# The Human Spirit in Moral Education

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-20 — 1 clipping.*

---

> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Kuek Yi Hsing, The Human Spirit in Moral Education, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> The Human Spirit in Moral Education
> Kuek Yi Hsing
> 
> Abstract
> 
> As belief in traditional authorities in Europe has declined, morality and
> ethics have been constantly undermined. With the rise of modern
> science, there has been a progressive fragmentation in spiritual values.
> Moral education has been caught in between. In schools run by religious
> institutions, it is still a part of religious education, whereas in secular
> schools, it has become a distinct subject on character and behaviour, duty
> and obligation, devoid of any religious affinity. In search of what to
> teach in moral education, a mixture of ethics, religious festivities and
> cultural traditions, nation-building concepts, and other trivialities such as
> social etiquette, personal grooming and self-esteem have been included
> in the curriculum.
> 
> There is no lack of criticism in the US and Europe on the weakness of
> the secular models of moral education and there have been calls for
> "going back to basics" by the fundamentalists. From the Baha'i point of
> view morality has assumed a new meaning and a new direction. It is no
> longer sufficient to be virtuous; one has to be conscious of the fact that
> the world has become one single state. To be moral implies going
> beyond being patriotic to one's country, race, culture and religion. One's
> allegiance must be to the whole of humankind.
> 
> The article examines briefly the historical perspective that has lead to the
> immanence of secular models of moral education in Europe and the US,
> how moral education has been taught in Singapore, some secular models
> from the US and their inadequacies, and what the Baha'i Writings have
> to offer.
> 56          THE SINGAPORE BAHAT STUDIES REVIEW
> 
> The Division: Religious and Secular Moral Education
> 
> The great progress of science and technology over the past few hundred
> years seems to have brought with it an equally momentous crisis of
> values. Ever since the 18th century European Enlightenment, the great
> rise of faith in science and reason has been shadowed by an equally
> sharp decline in the respect for moral authority. This process of
> secularization has been gathering pace in recent years. The Catholic
> theologian, Hans Kung, notes that:
> 
> "Ever since the youth and student revolts of the late 1960s, there are no
> longer any institutions or guardians of values which are not in crisis or
> have not been radically challenged. Where today is there any undisputed
> authority? We used to be told: the pope, the bishop, the church says; or
> the prime minister, the government, the party says; or the teacher, the
> professor, 'your father' says. Where nowadays could we even settle a
> discussion - let alone pacify a demonstration - with an appeal to such
> authorities? No; the state, church, courts, army, school, family - all seem
> to be insecure. They are no longer accepted without question - least of
> all by young people - as guardians of values."1
> 
> The crisis of values seems to be inseparable from the crisis of traditional
> religion. With the rise of Reason as an alternative to Faith, clearly
> articulated during the European Enlightenment period, many sought to
> found moral values on rational or empirical principles. This trend is
> clearly evident in the philosophy of Hobbes, Hume and the Utilitarians.
> The writer Udo Shaefer, summarizes the impact of these philosophies on
> European moral values over the last two hundred years in the following
> way:
> 
> "The crisis of Christianity and, in its wake, the crisis of morals has been
> on the way for a long time, at least since the European Enlightenment,
> the Copernican revolution of thought, which began in the 17th century
> and molded the West. This new attitude was based on a belief in the
> power of reason, on the conviction of the absolute certainty of rational
> knowledge. Faith in the old presuppositions and authorities, for so long
> considered valid beyond question, gave way to a spirit of criticism.
> 
> Hans Kung. Why I am still a Christian. T and T Clark Ltd., Edinburgh, 1987, p3.
> The Human Spirit in Moral Education                              57
> 
> Reason claimed to be autonomous and set itself up as the unique court of
> appeal. The spirit of modernism, which made a method of doubt, has
> profoundly changed the world. It was the ideal for man in his newly
> attained independence and maturity to be liberated from prejudice and
> preconceived ideas and at the same time to hold a commitment to
> methodological discipline and absolute objectivity. This new way of
> thought has laid the foundation of our scientific-technical civilization...
> However, the spirit of modernism is also responsible for the deep crisis
> of faith and, in its wake, the crisis of morals.'
> 
> Moral Philosophy in the 1900's
> 
> The moral confusion of our times, the undermining of spiritual values,
> and particularly the decline in respect for moral authorities, has had a
> profound effect on the moral training of children. The distinct
> development of moral education in America since the 1960's has been
> towards a more open process of reasoning and reflecting, away from the
> authoritative "bag-of-virtues" approach. One of the models that was in
> use in the 60's in America is called "values clarification" developed by
> Carl Rogers(1965), Simon, Howe and Kirschenbaum (1972). Rogers
> had, in the 50's, developed techniques in counseling that were non-
> directive, non-judgmental, and client-centered and which became known
> as humanistic psychology. These techniques were then introduced to
