Religious education in Turkey in the Republican Era

Religion is a real phenomenon that started with the first man, and religious education is important for the individual and society. Religious education cannot be left open to chance and the haphazard activities of acculturation. Therefore, education has been institutionalized as a public service and schools have been opened. Why is the answer to the question of religious education gives us the basics of religious education. For this reason, in the first chapter of the study, "Fundamentals of Religious Education" is included. In the second chapter, in the context of "Formal Religious Education", Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge courses, which are compulsory taught in primary and secondary education institutions, and optional Basic Religious Knowledge, Qur'an and Hz. The Life of Prophet lessons were researched. In the third chapter, the subject of Religious Education in Imam Hatip and Higher Education is included within the scope of "Vocational Religious Education". In the fourth chapter, the educational activities conducted by the Directorate of Religious Affairs within the context of "Common Religious Education", aiming to bring basic religious knowledge and moral values to people of all ages, through sermons, courses, conferences, seminars, media and press broadcasting are included. The aim of the study is to reveal well-organized information about religious education in Turkey and to draw attention to the experiences gained. Some issues have not been given much detail, but each issue has been touched on briefly, and collective information has been tried to be given. When appropriate, problems related to some applications were identified and recommendations were made on the measures to be taken. It cannot be argued that from 1920 to 2020, the problem of religious education in Turkey did not receive enough attention and that enough time and opportunity was not allocated to these issues. However, sufficient religious education could not be given in the first quarter century of the Republic, that is, in the one-party period. However, after 1948, it was understood that the demand of the people increased and the issue of religious education came back to the agenda. As a result of these developments, optional religion lessons were offered to primary schools in 1949, to secondary schools in 1956, and to high schools in 1967. In vocational religious education, Imam Hatip Schools started to open in 1951 and High Islamic Institutes in 1959. Quran Courses in the field of general religious education started to increase. The main changes and developments in the field of general religious education have occurred since 1998. Religious publications, social services, religious and spiritual counseling and guidance services and activities continue to develop within the body of Diyanet. When we look at the problems of religious education and teaching throughout the history of the Republic in Turkey, the following experiences emerge: 1) The religious education of the society should never be neglected. 2) Religious education activities should primarily be carried out by the state as a state duty. Private persons and organizations should also be allowed in a controlled manner. 3) Religious education should be given with scientific methods, open to discussion and transparent. 4) The state should not interfere with the religious content and should be left to religious experts. 5) Religious education should not be under the influence of any religious group or community. 6) Mass media should be used carefully and in a quality way in religious education. Experts in this field should be trained. 7) Studies should not be neglected in the fields of social work and should continue to be developed. Experts in this field should be trained. 8) Religious education should be accepted as one of the basic human rights and the state's conduct of religious education activities should not be seen as contrary to secularism.