Religious Education for all who will live in an Super Aged Society: in the Context of the Catholic Church

ABSTRACT

[Objective] The purpose of this study is to examine Catholic discussions of old age and old age education in the context of an super-aged society, and to suggest directions for the content and practice of Catholic religious education for older person. [Contents] The contents of this study are as follows: First, a Catholic perspective on the elderly, an understanding of old age is necessary for everyone; understanding the elderly based on a Catholic anthropology; time and care as gifts of old age; a new understanding of the care that the elderly receive; looking at productivity in old age with a new perspective; old age in the Bible and the frailty and fragility of the elderly in it; the reality of death; striving for wisdom; prayer for the elderly; and taking an interest in elderly issues. Second, for the design of a religious education curriculum for the elderly, it deals with the scope of the target of religious education for the elderly, education for the elderly, education by the elderly, and the perspectives of education about the elderly. [Conclusion] The conclusions of this study are as follows Catholicism recognises and has a positive view of the meaning of life in old age. Therefore, religious education for older adults will aim to educate for wisdom, and hope, growth, and development are the vision of older adult education. Catholic faith communities can be appropriate learning spaces for older people's education because everyone should be a target for older people's religious education.