Religionskunskap i ett sekularistiskt samhälle : En ämnesdidaktisk studie om religionskunskapens utmaningar

This paper aims to present and examine the discourses of religious education in Sweden. Previous studies argue that there is a secularist discourse in Sweden however, one can question whether the secularist discourse is neutral of all religious traditions. The curriculum emphasizes objective and inclusive education based on science and proven experience and a non-confessional education. On the other hand, the paper highlight examples that are contrary to these ideas, which shows that christianity serves the dominant position in the curriculum. By using the method: contextual idea analysis, I have studied the ideas in the Swedish curriculum that determines the conditions and guidelines for teaching in religious education. The conclusion is that the christian tradition and western humanism serves a prominent part in the curriculum and risks making christianity the norm for religious life. The paper shows that the secularist discourse in Sweden has a christian bias which can affect the creation of a neutral religious education that enables respect, objective understanding and tolerance for other religions.