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Interreligious Dialogue in Education
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Interreligious Dialogue in Education

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 15687

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Ruth Vilà

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education, University of Barcelona, Pg. de la Vall d’Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: intercultural dialogue in education; interreligious dialogue in education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the journal Religions aims to offer an interdisciplinary space for reflection and debate in which the issue of interreligious dialogue in education can be explored. 

The increasing plurality of religions and worldviews in society has major implications for religious communication in both public and private settings. The ongoing migration has precipitated a vast reforming of spaces at the educational institution. From a monoreligious setting, it is becoming a centre for multireligious and interreligious education, community and practices. We are continually challenged by pedagogical and methodological questions that both confound and excite us: colonized spaces of well-honed theological methodologies and practices are called into question; hybrid, hyphenated religious identities disrupt and reform the spaces we inhabit and the expectations we carry. In this call we examine the shifting realities that contribute to an emerging pedagogy as we are being reformed into a interreligious educational community. The emerging field of Interfaith and Interreligious Studies provides useful language, concepts, and methods that can be applied to research and sources within established academic disciplines to create new pedagogical models to better equip students to live well in a religiously diverse context. Interreligious learning is viewed as a key educational task today. Increasing religious plurality in our societies and associated risks of societal tensions and conflicts necessitate that student deal at school with other religions, their belief systems, and the social reality of those who believe in them. This call seeks to address what it means to adopt the pedagogical concept of competence within the context of inter-religious learning. The experience of religious diversity and plurality marks the starting point of inter-religious learning, which is understood as a transforming process that is circularly fed back to situational conditions. Inter-religious competence means the desired or factual outcome of this process in relation to life-world-related demands and with limited generalisation in respect of new challenges.

To what extent is a pedagogic model in which pupils are encouraged to participate in an interreligious dialogue adequate for coping with this religious plurality? To address this question, the author discusses the following research questions: what are the cognitive, the affective and the attitudinal effects of the interreligious model for religious education, and can this model be legitimised? These questions are considered in the context of a discussion of the meaning of religion and an elaboration of the aim of religious education within the context of a secularized and multicultural society.

This Special Issue aims to offer an interdisciplinary space for reflection and debate in which the issue of interreligious dialogue in education can be explored. 

The research subjects are theoretic-conceptual models, didactic and methodological approaches, and empirical analyses on applied interreligious projects within pedagogical practice, and suggestions on the future of interreligious pedagogical research. It lifts up the trends, opportunities, issues, and challenges in interreligious education.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Ruth Vilà
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

 

Keywords

  • interreligious learning
  • interreligious education
  • interreligious dialogue
  • interreligious pedagogy
  • interreligious competencies
  • interfaith learning

