Master of Arts Velikaya O.V.

Bytursinov state-run university of Kostanay

RELIGIOUS STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY

The sign of complete development of any science, including the nonscience, is its self-examination. For example, one child, who knows surrounding world, one time or another discovers himself. Talking about religious studies, Meta-religious study is usually viewed in this aspect, which is usually described as the history and philosophy of the science. It can be represented as a complex of interrelated disciplines, as a history, methodology, psychology and sociology of religious studies. Now, let us isolate our attention from the study of methodological problems of classical and modern religion, study of the psychological aspects of student’s of religion activity, analysis of trends in global and domestic history of religion. Let us focus our attention on the sociology of religion, which (as meta-religious discipline ) faces the problems of generation and translation of knowledge of religious studies in the system of higher education and in the system of humanities.

If we look more carefully, we can point out, that our society and the higher education system are in need of religious studies in a varying degree. However, at the present time, it is undoubtedly, that the Kazakhstan’s Religious education is not completed and still developing, mainly by the reason of absence of common space of Religious education. Moreover, it should be noted, that there is no normal occupational community in the republic of Kazakhstan, that can coordinate the activity of Kazakhstan’s students of religion. On the other hand, not all schools research this branch of learning. Also there is one more serious problem. It is an absence of religious literature, including training literature with common content in higher education. This fact leads to predictable difficulties in students’ education.

Often there is such frequent difficulty. The availability of subject’s literature and the availability of particular teacher, who is able to give occupational knowledge influence upon the department’s choice of particular academic discipline. Moreover, the students of religion a priori do not have religious education, just a philosophical or other humanitarian. In addition, the special training programs of religious studies are absent even in the parent’s universities of country. In Europe and in the United States of America the religious studies are not taught just as the fundamental studies, but also as an additional specialty. Sometimes, just the reverse, religious studies are enriched by additional specialty, such as history, philosophy or sociology. In 2004 just in the United States only 1265 religious and theological courses can be found, in Canada their number is about 50. There is no common research paradigm in the West too, which can structure religion. However, an enormous amount of research centers in the area of religion with the department of religion of West universities research this problem nonstop, arrange different conferences, publish new training and subject literature.

Religion as a science requires, though, its full occupational community of full quality, as it is implemented in the countries included in EASR (European Association of the Study of Religion) and IAHR ( International Association of the History of Religions, in existence since 1950 ). That is why, first of all, it is necessary to establish Kazakhstan’s academic community of occupational researchers of religion. This community should be applied by the representatives of universities, who are involved in teaching, scientific and practical theological activity. What aims should have religious studies in institute of higher education? First of all, it is necessary to represent religion for students as an important factor in the history of nations and their relationships. Moreover, the religions are the culture’s product and consequently, the main task of society religious studies is to acquaint students with the basic characters and stories of the scriptures, because it is impossible to understand many masterpieces of literature, fine arts, music and even whole areas of languages without it.

Also an important and urgent goal of religious studies is to explain to students the traditions, customs, morals and manners, way of life of the peoples of different faiths. Then they will be convinced, that in people's lives and in general history there is no unreasonable things, that religion is not just the rituals, but a way of life and select system of principles of life.

Religious studies at schools are as much necessary as it can affect on moral values and human relations’ ethics of students. Nowadays there is nothing more important in the education of the younger generation than its moral education. Thus, the development of religious studies contributes greatly to the self-determination of the person, to person’s possession of world’s and national culture’s achievements, to the formation of spiritual interests and values. Equally with such social science disciplines as history, philosophy, study of culture, sociology, law, etc., religious studies define humanitarian knowledge of students applied to the analysis of religion, promotes the development of the historical memory of nations.

The student, who studies this course at the university, is able to master the skill of understanding other people whose world outlooks are different and also this student has the possibility to understand the phenomenon of religion and its role in modern society better.

Let us hope, that the above-mentioned problems, which are connected with the development of religious studies as a field of study and specialization in higher education’s system and as a specific, non-standard and very interesting humanitarian science, will be successfully solved by Religious community in the nearest future.

In the final analysis, the condition of religious studies in the coming years and decades, depends mainly upon us.