CONTENT OF «RELIGIONAL EDUCATION» IN SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS IN AUSTRALIA (II HALF OF THE XX CENTURY – THE BEGINNING OF THE XXI CENTURY))

Abstract

The article deals with the phenomenon of religious education on the example of educational institutions in Australia. It is emphasized that the choice of the Australian context was chosen due to the long history of cooperation between religious denominations and private and public educational institutions in this country. It is determined that Australian public schools are secular, but each state of this country contains legislative frameworks for confessional and religious teaching. Some schools use a «cooperative» religious education curriculum with students from families belonging to different Christian denominations. Under these programs, the lessons are non-discriminatory and meet the general principles and goals of Australian schools. In particular, the position of a school chaplain has been introduced in order to maintain the spiritual and moral state of students and provide pastoral assistance. The development of religious education in non-state confessional educational institutions in Australia, starting from the 19th century, is traced. Particular attention is paid to the variety of approaches and methods used in religious education since the 60s of the XX century. The attention is focused on the teaching methods of such Australian religious educators as: Basil Moore, Norman Habel and Terence Lovat. It is determined that in Australia there is no unified state program of religious education, and each state has developed its own educational approach in the context of this subject. Several religious studies courses introduced in different states of the Commonwealth of Australia are considered. One of the positive practices of Australian religious education is the tolerant and democratic approach to autonomy and educational programs used by public and private schools. It is stated that borrowing the practices of religious education in the context of teaching subjects with religious content can have a positive impact on the practices of Ukrainian school education, which has been significantly reformed thanks to the efforts of Ukrainian teachers.