Contemplating The Didactics Of Religion In A Post-Secular Classroom In Sweden. An Analysis

Sammanfattning: Despite Sweden being described as the most secularised country in the world, there is belief that religion is expected to play a lesser role in public life especially amongst peoples’ lives regardless of modernisation and industrialisation. At the same time, in a post-secular Sweden, there is anticipation of the rise in private religiousness and increased religion due to factors like migration among others. Post-secular religiousness has also had an impact on religious education in Sweden especially regarding didactics in secondary schools. This study was specifically aimed at analysing how secondary school RE teachers are adapting to teaching religion in Sweden. Likewise, the study was aimed at analysing, how RE teachers in secondary schools understand the term post-secular religiousness in school. To accomplish this research, the study used only qualitative research methods which helped me analyse the impact of post secular religiousness on the didactics of religious education. The study used observations and interviews limited to secondary school RE teachers where the data gave me different kinds of results and conclusions regarding the research.  The results from the study and the empirical analysis revealed that religion was about creating understanding for all religions and to achieve this, there is need to ensure an open environment where everyone can freely express themselves. Based on the findings of my study, post-secular religiousness has also been understood by RE teachers to mean increased private religiousness despite religion continuing to play a major role in public and likewise in school.  In conclusion, the research shows that RE teachers have adapted in their work in a post-secular classroom by adopting different methods to teach religion depending on circumstances by using their intercultural competences. Future research can try and explore the meaning of both post-secularism and didactics specifically in a classroom context in Sweden.