Tasks of Christian Religious Education in the Era of Posthuman

ABSTRACT

[Objective] This study aims to examine the concept of ‘posthuman’ as a prominent issue in contemporary society and explore the key characteristics of the so-called ‘posthuman era’. It also seeks to identify the challenges facing Christian religious education within this evolving context.[Contents] To achieve this, the article defines posthuman and the posthuman era by focusing on aspects such as the radical enhancement of human abilities, the dramatic extension of human lifespan, the integration of artificial devices with human bodies (cyborgization), and the humanization of machines like artificial intelligence and robots. Furthermore, the challenges posed by this era include reconsidering the essence of humanity, reflecting on the legitimacy of posthumanization, discussing its societal impacts, and (re)establishing necessary social norms and institutions.[Conclusions] Consequently, this research suggests that Christian religious education, in response to the posthuman era, needs to guide, encourage, help, and empower people to live out humanity, pursue equality and peace, strive for cooperation and coexistence, and lead societal and human change.