BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 16. Religious knowledge needs to be communicated to society while taking into account the realities of the modern era, rector of the Azerbaijani Institute of Theology, Agil Shiriniov said at the republican scientific and practical conference on "Modern Models of Religious Education in the Context of Traditions and Global Challenges," Trend reports.
Shiriniov emphasized that this approach is crucial for moral-societal safety.
"Religion, as a system of values, plays a key role in the spiritual development of society and in ensuring its unity. However, misinterpretation of religion can lead not to national spiritual unity but, conversely, to social division," he noted.
Shiriniov further added that religious knowledge should be interpreted based on reliable sources and conveyed to society considering contemporary realities.
"Proper impartation of religious education protects religion from distortions, fosters national spiritual unity, and shields society from radical religious tendencies," he emphasized.
In his address, the rector also pointed out that various models of religious education exist globally, one of which is confessional education based on a single religion or denomination.
"This method is applied in countries that adhere to a specific religion or denomination in their official ideology. Other models include the study of religion and the teaching about religion, which are more typical for secular states. The study of religion does not imply the superiority of one religious system over others; it provides descriptive knowledge about the fundamental nature and history of all religions. The teaching of religion helps to instill universal spiritual values conveyed by religions to humanity," he added.
Shiriniov concluded that the teaching of religion at the Azerbaijani Institute of Theology and the Baku Theological College operates according to the models of "teaching religion" and "teaching about religion."
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