Educational Approaches of Islam and Soka Gakkai: A Structural Comparison of Ritual, Institution, and Pedagogy

Authors : Osman Kamil Çorbacı, Hamit Er

Pages : 247-284

Doi:10.37697/eskiyeni.1790733

View : 112 | Download : 331

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The article undertakes a detailed examination of the Sōka Gakkai religious movement in relation to its historical origins, underlying motivations, and defining characteristics, and through a comparative analytical framework it demonstrates how the movement’s model of religious education, together with Islamic educational systems, has acquired institutional functionality within modern societies. By investigating the dynamic interplay among ritual practices, institutional structures, and pedagogical principles, the study reveals that despite theological divergences, diverse religious traditions have evolved structurally analogous mechanisms. The findings further establish that such resemblance is not limited to the pedagogical sphere but extends to both the liturgical order and the processes of religious education, which collectively assume a dual role by reinforcing social cohesion while simultaneously cultivating individual spiritual equanimity. Methodologically, the research is situated within a qualitative paradigm, employing literature review and pattern analysis; primary sources consist of the discourse and official publications of Sōka Gakkai, while secondary sources comprise scholarly studies on both Sōka Gakkai and Islamic educational systems. The analysis demonstrates that Sōka Gakkai integrates doctrine and praxis within a distinctive model of religious education. Makiguchi’s pedagogy of value creation is transposed into the learning process through its synthesis with the principle of buppō (the universal law of the Buddha’s teaching), while ritual practices such as gongyō (the daily recitation of selected passages from the Lotus Sūtra) and daimoku (the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) are transformed into mechanisms of collective learning through discussion meetings and textual materials. This configuration positions the movement not merely as a religious community but also as a social actor assuming pedagogical and cultural functions. Within the Islamic tradition, a Qur’an-centered liturgical order—including prayer, supplication, the mosque, and formal educational institutions—generates a multilayered learning ecosystem that integrates doctrine, ritual, and institutional structure. In this light, the article undertakes a comparative analysis of these systems, elucidating the functional dimensions that religious education assumes in modern societies and thereby contributes to the literature of both religious education and the history of religions from an interdisciplinary perspective. Accordingly, the study establishes a comprehensive point of reference for scholars investigating the educational frameworks of new religious movements in Japan as well as the institutionalized mechanisms of education within the Islamic tradition.
Keywords : Din Eğitimi, İslām Sōka Gakkai, Japon Dinî Hareketleri, Değer Yaratma Pedagojisi, Ritüel Pratikler

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