Teaching The Faith: Case Studies From Indonesia and Australia

Diponegoro, Ahmad Muhammad and Waterworth, Peter (2012) Teaching The Faith: Case Studies From Indonesia and Australia. Journal of Religious Education, 60 (1). pp. 59-69.

Text journal religious education.pdf Download (2MB)

Abstract

The teaching of a religion in schools not only epitomises but also denotes the beliefs and values of
proponents of the religion being taught. The teaching of religion in state schools must be considered within
the context of the social and cultural location of religion within society. The cultural contexts for the teaching
of the Muslim faith in Indonesia and the Christian faith in Australia are vastly different. This study considered
the experiences and perceptions that teachers of religion (in state primary schools) had in Indonesia and
Australia. We collected data from four case study teachers from each country about their faith experiences
and their experiences as teachers of religious education in lengthy elaborated interviews. We found that the
expression of religious understanding and knowledge in educational settings was profoundly influenced by
the teachers' own spiritual development. The teachers from both countries had surprisingly similar spiritual
journeys through childhood, adolescence and adulthood with a strong involvement with the mosque or
church or their peripatetic organisations. However, the Indonesian teachers were teaching faith in a context
which, outwardly and proverbially (at least) was overwhelmingly supportive of their role. The Australian
teachers were teaching within a secularised cultural context that was ostensibly critical or at least sceptical of
the faith base they represented. The Australian teachers saw themselves as counter cultural, minority
believers attempting to re-establish a diminishing faith base of reducing relevance. Yet both groups
articulated a similar motivation to teach the faith: to honour Allah or God, to reaffirm the Word and to clearly
proclaim their belief in the faith basis of national life.

Item Type:	Artikel Umum
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc
Divisi / Prodi:	Faculty of Psychology (Fakultas Psikologi) > S1-Psychology (S1-Psikologi)
Depositing User:	SIP ZULFA ERLIN MUFLIHAH
Date Deposited:	07 Dec 2020 06:04
Last Modified:	07 Dec 2020 06:04
URI:	http://eprints.uad.ac.id/id/eprint/21526

Actions (login required)

View Item