The Religious Education in Bulgaria in the Beginning of the Third Millennium

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleРелигиозното обучение в България в началото на третото хилядолетие
3. Language term Bulgarian
4. Alternative title Религиозно-педагогически и дидактически аспекти на религиозното обучение и образование (en)
5. lemma author Nachev, Ivaylo
6. lemma category Education, Science and Orthodoxy
7. Publication date 31-1-2019
8. lemma work Андонов, Божидар [Author]. Религиозното обучение в България в началото на третото хилядолетие
9. lemma manifestations Религиозното обучение в България в началото на третото хилядолетие - София 2005.
10. Keywords Religious education - Bulgarian educational system
11. Lemma body

    1. The book presents a wide-panorama of religious education problems in Bulgaria, including regulatory framework, cultural factors, modern theory on religious pedagogics and didactics, European good practices, suggestions for methods of instructions and others.

       The author notes there have been no real discussions so far among scholars on the content, goals, methods and others of the religious education in Bulgaria. This comes on the background of what he sees as a crisis in the contemporary pedagogical and religious-pedagogical practice in Bulgaria, reflecting a crisis in the Church and the whole society.

       Andonov elaborates on many different aspects of the subject. In his opinion the religious education includes not only theological but also pedagogical implications. It should be seen as dynamic not a static system, featuring communicative processes in the wide sense of the word. Therefore, models from the period before the communist regime (before 1944) are not applicable in the current post-modern society. The needed reform should take into account all other school subjects but also origin and experience of the schoolchildren.

       Andonov emphasizes the role of contemporary studies on religious pedagogics and didactics, suggesting their implementation in the future. He suggests as well active involvement of “modern” humanitarian sciences such as psychology, pedagogics and sociology.  

       The role of schoolchildren is examined by the wide use of contemporary pedagogic and psychology studies.  Significant attention is paid to the role in the process of teachers in religion, again in light of contemporary social sciences. With this book Andonov aims to contribute to the religious-pedagogical theory and give answers of urgent questions of religious didactics.

       The existing ideas for religious education imply the introduction of a closed system which will have negative implications in the educational process. Religious education should start addressing current problems in Church and society. In addition, with his work the author seeks not only theoretical but also practical applications. He suggests a number of thematic problems that could enrich the curriculum and methods of instructions such as discussions and interactive technological means.