• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.45
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• pp.153-186
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• 2023

Since the 2000s, Korean society has been transitioning into a multicultural society with a sharp increase in the influx of various non-Koreans including immigrant workers, immigrant spouses, international students, and refugees. As a result, Korea, which had maintained religious peace and coexistence as a multi-religious society, is showing signs of increased risks of social problems such as the surfacing of conflicts between religions. Religion can contribute to the integration and safety of communities in the process of becoming a multicultural society, but at the same time, it requires discussion from an educational perspective because of its ambivalence in potentially causing conflict within communities. Considering that one of the main functions of religion is social integration, religious education is required for the stable settlement of multicultural societies. In recognition of this, discussion regarding a new perspective on religious education is needed to respond to religious diversity and to understand the current society and the means of becoming a global citizen. This new discussion would be a 'general religious education' model that provides an education covering various religious and non-religious worldviews in order to cultivate 'religious literacy.' However, in a multicultural society, while general religious education may be useful in reducing prejudice and discrimination among students in an integrated environment, it should also be recognized that a 'special religious education' would be needed to acknowledge the unique values of each human group. This would be the most effective approach to multiculturalism. Therefore, this study proposes a form of 'cooperative religious education,' which combines general religious education and special religious education as a direction for religious education. In providing readers with background context, this study will review Korean religious policies and religious education, and then present realistic methods that can be implemented in schools.