Abstract
M.Ed.
One problem in the education system is that there is an apparent
sidelining of religious education. It has become an exception
rather than a norm to find schools with religious education in
the timetable. With the gradual phasing out of religious
education comes the fading of religious and moral values
education. Can the education system ignore religious and moral
values education without serious repercussions? After all the
main religions share some common values schools can teach in
values education. The main aim of this study, therefore, is to
identify and describe the common religious values of the six main
religions and ascertain their curricular potential.
Methodologically, the study was conducted by means of literature
study, conceptual analysis and semi-structured interviews. A
literature study and semi-structured interviews were used to
establish the core characteristics, beliefs and values of the
main religions. Conceptual analysis was employed to clarify the
meaning of central concepts such as values, religion, education
and curricular and to differentiate values from facts, principles
and norms.
Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and African
traditional religions were identified as being the six main
religions in South Africa. Christianity has the highest number
of followers in South Africa. Many black people who claim to be
Christians are also strong adherents of African traditional
religions. On the other hand Judaism and Buddhism have the least
number of follower s ,
The research also revealed that truth, peace, love, respect,
honesty, kindness, non-violence, justice, freedom, responsibility
and unity are considered to be universal values. The core values
of each religion are tabulated in table 3.2. All the six
religions share common values but love, truth, justice, humility
and kindness appear to be central values in all religions.The fact that there is commonality of religious values has great
significance to the education system. It means religious
education in public schools does not have to be sidelined any
longer. A teacher or school does not have to run the risk of
being blamed for indoctrinating values of a specific religion but
could simply teach the common religious values. Parents won't
have to worry any more about religious inclinations of any state
school because there will be common and universal religious
values in religious education lessons.