The First Written Examination for Secondary School Teachers of Religion

ABSTRACT

An examination system on the subject of religion will be put into effect in 2009. This paper will give 21 sample questions for the first written examination of religion in preparation for the examination system. To become a secondary teacher of religion, (s)he should complete 11 required subjects: ‘Theories on Religious Education,’ ‘Introduction to the Study of Religion,’ ‘Phenomenology of Religion,’ ‘Philosophy of Religion,’ ‘Sociology of Religion,’ (or ‘Anthropology of Religion’) ‘Psychology of Religion,’ ‘Religions in Korea,’ ‘World Religions,’ (or ‘History of Religion’ or ‘Comparative Study of Religions’) ‘Contemporary Religions,’ ‘Religion and Science,’ ‘History of Religious Studies.’ Accordingly, the questions of the first written examination for secondary school teachers of religion will be chosen mostly from this 11 required subjects. 11 required subjects are to be classified into 4 categories: (1) definition of religion and religious studies (‘Introduction to the Study of Religion’), (2) methodology (‘Phenomenology of Religion,’ ‘Philosophy of Religion,’ ‘Sociology of Religion,’ ‘Psychology of Religion,’ ‘Religion and Science,’ ‘History of Religious Studies’), (3) history (‘World Religions,’ ‘Religions in Korea,’ ‘Contemporary Religion’), (4) religious education (‘Theories on Religious Education’). We can easily set 19 sample questions from 3 categories: definition (2 questions), methodology (9 questions), history (8 questions). But it is not easy to set questions from the subject of religious education, given the current educational system where textbooks and lectures related to ‘theories on religious education’ are not generally provided. Therefore, we need to pay attention to developing the subject of religious education in order to establish an examination system.