Standard Works as Long-Term Memory for the Didactics of Religion.

On the relationship between descriptivity, normativity, and empiricism in selected textbooks

Abstract

Textbooks on the didactics of religion shape the training of (future) teachers of religion over long periods. How do descriptive, normative, and empirical components relate to each other? Starting with a general clarification of terms, the significance of these terms and their associated methods in the methodology of the didactics of religion is surveyed. Based on selected textbooks, it will be shown that, contrary to what one might expect, the pair of opposites descriptive-normative is not suitable as an instrument for analyzing and comparing textbooks. What is fruitful, however, is an examination of the empirical components and their function. Here, with regard to the se­lected textbooks, well-founded statements can be made and trends can be recognized that can be explained by the development of the didactics of religion as an academic discipline in the last two decades. In addition, the study provides four impulses for the development of the didactics of religion: desiderata in empirical research are named and a stronger contouring of hermeneutics is called for. The permanent tension between empirical and hermeneut­tical methods is given a theological interpretation. Finally, a plea is made to raise awareness of the importance of descriptivity, which is both an underestimated and indispensable tool for academic work.