The Moscow City Duma discussed the course "Fundamentals of World Religions"

On June 5, during a joint meeting of the Moscow City Duma commissions on science and education and on interethnic and interfaith relations, the problem of training personnel to teach the course “Fundamentals of World Religions” was discussed.

According to the rector of the Moscow Institute of Open Education (MIOO) Alexey Semenov, this course is studied in schools with an ethnocultural component and in general education (in the latter - only as an elective).

A curriculum on the history of religions was introduced in Moscow schools in 2007 . During this time, more than 500 teachers were trained at the faculty of advanced training of MIOO - teachers of history, world artistic culture, Russian language and literature, geography and other subjects.

Basically, teaching is carried out using the textbook “Religions of the World” edited by A. Chubaryan and G. Bongard-Levin, but other manuals are also used, for example, the book “Religions of Russia” by A. Kulakov. A. Semenov noted that teachers are still poorly versed in the basics of religions, which proves the advisability of teaching this course.

The chairman of the Moscow City Duma Commission on Interethnic and Interfaith Relations, Igor Eleferenko, on the contrary, considers the idea of ​​teaching “Fundamentals of World Religions” in schools to be wrong. He believes that this will mislead students who have not yet decided on their own religious choice. Deputy Mikhail Moskvin-Tarkhanov also spoke out against teaching schoolchildren the basics of religions.

Chairman of the Commission on Science and Education Evgeniy Bunimovich recalled that the final decision on the advisability of this course remains with society.

The meeting participants recommended that the Moscow Institute of Open Education continue its work on training personnel.

In the 2007/2008 academic year, the course “Fundamentals of World Religions” was attended by more than 15 thousand students. This data is provided by Interfax with reference to Moskovsky Komsomolets.

Sources

• The controversy surrounding the teaching of the course “Fundamentals of World Religions” continues // Regions.ru. 2008. June 6.
• The elective “Fundamentals of World Religions” was attended by more than 15 thousand Moscow schoolchildren last academic year // Interfax-religion. 2008. June 16.