Method of Teaching in Religious Education - Learning by Heart or by Experience

The Orthodox Christian Religious Education Association (OCREA) is an international organization that has as its focus to maintain a thematic and academic network between the institutions and colleagues who deal with Orthodox Christian research and education. It was founded in 2006 at Valamo Monastery in Finland.

The articles in this volume were presented at a conference on “Methods of Teaching in Religious Education: Learning by Heart or by Experience?” held in Sofia, Bulgaria, June 17-21, 2014.

The proceedings deal with the basis of the methodology in Orthodox Christian religious education; the teaching of biblical content; and the pedagogical orientation toward topics such as the church fathers, proverbs, and miracles. There is also analysis of textbooks, educational aims, different types of metthods, religious education in society, and cooperation between schools and churches. Papers also discuss the implementation of the technological components of web-based Orthodox religious education.

The contents are divided into two sections: first, a forum for reflective methodological discussions, religious education practices, and new pedagogical solutions; and second, papers with a practical approach thatdeal with classroom applications, such as teaching the Bible in kindergarten and school environments.