Religion training according to the thoughts of Hilmi Ziya Ülken

This thesis aims to find out the specific properties of the thoughts of Hilmi Ziya ÜLKEN, one of the most innovator scientists of our country, on religion training, firstly determining his thoughts. In Hilmi Ziya?s way of thinking, the God, human being and the realm are three basic terms. Without mentioning God, it is not possible to understand neither the human nor the realm. So, the religion training that will serve to the dialectical relationship between the God and other realms is God centred. Religion training for Hilmi Ziya, is included within the education. Both are related together with a mutual necessity relation. While the religion teaching bases the objective knowledge, religion training directs to subjective values. The former follows the realist-experimental method; the latter is on the way to dialectic method that stimulating the necessities and completing the religious knowledge with belief. In religious training, it is not enough to understand and explain the values solely, also new generations should absorb these values and characterize them for themselves. Since the starting point is individual in values, each value besides being objective is personal. The aim of religious training is the highest absolute value (love) relating the fact and ideal with patriotic values. Such a value brings out the creation. Religious training should become both scientific depending upon a realist and critic point of view; should be dynamic and genetic body, also, the formal side should be supported with informal religious education. It should not be separated to brain and arm, soul and body as it was in Ottomans. From this aspect, the Middle Age needs to be criticised according to religious education with its positive and negative aspects. In culture for person generations, secular interpretation should be both the most forwarding interpretation also the guarantee of the religion education. Key Words: H. Ziya Ülken, God, Person (Dyade), Religious Training, Secularity