Religious Education in the Search for Answers to Existential Human Questions

Abstract

There are various ways in which man tries to reach a satisfactory answer to his questions about where he comes from, what he is aiming at, what the purpose and meaning of his life is. These questions are usually called existential questions. Experience shows that human reason in confrontation with these questions comes to a limit that it cannot cross. These experiences make man turn to the “forces” that exist outside of him, including religion. This situation raises the question of the extent to which religion can complement human ignorance. When looking for answers to these kinds of questions, we will look at the relationship between religion and education, the contribution of religion to human cognition and education. Reflection on these relationships shows that religion, correctly understood, provides man with a new knowledge of human existence in the context of his union with God. This means that only religion explains the sphere of human life that cannot be explained by rational reasoning alone. It is in these contexts that we should seek and formulate an answer to the question whether religion is an aid for education, a partner leading to the good and the development of a person, or rather a threat.