- Research Article
- 10.5617/pri.12473
Læremiddel: Samfundet og Guds rige
- Jun 12, 2025
- Prismet
- Keld Skovmand
The teaching material Society and the Kingdom of God was prepared for teaching Christian Studies in grades 7/8 in Danish primary schools and was included as an appendix to the author's PhD thesis. It deals with contrasting values and principles in two parables from the Gospel of Matthew and establishes a connection between one of the parables and a specific way of organizing a welfare state. The teaching material connects the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-20) with the free-of-charge principle, which prevails in the universal (Scandinavian) welfare state model, while the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) is related to the something-for-something principle, which concerns merit and applies in the labour market. The teaching material focuses on opposing views on equality and justice in both the New Testament and our Nordic way of organizing society. Furthermore, the teaching material links the three typical welfare state models to Lutheranism, Calvinism and Catholicism. Key words: religious education, biblical studies, parables, welfare states, christian confessions
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