Abstract:
In the context of the changes and challenges of the 21st century, the main focus of education,
especially religious education, is to prepare students to live purposeful and meaningful lives
with well-developed analytic, emotional and spiritual abilities to assist them in achieving a
life perspective that allows them to face the larger world with greater self-confidence and
self-awareness. Therefore, the main objectives of the study are: to bring forward the concepts
of religious education, emotional intelligence and spiritual intelligence; to discuss the
importance of emotional and spiritual literacy in children’s education; and to discuss the main
strategies to enhance the educational process through emotional and spiritual intelligence.
This article is a conceptual framework based on a theoretical review. The author reviews
literature from books, scientific journals and research reports to develop relevant concepts.
CONTRIBUTION : This study provides information about two important intelligence in
Christian Orthodox religious education. Recognising emotional and spiritual intelligence
has allowed teachers to engage with students and help them perform at their best.
Emotional intelligence and spiritual intelligence promote self-efficacy, self-awareness, selfregulation,
motivation, empathy and social skills, which help students perform management
tasks in their future occupations but also help them to improve relationships with parents,
colleagues and God.
Description:
DATA AVAILABILITY : Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data
were created or analysed in this study.
The author is participating as the research associate of Dean Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria.
Special Collection: Orthodox Theology in Dialogue with other Theologies and with Society, sub-edited by Daniel Buda (Lucian Blaga University, Romania) and Jerry Pillay (University of Pretoria).
