CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN GALICIA THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THEODOR ZÖCLER
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28925/2412-124X.2025.14.6Keywords:
Christian education, Galicia, moral upbringing, pedagogical concept, pedagogy of service, Protestant schooling, Theodor Zöckler.Abstract
The article highlights the figure of Theodor Zöckler (1867-1949) as an organizer and educator of Protestant schooling in Galicia at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The aim of the study is to provide a historical and pedagogical interpretation of Zöckler’s contribution to the development of Christian education, to identify the fundamental principles of his pedagogical concept, and to analyze the activity of Evangelical educational institutions in Stanislau (now Ivano-Frankivsk). The research applies both qualitative and quantitative methods: historical-pedagogical, biographical, comparative-historical, and hermeneutical analysis of texts, as well as elements of statistical processing of archival materials. The results reveal that Zöckler’s pedagogical concept was grounded in the unity of faith, reason, and moral duty, emphasizing education through work and service to one’s neighbor. The educational model he introduced combined humanistic and spiritual-ethical values, fostering the formation of an integral personality capable of self-discipline, responsibility, and civic engagement. The Evangelical Gymnasium in Stanislau functioned not only as an educational institution but also as a cultural and educational center integrating interconfessional and interethnic influences. It is concluded that Theodor Zöckler’s pedagogical legacy constitutes an important component of the development of Christian humanism in Galician education and remains relevant in the context of contemporary efforts to re-establish spiritual and value-based orientations in Ukrainian schooling.
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