Romania’s Ministry of Education and Research has published the syllabus for Orthodox Christian Religion for the 2030 Baccalaureate examination. The document outlines the competencies and content students must prepare for the exam, Edupedu reports.
The syllabus for Orthodox Christianity is structured around competencies aimed both at knowledge and expression of religious identity and at students’ ability to relate Christian values to their personal lives and contemporary society.
One general competency is the “expression of religious identity, at individual and community level, in different contexts of life, and the analysis of forms of religious expression and ways of life in the world’s religions”.
Students will also be expected to demonstrate the ability to make decisions in accordance with Christian values and to contribute to community life.
From Holy Scripture to the challenges of the contemporary world
The content prescribed for the examination is organised into several areas, including “Christ — the Way, the Truth and the Life”, “The religious community — identity, responsibility and the joy of bearing witness”, “Christianity and the challenges of the contemporary world”, and “World religions: values and specific features”.
The first area includes topics such as “Holy Scripture — source of Revelation and an element of universal culture”, “Creation as a gift from God”, “Jesus Christ — the Light of the World and Restorer of humanity”, “Christ the Saviour in the Holy Gospel and the life of the Church”, and “The Divine Liturgy — source of Christian philanthropy”.
The syllabus also devotes specific attention to contemporary challenges. These include “The beauty and sacredness of life (elements of Christian bioethics, harmony between God, humanity and nature)” and “Christian discernment and responsibility in the digital age (media literacy — educational, moral and spiritual challenges)”.
Students will also prepare topics concerning the relationship between Christianity, science and contemporary society, including “The human person — a being who perceives the complementarity between science and religion; pseudo-religious and false manifestations of faith; abusive forms of religious syncretism”.
Students will study the history of religions
Another section is devoted to world religions and how they have influenced culture and civilisation. Topics include the religions of Antiquity, Eastern religions, monotheistic religions and “The sacred and sources of inspiration for universal culture”.
The syllabus also includes the study of “Religious communities in our country — distinctive features and cultural-artistic expressions”, with reference to “religious diversity in Romania; intercultural and interconfessional harmony”.
Students will also study “Elements of Romania’s cultural and religious heritage included on the UNESCO list”, with examples including the Dacian Fortresses of the Orăștie Mountains, the Wooden Churches of Maramureș, the Churches of Moldavia with exterior mural paintings, Horezu Monastery and the fortified churches of Transylvania.
“The examination papers prepared for the national Baccalaureate examination assess the competencies and content contained in this syllabus, while the assessment and marking schemes provide for points to be awarded for any correct method of answering the requirements,” the syllabus states.
The Baccalaureate examination in 2030
The new Baccalaureate will include three oral examinations — communication in Romanian, linguistic competence in two foreign languages, and digital competence — as well as three written examinations: Romanian language and literature, a subject specific to the student’s educational track, and an elective subject.
For students in the humanities track, Religion will be among the available elective subjects.
There will also be a written examination in a subject from the complementary track. For this examination, students in the science track can choose from seven subjects, including Religion. Students will take the examination during the school year, and it will be graded “pass” or “fail”.
To obtain the Baccalaureate diploma, candidates must receive a “pass” in the complementary-track examination, participate in all oral examinations and achieve an average grade of at least 6 out of 10 across the three written examinations.
