"Er ist nur halb zu sehen und ist doch rund und schön" - Untersuchung zur religiösen Dimension des Physikunterrichts am Beispiel der elementaren Himmelskunde

This dissertation will examine whether beside a communication mode based on trust, Religious Studies being a compulsory subject, a practice of silent prayers and should the occasion arise, a period of practical instruction, something of a religious dimension should exist within the framework of a normal lesson in an evangelical school; in other words, whether it is possible to have lessons which promote a Christian consciousness. Firstly, the idealogical component of the genetic-socratic-exemplary approach of the Physics teacher and theorist, Martin Wagenschein, is developed together with the religious conviction of Schleiermacher. In order to root this vague religiousness in Christian thought, the ontological theology of the Protestant Paul Tillich has been selected to provide a hypothesis, which is fundamental and serious enough to be able to stand up to systematic theological objections, yet, on the other hand, open enough to be able to enter into a dialogue with the natural scientist, Wagenschein. With the help of Tillich it was possible to identify religious implications and ultimately, a religious dimension in the Physics, Astronomy and Physics-Astronomy lessons. In order to set this in concrete terms, the following dissertation examines an actual lesson, namely, one of the first lessons in Astronomy: Elementary Astronomy. A large portion of the empirical study introduces experiments used in practical lessons about astronomy, which above all else are oriented to the theories of Wagenschein. Two complete teaching units, which took place in the Landerziehungsheim Goldern, Switzerland, from the years 1990 and 1991, are presented in detail and reflected upon as regards the didactic method used. Since then, this course, which has been developed and since 1996, been taught regularly in a normal school - the Evangelisches Gymnasium Lippstadt, Germany - has attempted to strengthen this ideological component and to reinforce the religious foundation of an astronomy lesson with spiritual traces.