Pantelis Kalaitzidis (ed.), Why “Religion in School” Today?Records of the Two-Day Seminar: The Religious Course in the Unified Lyceum (A’ Meeting of Theology Teachers), Volos, 16-17 April 1999, Domos Publ. Athens, 2000, 236 pages.
The book begins with a foreword by P. Kalaitzidis, the invitation and timetable of the seminar and the opening addresses of welcome. Then, follows a text by P. Kalaitzidis, who analyses the current situation, the difficulties and potential of the religious course and the issue of the students’ assessment. He proposes changing the course from a confessional-catechetic to a cultural one. The second text by Apostolos Barlos presents the results of a research conducted among B’ grade Lyceum pupils on the book and lesson of religion. Afterwards, follows an extensive discussion of the papers presented at the Seminar’s first Session.
Alexandros Kariotoglou’s presentation focuses on the issue of the new assessment method, but also on the aims of the course. Georgios Ketikidis’ presentation also concerns the students’ assessment for the religious course, which he considers a necessary precondition for a creative perspective in the modern Lyceum. Following is an extensive discussion of the papers presented at the Seminar’s second Session.
The opening presentation of the third Session is by Thanasis Papathanasiou and deals with the preconditions and terms of writing the schoolbook of the religious course, while Stamatis Portelanos examines the spiritual coming-of-age as described by the Neptic Fathers in relation to the religious course.
In his text, titled “Christ extended in the 21st Century, the word and work of the theology teacher in a changing school”, Aris Kourtis argues that the religious course ought to be catechetic and confessional and that the role of the theologian is missionary, drawing his identity from Christ and the Church. Following is an extensive discussion of the papers presented at the Seminar’s third Session.
The book concludes with the Seminar’s Press Release, a list of the participants and an Appendix with the invitations and timetable of the Second and Third Session of Theology Teachers.