TEACHING SUBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS DIRECTION IN AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS WITHIN SECOND PART OF XX CENTURY

Abstract

The article contains general review of the state of Australian education in context of teaching subjects of religiousdirection; historical review of system of education is done, since the times of land settlement of the continent; keychanges that happened in Australian society regarding reinterpretation of the place of subjects of spiritual directionin the educational state program were highlighted. Key reasons the caused the transformation of understandingof importance of teaching religion in state educational establishments are defined and described, these aredemographical changes that happened in Australian society after the World War II and eventually led to necessityof upbringing the ability of understanding and respect of citizens towards the representatives of different beliefsand values, forming cultural pluralism in pupils of these schools, which is the determinative feature and demandtowards democratic society and transformation from catechistic approaches towards pedagogical approaches inteaching subjects of spiritual upbringing, which had its main feature in forming the pupil’s ability to manifestpositive influence of religion for the development of the society; to understand peculiarities of basic church traditions and educate tolerance and sense of respect for all religions as representatives and providers of allhumanvalues. Result of rethinking by Australian society for the important role of religion for the democraticdevelopment of the state is indicated, which led to the practice of studying according subjects of spiritual directionin state schools, having given for the pupils the chance to receive knowledge and abilities as result of studyingmiscellaneous religious beliefs. The review is done regarding opportunities and conditions for teaching religionin educational establishments of Australia by representatives of religious confessions; principles of choiceof the content of program of subject of spiritual direction and criteria for its estimation by school administrationand also the keeping of democratic rights of parents and pupils, that content the freedom of choice towardsof subjects of this kind are noted. The article contains the presumption that the experience of teaching subjectsof spiritual direction can be valuable for Ukrainian education at modern stage of its development in the contextof value-directed education of pupils of secondary schools.