THE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SHAPING THEIR CHARACTER,
THE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SHAPING THEIR CHARACTER,

Summary/Abstract: The students’ religious education was and still is a controversial issue in Romania. Although our countryis mainly orthodox, having powerful traditions, culture and spirituality, with an applied bi-millenary faith,there are opinions against the necessity to perform religious education in schools, opinions based onunfounded and inconsistent reasoning. Religious education is beneficial, as it helps the child become aresponsible, balanced, optimistic adult, having a healthy vision of life, with multiple psychological andspiritual advantages, as well as an open, tolerant and receptive attitude towards the needs of others andwilling to help. Religious education shares authentic values, such as kindness, altruism, moderation, lovefor our fellow human beings, faith, hope, and it takes man closer to our Creator, which, at difficult timesis a real landmark, a powerful inner support. The diagnosis of our current society shows the promotion offake heroes and values, the loss of self, the alienation and isolation of people, the adoption of a selfish andindividualistic behavior, and lack of care for our fellow human beings, excessive technology, anddefective communication. To help these generations of students develop, it is necessary for them toreceive a healthy education, aiming both at their soul and their mind, based on acquiring knowledge, butalso on shaping personalities with ethical and moral principles and a kind character. Religious educationin schools helps students with parables, models of behavior, authentic axiological landmarks that areabsolutely necessary during this period, when characters are shaped. The present study aims at achievingan investigating on the way students perceive religious education and its impact on shaping theircharacter, especially at the beginning of teenage when temptations, immaturity and the changes they gothrough make them vulnerable and prone to wrong choices, which can sometimes have negativeconsequences for the rest of their lives.

• Details
• Contents