Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 95 No. 3, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.53745/bs.95.3.1
Generating Hope through Catholic Religious Education in Adolescence?
Marija Jurišić
; Catholic Faculty of Theology University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The educational system, at its core, is future-oriented and inherently hopeful, built on the belief that what is taught will take root in students and contribute to their personal growth and development. Adolescence is a crucial stage in this developmental journey, and hope plays a vital role in the positive evolution of children and young people. Both international and Croatian research highlight a positive correlation between hope and religiosity. A sense of hope is closely related with life satisfaction, well-being, and an individual’s adaptability to adapt. Religiosity, in turn, has been shown to enhance both the experience of meaning and the search for meaning during adolescence. Although the subject of Religious Education (RE) does not primarily aim to develop religiosity, nor does it assume students’ religious beliefs or affiliations, given these correlations, it is important to explore how RE in public schools might contribute to nurturing hope among adolescents. This study set out to investigate whether Catholic Religious Education can serve as a source of hope for high school students. Content analysis was carried out on the curriculum and textbooks used for third- and fourth-year secondary school students. Qualitative analysis has revealed that many themes within the course encourage students to engage actively with the concept of hope. The content invites students to respond with courage and action in times of despair and hopelessness, and offers an uplifting perspective that fosters belief in a better present and future – thus helping to cultivate a sense of hope. However, the analysis has also indicated a gap in addressing the affective dimension within the learning outcomes, as well as a partial lack of emphasis on the communitarian aspect of hope.
Keywords
hope; education; Religious Education; adolescence; content analysis of Catholic RE curriculum and textbooks
Hrčak ID:
336786
URI
Publication date:
29.10.2025.
Visits: 123 *