Sources of knowledge

From the answers the main sources of information can be seen as belief-nurturing on the one hand and non-confessional on the other. Belief-belief-nurturing, namely Christian sources are connected to the family (in some cases including relatives outside the immediate family circle), and places of worship, Sunday school, and the bible. All the other sources (school, media, friends, literature, newspapers, TV, travelling) can be regarded as non-confessional and mostly giving information about different world religions. For students with a Christian worldview the main source of information was family and church, while school and other sources are important for children without Christian background. The clear difference occurred between Russian-speaking and Estonian-speaking students, the former having primarily belief-nurturing and the latter having non confessional sources, especially if they have had experience with religious education.

The most frequent context for encounter with religion was school, especially for Estonians. The second in importance was family, especially for Russian-speaking respondents. Also media was important, church or other places of worship were named by some respondents. Friends were mentioned rarely this corresponding to answers for the third question. Literature, the bible and travelling were also mentioned in answers.

An interesting division was noticed between Estonian and Russian-speaking students: almost all Russian-speaking students named family and relatives;

friends were mentioned twice, media, church and school just once. At the same time only exceptional Estonian-speaking students mentioned family as a source of information, while school was important for the majority of Estonian-speaking students. It could be that the school’s importance as a source was partly due to the fact that religious education is taught in those Estonian-speaking schools where the survey was conducted? In an Estonian class, where religious education is not taught, only half the students mentioned school as their source, in other classes the same answer was given by almost all. For nearly half of the Estonian-speaking students school was the only source of information about religion. In conclusion, school has enormous importance for Estonian students as a source of information about religion, a role played by family for Russian-speaking students.

If to look at the answers concerning the content of the information, it is remarkable that for the most part no specific experiences were mentioned. One third of students answered in very general terms: ‘many things’, ‘nothing’ or

‘can’t remember’. The answers of others were also general and too short to make any elaborate conclusions on the basis of them. Students mentioned things they have got to know. There was information about Christianity and infor-mation about different world religions and general topics related to religion.

The Christian-oriented group of answers contains information about God (that He can help or He exists), about church, bible stories, pilgrimages, baptizing, Christmas were grouped under Christian content of information. The second group contained other information about history, different world religions and customs, about different gods, why religions are needed, religious education, religious violence, and broadening one’s mind.

Mostly the content reflected the source of information – from belief-nurturing sources students received Christian-related information, while from other sources more general topics and world religions were mentioned. As mentioned above, Russian-speaking students identified family, particularly grandmothers, fathers or mothers, as their primary source of information. The information they received introduced them to their faith tradition.

“My father told me who is God. And he gave me to read bible, I read bible and got to know God who is.” (m-or-42-B?)

“My mother told bible stories about Jesus and we had lot of bibles at home already when I was a small child.” (m-or-28-B?)

Even if the source of information and the content was ‘belief-nurturing’, the information was not always integrated into respondents’ worldviews. They might not agree with an inherited tradition or beliefs.

“Before I thought that God indeed exists but now I don’t think so, I am sure he doesn’t exist. If he existed he would not have taken away from me three dear people in three years when I was still three years old.” (f-nr-37-B?)

The ‘non-confessional’ sources of information were especially important for getting information about other religions and general topics. For Estonians, who have had no religious education, information about religion was associated mainly with history, probably having no place in contemporary times.

“Mainly in history, which countries and during what time religions had existed.”

(My emphasis) (m-nr-49-C-)

The students with religious education experience and school as the primary source of information named mainly world religions and different religious customs; also they mentioned that it has broadened their understanding of people and the world.

“That beside Christianity there are many other religions and customs.” (m-at-69-C+) The information from other sources besides family and school was source-specific. The information from the media is not remembered specifically, only negative effects of religion, such as wars and extremists, were mentioned.

“Media reflects every day how somebody explodes himself somewhere far away, how the people from some religion are killed.” (m-nr-13-A+)

The information acquired from a church related to the traditions and teaching of that particular church, e.g. who is Jesus or God, what is celebrated during Christmas, what is baptism. The most integrated and personal knowledge is expressed when telling about information introduced by the family.

“It was said to me that God sees everything and punishes us for bad deeds. But the most important thing was that God exists at all.” (m-ch-30-B?)

“My granny is a believer and she has taken me with her when I was a little. I was so young and I don’t remember anything special, but I know that it was sung and I played with dolls.” (f-nr-56-C-)

The information students get from different sources are greatly source-specific.

Homes provide students with information about the religious views and traditions of the family, while school provides more general information. The ability to be tolerant and have insider views on other religions different from one’s own was mentioned only by students who had religious education on a regular basis.