Slovenia Osnovna šola 8. razred Curriculum - Religious Studies and Ethics

This curriculum for Religions and Ethics (Verstva in etika) is designed as a three-year elective course for students in grades 7-9. It allows students to explore religious and ethical topics in greater depth, differentiating and problematizing the knowledge acquired in compulsory subjects. The curriculum emphasizes a non-confessional approach, focusing on objective knowledge, critical thinking, and pluralistic perspectives. Students are encouraged to develop their own informed opinions about religion and ethics without adopting specific beliefs.

Grade 8 - Religions and Ethics II

The overarching theme for Grade 8 is "community." The curriculum explores the conditions and consequences of living together, focusing on religious communities, their relationship with other communities, and the values and ethics governing interpersonal relationships within different religions. The curriculum also addresses "life themes" such as family, friendship, love, sexuality, egocentricity, solidarity in times of hardship, work, and vocation.

Compulsory Topics:

• Introduction: People and Religions - Religious Culture: This topic introduces students to the fundamental aspects of religions, including religious communities, rituals, symbols, religious experience, and the definition of life's meaning in various religions. It also covers the life guidelines offered by different religions.
• Religions: Community, Rituals, Symbols, Experience: This topic explores various forms of religious communities, including exclusive, non-exclusive, democratic, and hierarchical structures. It examines the distinction between sacred and profane time and space, as well as sacred objects. Key holidays, sacred sites, and rituals of major religions are studied, along with the symbolic language of rituals and the experience of the sacred.
• Life Guidelines of Religions: This topic introduces students to the fundamental life guidelines of various religions, their ethical values and norms, and the cultural and social contexts of their implementation. It also explores the differences in religious justification and sanctioning of these guidelines. The topics of good and evil, justice and injustice, the Ten Commandments, the "Golden Rule," justice and "love of neighbor," and the principles of non-violence and harmony are examined. The curriculum also addresses the concept of "who is my neighbor" and the relationships between religions in the past and present. Human rights and world religions are also discussed.
• Freedom, Conscience, Responsibility: This topic explores the connection between freedom of conscience and responsibility. It examines the relationship between conscience, guilt, and sin, as well as the relationship between authority, autonomy, and anarchy.

Compulsory-Elective Topics (one topic is mandatory):

• Family: This topic explores the role of family in the traditions of different religions. It examines acceptance and conflict within various family communities and investigates the meaning and role of family in the student's home environment.
• Friendship, Love, Sexuality: This topic explores different perspectives on love and sexuality in various religions. It examines rituals, symbols, and initiations that influence relationships within the world of religions and emphasizes the importance of personal growth in relationships.
• Work and/as Vocation: This topic explores the meaning of vocational decisions and the importance of work in Christianity, comparing it with other traditions and concepts. It encourages students to discover and realize their personal talents.

Elective/Additional Topics: These topics are optional and can be chosen based on student interest and available time. Examples include: Religious Communities - Social Communities; Magic, Occultism, Religion; Egocentricity and Solidarity in Times of Hardship; Dreams, Desires, Goals, Disappointments.

This curriculum emphasizes a student-centered approach, encouraging active participation, critical thinking, and open discussion. The teacher's role is to facilitate learning and promote tolerance and respect for diverse perspectives.