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Ethics Education in the Context of an Interreligious Encounter Day (IED): Empirical Research Results from Austria
by Karsten Lehmann
Religions 2024, 15(4), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040389 - 23 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1037
Abstract
This article adds an empirical contribution to international discussions on interreligious education, taking the point of view of the academic study of religion. It presents results from a Viennese research project that used a participant observation design to analyze one of the more [...] Read more.
This article adds an empirical contribution to international discussions on interreligious education, taking the point of view of the academic study of religion. It presents results from a Viennese research project that used a participant observation design to analyze one of the more recent pedagogical formats to deal with religious plurality at school—the so-called Interreligious Encounter Day (IED). More precisely this article focuses on the role of Ethics Education (EE) within the context of a specific IED that was organized in 2019. Along those lines, it highlights the ambiguity of IED practices at a school by presenting a threefold argument: first, the article makes the point that the IED opened up a space to explicitly make religion a subject of discussion at school. Second, it argues that—within the context of the IED—religion is constructed in a specific way that can be described as ‘school religion’. Third, it proposes that the observed IED format has the tendency to prioritize specific individual constructions of religion—especially those prompted by theology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
16 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue Competences in Adolescents in Barcelona and Melilla (Spain)
by Inmaculada Alemany-Arrebola, Miguel Ángel Gallardo-Vigil, María del Mar Ortiz-Gómez and Ruth Vilà-Baños
Religions 2024, 15(2), 211; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15020211 - 9 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1346
Abstract
Contemporary societies are increasingly multireligious, multiethnic, and multicultural, but to what extent are they ready for coexistence? This paper evaluates the competencies for intercultural and interreligious dialogue in two very different contexts: Barcelona and Melilla, two cities with great ethnic and cultural diversity, [...] Read more.
Contemporary societies are increasingly multireligious, multiethnic, and multicultural, but to what extent are they ready for coexistence? This paper evaluates the competencies for intercultural and interreligious dialogue in two very different contexts: Barcelona and Melilla, two cities with great ethnic and cultural diversity, in which it is easy to have contact with people of different cultures and religions. To this end, we worked with a total of 1353 adolescents and young people, and four scales were used to evaluate intercultural and interreligious sensitivity, conflict management skills, and prejudices towards unaccompanied migrant minors. The findings suggest that in neither of these two contexts do adolescents and young people form relationships with these minors, despite accepting religious diversity and being educated at school in topics relating to coexistence and spirituality. In fact, participants showed a high level of prejudice towards this population. Implementation of more effective intervention programs in both cities is therefore recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
16 pages, 1396 KiB  
Article
Speak Catalan to Me, I’m a Catalan Muslim Woman: Producing Proposals for Religious and Education Policy through Participatory Research from a Gender Perspective
by Assumpta Aneas, Núria Lorenzo Ramírez, Marta Simó Sánchez and Alba Ambrós Pallarés
Religions 2024, 15(2), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15020141 - 23 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1191
Abstract
Specific groups of Catalan citizens, in spite of them being socially and professionally integrated, suffer the risk of exclusion or segregation on grounds of identity, one example being those who identify with Islam. This study arises from a prospective research project centred on [...] Read more.
Specific groups of Catalan citizens, in spite of them being socially and professionally integrated, suffer the risk of exclusion or segregation on grounds of identity, one example being those who identify with Islam. This study arises from a prospective research project centred on a case study with the Catalan Muslim Women’s Association. The main objective was to formulate public policy proposals on education, religion, and gender to be included in the Citizenship and Immigration Plan, through a process based on the women’s participation and testimony. The study was divided into two phases: the participatory research followed by evaluation of the applicability of the resulting proposals. It was conducted through semi-structured interviews (n = 37), a discussion group (n = 21), and a round table (n = 31). Oral and textual qualitative data were gathered and analysed using the Ivàlua logical framework. Results for education policy urge the creation of a new professional specialist mediating between all actors. Those for religion call for public spaces for religious practice. In relation to gender, participants continued to demand policies that do not discriminate against Muslim women. In summary, religion is a resource that supports identities, beliefs, and practices, with both empowering and disempowering effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
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14 pages, 826 KiB  
Article
Nurturing Faith and Enlightening Minds: Assumptionist Education in the Ottoman Empire
by Ediz Hazir
Religions 2024, 15(1), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010132 - 20 Jan 2024
Viewed by 2368
Abstract
The text explores the educational activities of French Roman Catholic missions in the nineteenth century, as they evolved from serving local Catholic needs to becoming crucial assets in advancing France’s religious–cultural influences and the Holy See’s efforts to unify Eastern Christian Churches under [...] Read more.
The text explores the educational activities of French Roman Catholic missions in the nineteenth century, as they evolved from serving local Catholic needs to becoming crucial assets in advancing France’s religious–cultural influences and the Holy See’s efforts to unify Eastern Christian Churches under Rome. Focused on the Mission d’Orient, initiated during Pius IX’s papacy, this study delves into the Assumptionists’ educational activities in the Ottoman Empire (1863–1914), which aimed to inculturate the Christian communities of the Ottoman Empire, achieve union with Rome, and build a bridge of knowledge between the Ottoman Orient and Europe. Employing a transnational historical approach, this research utilizes primary sources from the Holy See and the Assumptionist Order, examining religious and educational interactions with Ottoman millets. This article argues that Assumptionist institutions succeeded in inculturation and acted as bridges for cultural exchange. The context includes the French protectorate of the Ottoman Empire, the protégé system, and the Capitulations of 1740, demonstrating the Holy See’s use of political and religious alliances. The Assumptionists, influential in advancing the Holy See’s interests, are studied regarding their engagement in France and the Orient. Despite valuable insights from existing research, this article seeks to fill gaps by using Assumptionists as a case study, exploring the specific impacts of their education on various religious groups within the context of France’s religious–cultural imperialism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
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13 pages, 298 KiB  
Article
The Abu Dhabi Document: A Potential Cornerstone for Islamic-Christian Dialogue in Italian Educational Contexts
by Antonio Cuciniello
Religions 2024, 15(1), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010112 - 16 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1866
Abstract
In Italy, the migratory phenomenon has also had an impact on the school system, becoming an interesting potential field for intercultural and inter-religious encounters. As regards, for instance, the presence of pupils and students and their families of Islamic faith, very frequently, emphasis [...] Read more.
