ERIC Number: EJ1463632
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0141-6200
EISSN: EISSN-1740-7931
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Whose Christianity? The Influence of a Majority Culture in Swedish Textbooks
Johan Liljestrand1; David Carlsson2; Linda Jonsson2; Peder Thalén2
British Journal of Religious Education, v47 n2 p171-181 2025
Christian plurality is challenging for a religious education teacher in a classroom of students with different orientations of Christianity, not least due to immigration. As Christianity represents an essential component of the majority culture in many European countries, in this study we examine how it is represented in religious education textbooks used in upper secondary schools in Sweden. The purpose is to examine how liberal Christianity is shaped in the textbooks and the possible implications for educating citizens in a plural society. The selection of books is based on those used by religious education teachers in Sweden. The results show a tendency towards a modernised liberal Christianity, the implications of which are discussed in relation to the significance of religions and worldviews in education for social cohesion.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Christianity, Religious Education, Textbooks, Content Analysis, Secondary School Students, World Views, Social Integration, Teaching Methods, Cultural Influences
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Sweden
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Faculty of Education and Business Studies, University of Gävle, Gavle, Sweden; 2Akademin för utbildning, kultur och kommunikation, Mälardalen University, Vasteras, Sweden