本論文主要關懷近代宗教教育的議題，藉由分析比較兩位中國與西方不同宗教傳統的宗教家，太虛大師與紐曼主教，他們的時代背景、思想內涵與實踐，希望對宗教教育的問題，如宗教教育與文明發展的關係、世俗化對現代教育的影響，以及宗教教育與人文教育的互補和調和等，能有新的看法與更深刻的認識。 本論文的前提假設認為，東西方各自傳統中的主流制度性宗教，對其社會與教育有主導性的影響，其影響的程度在現代化變遷過程中產生了巨大的變革，這個變革可以透過對時代背景的耙梳得到證明，因此，選擇宗教社會學的世俗化理論，為本論文最重要的理論基礎。 最後本論文提出四點結論：一、教育世俗化弊多於利；二、宗教與文明發展相輔相成；三、人文教育為教育之基礎，宗教教育為人文教育之核心；四、功利實用取向之教育窄化心靈。 This thesis concerns about modern religious education. I try to analyze and compare the historical background, ideas and their practices of both a Chinese and a British religious figures, Master Tai-xu and Cardinal Newman, in order to reflect on the issues of religious education, such as the relationship between religious education and civilization, the impact of secularization on modern education, the reciprocity between religious and liberal educations, etc. I expect to make a better understanding at these issues and to get some new ideas regarding Taiwan's educational problems in light of religion. The assumption of this thesis is that the institutional religions in the East and the West have predominant influence on society and education. In the process of modernization, the influence has an enormous change. This process can be proved through analyzing its social-historical context, which is summarized and conceptualized as secularization in terms of the sociology of religion. This is the fundamental theoretical approach of my thesis. Finally, I bring up four conclusions. First, the secularization of education does disadvantage more than advantage. Second, religion and civilization benefit and support each other. Third, liberal education is the corner stone of educational system; religious education is the core of liberal education. At last, utilitarian and pragmatist-oriented education results in a narrow mindset.
