PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE IDEAS OF THEODOR ZECKLER

Abstract

The article provides a scientific analysis of the pedagogical heritage of Theodor Zekler, a well-known Protestant educator and thinker of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The key principles of his educational system, based on biblical anthropology, the foundations of Christian ethics and humanistic guidelines, are revealed. The main components of Zeckler’s pedagogical concept are outlined, in particular, the idea of purposeful personal development, which involves the formation of spirituality, moral consciousness, and an individual approach to learning, teaching, and upbringing through one’s own example. The historical and social context of the formation of his pedagogical views is analyzed. The practical aspects of the realization of these ideas in Protestant educational institutions of Galicia are highlighted. The importance of combining religious and secular factors in the educational process, which contributed to the formation of a new model of Christian education in the region, is substantiated.