CHRISTIAN EDUCATION, GLOBALIZATION, AND CIVIL SOCIETY

This article discusses the relationship between Christian education, globalization, and civil society. First it addresses how young people view globalization. Another point of reference is civil society. The data (from Germany) show that young people are concerned about globalization but that many of them appear to be unclear what to think of it. The author argues that education must strive for equipping young people with a degree of global reflexivity—a concept that is suggested here in relationship to young people’s awareness that will enable them to critically think about globalization. In a second step, the author discusses the question why Christian education should be concerned with globalization. In this respect, the concept of civil society and, more specifically, Christian education’s contribution to civil society (which is discussed in a separate section of the article) should play a crucial role. In conclusion, a number of perspectives for the future of Christian education are suggested.