En historisk parentes? Kristendomsfaget i allmueskoleloven av 1860

Abstract

Denne oppgavens formål var å studere hvilke argumenter som lå til grunn for lov om alllmueskolevesenet på landet. Nærmere bestemt var §5 av interesse da den tok for seg allmueskolens faglige innhold. Punkt b i §5 loven omhandlet «Christendomskundskap» etterfulgt av en parentes. Parentesen inneholdt «Bibelhistorie, Troes- og Pligtlære, Bibellæsning Udenadslæren av Psalmevers». Både i Odelstinget og i Lagtinget var denne parentesen et tema som engasjerte stort. De foregående lovene baserte formålet i stor grad på det religiøset grunnlaget. I loven av 1860 var det første gangen begrepet allmenndannelse ble skrevet i allmueskolens formål. Dette gjenspeiles i forhandlingene til loven. I Odelstinget ble det argumentert for at en tilføyelse av fagene jordbeskrivelse (geografi), naturkunnskap og historie var allmennyttige og ville komme dannelsen til gode. Oppgavens mål ble dermed å undersøke hvordan synet på kristendomsfaget ble fremstilt i forhandlingene, samt hvilken innvirkning det fikk for allmueskolens formål.

The aim of this thesis was to study the arguments building up to the law of the rural common school system in Norway of 1860 (Norw. Lov om allmueskolevesenet på landet). Specifically, section 5 was of interest as it dealt with the academic content of the lower rural common schools. Point b in section five pointed out the subject regarding Christianity, followed by a parenthesis. The parenthesis contained bible history, doctrine and duty and the memorization of psalms. The parenthesis was a topic of interest and concern in both Odelstinget and Lagtinget (the two chambers of legislation in Norway at that time). In previous school laws, the purpose of the school´s content was based on the religious foundation. The term “general education” was introduced for the first time in the purpose of the common school in the 1860 law, as reflected in the negotiations. It was argued that the inclusion of subjects such as geography, natural science, and history would have a positive impact on general education and contribute to the students´formation. Thus, the goal of the assignment was to examine how the perception of Christianity as a subject was portrayed in the negotiations in the school law of 1860, as well as the impact it had on the purpose of the common rural school.