Religiosity of the dereligionization’ era

ABSTRACT

[Objective] The purpose of this study is to philosophically explore the ‘dereligionization’ of the modern era, focusing on indifference towards God or religion as a human unity. It seeks to reflect on the core of religiosity crucial for ‘self-realization’ in a changed world and proposes a vision for religious education. [Contents] Although one religion's role as a meaning system is no longer possible in multicultural societies, its role continues still in regarding the meaning of life. Nevertheless, dereligionization may be the result of humans focusing on their own ego, following the life model of natural science, and overly preferring their own freedom and autonomy. In this paper, we examine religiosity in mysticism, transcendentalism, and faithism, and investigates causes of modern dereligionization, like subjectivity-centrism, scientific determination theory and idolized autonomy. Even within this tendency toward dereligionization, we emphasize the transition from erotic to agapeic selving. [Conclusions] Religiosity involves transcending oneself based on the other’s power, moving from erotic to agapeic selving. Visions for religious education include human dignity, intersubjectivity, patience of existence(pasio essendi), fostering growth from a small to a larger self.