In Italy, the migratory phenomenon has also had an impact on the school system, becoming an interesting potential field for intercultural and inter-religious encounters. As regards, for instance, the presence of pupils and students and their families of Islamic faith, very frequently, emphasis is placed almost exclusively on specific issues and requests, such as exemption from the teaching of the Catholic religion or specific diet. On the other hand, we rarely discuss how the presence of diverse faiths can create a unique opportunity for mutual knowledge to spread and promote the “culture of encounter”. In fact, engagement with religious others is an unavoidable duty, both pedagogical and civic. Therefore, starting from an analysis of pedagogical-educational aspects of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, the aim of this article is to outline a rethinking of the concept of intercultural/inter-religious dialogue, above all as a pedagogical challenge and a preventive measure against extremism, within the broad framework of inclusive citizenship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
9 pages, 235 KiB  
Article
Intercultural Dialogue in Diverse Classrooms: Debating the Socratic Dialogue Method from a Postcolonial Perspective
by Thor-André Skrefsrud
Religions 2024, 15(1), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010098 - 12 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1850
Abstract
This article provides a critical examination of the Socratic Dialogue method, exploring its potential benefits and pitfalls in fostering intercultural and interreligious understanding in the classroom. Drawing on postcolonial theoretical perspectives, the analysis delves into the method’s capacity to amplify marginalized student voices [...] Read more.
This article provides a critical examination of the Socratic Dialogue method, exploring its potential benefits and pitfalls in fostering intercultural and interreligious understanding in the classroom. Drawing on postcolonial theoretical perspectives, the analysis delves into the method’s capacity to amplify marginalized student voices while acknowledging the risk of unintentional silencing. Emphasizing the importance of teachers’ attentiveness to diverse experiences, this article underscores the need for a nuanced approach that avoids othering opinions and rationales that are different from the mainstream. The study calls for an academic challenge to the idealization of dialogue, urging deeper reflection to identify blind spots and ensure an inclusive intercultural dialogue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
11 pages, 298 KiB  
Article
Interreligious Competence (IRC) in Students of Education: An Exploratory Study
by Assumpta Aneas, Carmen Carmona, Tamar Shuali Trachtenberg and Alejandra Montané
Religions 2024, 15(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010021 - 21 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1425
Abstract
(1) Background: The purpose of this study is to present a scale for the assessment of interreligious competence (IRC) and to make a first descriptive appraisal of future educators, focused on their capacity to cope with conflicts. (2) Results: The relationship between IRC [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The purpose of this study is to present a scale for the assessment of interreligious competence (IRC) and to make a first descriptive appraisal of future educators, focused on their capacity to cope with conflicts. (2) Results: The relationship between IRC and strategies to cope with conflict is noteworthy. Significant correlations have been found between interreligious competence and coping strategies, mainly in emotional IRC. (3) Methods: A survey study included 1175 undergraduate students in educational science. Descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses were performed. (4) Conclusions: The IRC scale received empirical support regarding its validity and reliability and contributes to the repertoire of assessment tools which facilitate quantitative analysis of IRC. The results demonstrate that one’s ability to manage the emotional climate that arises from conflict and interaction with others is in part explained by three types of coping associated with emotional IRC. Coping with conflicts due to involving individuals from different backgrounds, particularly in terms of religion, requires a multifaceted and culturally competent approach. Developing interreligious competence is crucial in fostering understanding, mitigating tensions, and promoting emotional and harmonious coexistence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
14 pages, 503 KiB  
Article
Intercultural and Interreligious Competences of Youth: A Case Study in a Secondary School in Barcelona
by Carolina Quirós Domínguez, Valeria De Ormaechea Otarola and Montserrat Freixa Niella
Religions 2023, 14(11), 1380; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111380 - 2 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1565
Abstract
The growing diversity of today’s societies has generated increasing interest across different subject areas that aim to help make these societies fairer and more inclusive. The constant increase in migrations and the broadening of the concept of diversity and its intersections, together with [...] Read more.
The growing diversity of today’s societies has generated increasing interest across different subject areas that aim to help make these societies fairer and more inclusive. The constant increase in migrations and the broadening of the concept of diversity and its intersections, together with social challenges and the acceptance of this diversity, mean this issue needs to be dealt with, especially in the educational sphere. This research uses a case study to assess the perception and experience of cultural and religious diversity among young people at a state secondary school in the city of Barcelona, Spain. The case is analyzed through a mixed method, using quantitative data obtained through the exploitation of two scales, and qualitative information gained from a reflective pedagogical activity. The results show that students display attitudes of respect and acceptance of cultural and religious diversity while recognizing discriminatory behavior in the society in which they live. A salient point was that a more positive perception of interculturality and interreligiosity was observed in students from non-Spanish family backgrounds than among those born in the country. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
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18 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Young Educators’ Voices on Interfaith Dialogue and Religious Diversity in Leisure Time Education: Towards an Effective Policy Framework and Training
by Miquel Àngel Essomba, Maria Nadeu and Anna Tarrés Vallespí
Religions 2023, 14(11), 1378; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111378 - 2 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1742
Abstract
This paper examines a study that aimed to fill in the gap in research about interfaith dialogue and leisure time education in Catalonia (Spain). Combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods, we analyzed the role that interfaith dialogue plays for leisure time educators. [...] Read more.
This paper examines a study that aimed to fill in the gap in research about interfaith dialogue and leisure time education in Catalonia (Spain). Combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods, we analyzed the role that interfaith dialogue plays for leisure time educators. The research was carried out between 2021 and 2022 in three phases: one descriptive through an ad hoc questionnaire, a second one comprehensive by exploring educators’ voices in focus groups, and a third one prescriptive to design evidence-based policy recommendations and training frames. The whole research allowed us to state the low status that interfaith dialogue plays within the leisure time education in the research context, as well as the high expectations and positive attitude by educators to improve interfaith dialogue in these educational settings. Further research considering more voices (children, families, administration, religious groups) could be explored in the future to increase the knowledge on the subject. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interreligious Dialogue in Education)
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