The Institute of Catechetics at the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) intends to revive the tradition of residential training for Catholic Religion Teachers (IdR) by offering a summer course, which will take place from July 1st to 3rd, 2025, at the university itself, on the theme: Religious knowledge in the era of dialogue.
The Institute has always paid close attention to Catholic Religious Education (IRC), regularly organizing academic seminars. In recent years, it has launched a specific program on the theme Religion and culture: epistemological tests for IRC, with the aim of encouraging a broad and well-structured reflection on the epistemology of IRC in a context of profound cultural and social change. As part of this initiative, the following events have already taken place:
- Seminar: Religion and culture: epistemological tests for IRC (January 20, 2024);
- Webinar: Can IRC generate religious culture? (March 8, 2024);
- Webinar: Rereading the National Guidelines. A survey among religion teachers (September 27, 2024);
- Seminar: IRC and today’s religious issues (November 30, 2024).
The materials from the first seminar were published in issue no. 3/2024 of the journal Catechetics and Education, available online at: www.rivistadipedagogiareligiosa.it. Another upcoming webinar, titled Religion and religions: the space of IRC, is scheduled for March 28, 2025.
The summer course, comprising a total of 16 hours of work, from the afternoon of July 1st to the morning of July 3rd, is designed as an opportunity for in-depth and structured training, aimed at religion teachers and interested scholars. The central theme, Religious knowledge in the era of dialogue, will be explored in four sessions, each dedicated to a specific aspect of religious knowledge.
Each session includes:
- An introductory lecture by an expert from outside the University;
- A critical response by a faculty member of the University;
- A small-group teaching workshop focused on evaluating the proposal from an educational perspective.
The course will be hosted on campus to keep costs down, especially considering the Jubilee Year, which will make accommodations in Rome and other tourist destinations more challenging.
Participation in the course is mandatory and in person for the entire scheduled duration. Lodging on site is optional. Upon request, a certificate of participation will be issued for a total of 16 hours.