宗教教育中蘊涵的道德素養 論宗教研究課程在天主教學校之定位

Ethical Literacy in Religious Education: Positioning the Religious Study Courses in a Catholic School

社會大眾對宗教教育之刻板印象為：宣教、培養教士，且為某特定宗教專屬的課程。然，多數天主教學校對新生入學資格的規定，並未包含信仰要求，希冀學生能透過學校氛圍、課程及活動，引導其感受天主教教義，從而養成具道德意識的公民。對非教徒學生而言，這些課程及活動乃為宗教儀式，不具特別意義。據此，天主教學校若想將宗教教育理念與社會大眾的價值觀結合，以達成永續經營之目的，當從宗教教育理念、宗教研究課程的內涵，及相關的教育活動出發，並了解宗教教育及對學生／家長／社會的意義，從而為宗教研究課程定位。本研究以臺灣某天主教學校（以A校稱之）為例，採文獻探討及訪談方式，藉由了解宗教教育、宗教研究課程內涵、目標、教學及活動等，並透過訪談、蒐集及分析學生對於宗教研究課程的回饋，以探究宗教研究課程的教育價值。此外，亦透過文獻的彙整，分析宗教研究課程中所蘊涵之道德素養，從而提出A校宗教教育的定位。研究結果顯示，天主教學校宗教教育中所蘊含之道德素養可能對學習者品格培育有所助益，建議天主教學校在定位宗教教育課程時應：（1）彰顯宗教教育在社會價值觀培育的效果；（2）聚焦於宗教研究課程與品格養成的體現；（3）宣導宗教教育與道德教育的緊密性。

When people talk about “Religious Education”, they often think it is for preaching doctrine, cultivating those who seek a career in the ministry or a course dedicated to a particular religion. However, most Catholic schools don’t have certain religion requirement for those who wish to attend the schools. The administrators in Catholic schools hope that students can experience Catholic doctrine through school’s atmosphere, curriculum and activities, so they can become morally conscious citizens. For non-believers, these classes and activities are religious ceremonies and have no special significance. Therefore, if Catholic schools wish to make connections between Religious Education and social values, so they can achieve the goal of sustainable operation, they should proceed from the concept of Religious Education, the connotation of the Religious Studies curriculum, and related educational activities, try to understand the meaning of Religious Education and its implications for students/parents/society to position the Religious Studies curriculum. Taking a Catholic school in Taiwan (named as School A) as an example, this research uses literature review and interviews to understand the connotation, goals, teaching and activities of Religious Education and the course of Religious Studies. Feedback from the Religious Studies course to explore the educational value of the Religious Education. In addition, through the compilation of literature, it analyzes the ethical literacy embedded in religious studies course as to propose the positioning of Religious Education in School A. The research results show that the ethical literacy contained in religious education may be helpful to the character development of learners in Catholic schools. It is suggested that when positioning Religious Education courses, Catholic schools should: (1) highlight the effect of religious education in the cultivation of social values; (2) focus on the manifestation and promotion of Religious Studies courses and character development; and (3) promote the closeness and similarities of Religious Education and Ethics Education.