교육 패러다임과 영성교육

Education Paradigms and Spiritual Education : Practical Tasks of Engaged Spiritualty in the Neo-liberal Regime

This paper studies on the Korean education systems under the neoliberal regime. Current educational institutions are forced to become more and more job-prep training centers targeting merely entrance into labor-markets. Therefore, pursuing the essences and purposes of education, this study compares three different education paradigms: 1) a moral paradigm based on humanities aims at ‘moral persons’, 2) an intellectual paradigm based on neo-Confucian traditions seeks ‘accumulation of knowledges’, 3) a practical paradigm stemming from pragmatic values supports entrepreneurial persons. This study suggests an alternative paradigm based on ‘engaged spirituality.’ Practice-oriented spirituality stems from religious worldviews; however, it is a rather integrated and wholistic value system relatively free from institutionalized and standardized religious formality. In order for us to apply engaged spirituality universally to education systems, religious institutions should overcome (Western) dualism and traditional authoritarianism, respect one’s autonomy and ecology, and build up open communities.