Dünyəvi dövlətdə din tədrisinin tarixi inkişafı kontekstində Azərbaycanın ümumtəhsil müəssisələrində din tədrisi

Regardless of the state-religion relationship, religious education occupies a unique place in the curriculum of the general education system of the majority of democratic states in the first quarter of the 21st century. The reason is not only the organic connection of religion with a nation's culture and value system or the increase in the number of citizens separated from their cultural heritage due to the influence of secularization. The inclusion of religious education in national education systems is also related to the interaction of religion and politics in various international conflicts, the global threat caused by numerous radical religious groups in several countries, the transition from mono-confessional societies to multi-confessional societies as a result of globalization, and other social and political factors. While facing common international problems related to religion, each state independently decides on its religious education model in the national curriculum as a part of state policy. Although independent religious subjects are not taught in the public schools of Azerbaijan, religious education is carried out in an integrative form within the framework of social and human sciences by applying the learning about religion model. In addition to subjects like History, Literature, and the Azerbaijani language, where integrated brief information about religion is provided, basic information about religion is taught in the Life Science textbooks, which have been taught in public schools since 2004. The content and framework of this information are prepared based on the educational program (curriculum) for the Life Science subject for secondary schools of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This article examines the historical development process of religious education at the international and local levels as an understudied subject in Azerbaijan. For this purpose, the article investigates the position of religious education in the global educational environment, studies the impact of state-religion relations on the model of religious education, and analyzes the current situation of religious education in Azerbaijan’s secondary schools.