological foundations behind technological development and promotes respect for life, dignity, and creation. This study explores how postcolonial perspectives foster ethical discernment to confront digital colonialism and mitigate the harmful consequences of unchecked technological advancement.
Since the time of Socrates, technology has been viewed as inferior and an external aspect of human formation, and its alienation has led to its instrumentalization. This article argues that digital technology functions as an ecosystem rather than merely a tool for religious pedagogical discourse. It allows us to move beyond and overcome the previous dichotomy and foster dynamic engagement with it. The article endorses three concepts for creating a digital pedagogical environment: logomathia (the substance of a course), praxamathia (the praxis and performative aspect), and pathamathia (the affective dimension).
This article examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in religious education through a Wesleyan theological framework. Engaging the doctrines of prevenient grace, social holiness, and connectionalism, it evaluates the potential of AI to enhance learner-centered pedagogy while safeguarding the relational, embodied, and communal nature of spiritual formation. Rather than treating AI as a neutral tool, the study considers its ethical and theological implications, proposing design principles rooted in grace, accountability, and human dignity. The article offers a theological framework for discerning AI's role in religious education, emphasizing formation over efficiency and community over technological convenience.
This study presents an autoethnographic account of teaching a mandatory Christian general education course at a Christian-founded university in South Korea with a diverse student body. It explores the challenges, pedagogical strategies, and student responses that shaped the course, highlighting how the author navigated tensions inherent in this context through "teaching Christianity as it is" and fostering critical inquiry. Conceptualized as an education for "literacy seeking understanding," the study argues that Christian general education can be reconceived as a site for cultivating critical religious literacy.
