Fr Luigi Giussani’s Concept of Education – an Outline

Abstract

This outline focuses on the multifarious academic, pedagogical and social activities of Fr Luigi Giussani, Professor of Theology, Italian thinker and scholar renowned for his numerous accomplishments. Due to his exceptional attentiveness, inquisitiveness and courage he has been certainly well-known and highly-regarded not only in university and ecclesiastical but also in the cultural and political spheres of life. The author of this study describes Fr Giussani as an exceptional scholar and educator emphasising the pedagogical aspect of his activities. The study explains his understanding of pedagogy and education. Selected achievements from his biography confirm Fr Giussani to be an exceptional human being, educator and scholar. As an educator, Fr Giussani holds a sober and realistic view of man and his formation: the true value of man, he claims, lies in being rational and free. Complete trust in God and great love for a human person define the most fundamental elements of his approach. The outline also includes a short biographical note and describes popular ways of education, formative events, the educators and educatee’s personality constituents, and the relationship between freedom, conscience, tradition and education.