Religious identification of teachers in Penza region and its impact on the educational process

Abstract

Background. Religiosity and religious identity are the basic characteristics of a person in modern society. However, one should distinguish between types of religiosity, types of religious identity. The types of religious identity are normative, folklore and marginal. Types of identity can affect the secular nature of educational activities in different ways. According to the author’s hypothesis, the normative nature of religious identity, both Orthodox and Islamic, has a neutral effect on the secular nature of religious identity; folklore identity can negatively affect the educational activities of a teacher. Marginal religious identity negatively affects educational activities. The educational practice of a teacher is also influenced by the degree of churching and religious activity, which are defined as the degree of frequency of attendance at religious events and the degree of activity in the life of their parish community. The purpose of the research is to determine the nature of religious identity, the degree of religiosity of teaching staff and the level of influence of the religiosity of the teaching staff of the region on the secular nature of educational activities. Materials and methods. As methods of sociological research were used: quantitative methods (mass, expert surveys); qualitative methods of sociological research (in-depth interviews, observations, included observations); secondary methods of sociological research (analysis of scientific publications). The study was conducted in September – November 2022 in Penza, Nikolsk, Kuznetsk, Nizhny Lomov, Serdobsk, Spassk and other areas of Penza region. 1187 respondents (25–60 yars old and above) took part in the mass sociological survey. In the course of an expert survey, 23 people were interviewed, civil servants of the Government of Penza region, clergymen of the Orthodox and Islamic confessions, active parishioners of Orthodox and Muslim parishes. Results. In the course of sociological research, it was revealed that the teaching staff of Penza region is quite religious and religiously active. Most teachers and kindergarten teachers are distinguished by active religiosity, the normative nature of religious identity, but their religious identity, activity and degree of churching do not affect the secular nature of the educational process in the region. Only a marginal religious identity can have a negative impact on the educational process in the region. Conclusions.The author’s sociological research revealed the presence of several types and types of religious identity of teachers in the region. It was determined that the most common types and types of religious identity and activity, a fairly high level of churching of teachers and kindergarten teachers do not affect the secular nature of educational activities in the region. Penza teachers clearly share personal religiosity and the secular nature of educational activities. Muslim teachers and educators are more actively promoting their religious identity and trying to demonstrate it in educational activities by feasible and legal methods.

Keywords

• religiosity
• identification
• teaching staff
• educational process