> schools where students were treated as clients. Students were allowed to
> discover their own values as long as they were comfortable with what
> they chose. The emphasis is on skills and opportunities for the students
> to reflect on inputs and come up with their own thought-out answers.
> The aim was to help students identify their own values and those of
> others using both rational thinking and emotional awareness.
> 
> Another model was developed by Lawrence Kohlberg (1984). In this
> abstract-reflective approach, development of moral life results from
> making the right choice after considering the consequences. The students
> were urged to discuss the reasons for their value choices and to foster
> change in the stages of reasoning. A hypothetical or factual value
> 
> Udo Shaefer. Ethic for a Global Society. The BaháT Studies Review 1994 London, pp.
> 50-51.
> 58          THE SINGAPORE BAHAT STUDIES REVIEW
> 
> dilemma would be presented to the class and would be discussed in small
> groups.
> 
> Some have claimed that the main reason for the failure of these models
> in moral education is the lack of adult guidance. William Kilpatrick
> wrote: "decision-making curriculums pose thorny and ethical dilemmas
> to students, leaving them with the impression that all morality is
> problematic and all questions of right and wrong are in dispute.
> Youngsters are forced to question values and virtues they've never
> acquired in the first place or upon which they have only a tenuous
> hold."3 He claimed that the actual result of these methods is moral
> confusion.
> 
> Why had so much freedom been given to the students in moral
> education? Kirschenbaum explained in his article in which he tried to
> analyze the reasons for the failure of values clarification model:
> 
> "This immoderation was understandable. Louis Raths, the founder of
> values clarification, went through his professional formative years in the
> aftermath of World War II. He saw the excesses of fascism. He
> witnessed the newsreel of entire cultures that so relinquished their ability
> to choose freely and to defend their convictions publicly that they blindly
> followed their leaders into a moral abyss that surpassed the imagination.
> Then Raths and his students Harmin and Simon watched the United
> States go through the dark days of McCarthyism, when thinking for
> oneself and publicly expressing even the slightest dissent were
> considered by many to be un-American. To these three educators, values
> clarification- which emphasizes critical thinking, rational individual
> choice, and public affirmation- seemed a sensible and essential remedy
> against authoritarian leadership wherever it might appear. Suffice to say
> for now that we were so passionate about the importance of giving young
> people the skills necessary to make their own responsible decisions that
> we overstated our case."4
> 
> Kilpatrick, William. Experiments in Moral Education. Talk given at the Seventh
> International Congress of Professors World Peace Academy Washington, 1997.
> Kirschenbbaum, Howard. A Comprehensive Model for Values Education and Moral
> Education, Journal: Phi Delta Kappan, v.73 n.10 June 1992, pp. 77-176.
> The Human Spirit in Moral Education                           59
> 
> So after 30 years of experimenting with different models in moral
> education in schools, there are still disagreements on the most
> fundamental issues. Now in the 90's there is a revival of character
> education by which "good character" is placed as the central desirable
> outcome of the school's moral enterprise. There are core values which
> can withstand the test of reversibility (Would you want to be treated this
> way?) and universalizability (Would you want all persons to act this way
> in a similar situation?). Lickona writes about these values:
> 
> "They define our responsibilities in a democracy, and they are
> recognized by all civilized people and taught by all enlightened creeds.
> Not to teach children these core values is a grave moral failure."5
> 
> The new character education in the US calls upon an individual teacher
> to act as caregiver, model, and mentor. It asks of the school to create a
> moral community, to enforce rules and to involve students in decision-
> making thereby creating a democratic classroom environment. It
> suggests teaching of values through curriculum and through moral
> reflection.
> 
> In this respect, Kilpatrick talks about the power of aesthetics and
> believes that good books should be included in the moral education
> curriculum. He believes that people are convinced not by arguments, but
> by the force of beauty. The right and rich source of beauty comes from
> stories, images and memories that inspire the students to do the right
> things.
> 
> Moral Education in Singapore
> 
> Moral Education has been a compulsory subject in schools since
> Singapore attained self-government in 1959 and independence in 1965.
> Not unlike many newly independent countries, Singapore too was
> looking into the issues of curriculum content and the nature of moral
> education.6
> 
> Lickona, Thomas, The Return of Character Education, Journal, Educational
> Leadership, Vol.51 no.3 Nov. 1993, pp. 6-11.
> J Chew Oon Ai, Civic and Moral Education in Singapore: Lessons for Citizenship
> Education? Journal of Moral Education, 1998, Vol. 27 no. 4, pp. 504-524.
> 60         THE SINGAPORE BAHAT STUDIES REVIEW
> 
> Starting with the late 1950's, a programme of "Ethics" was introduced in
> all primary and secondary schools with the objectives of inculcating
> values and laying the foundation for character development. The aim
> was to nurture the pupil into self-respecting and good citizens. Stories
> were used in primary schools and proverbs and aphorisms were taught in
> the secondary schools.
> 
> In the 60's, a programme of "Civics" replaced Ethics in upper primary
> school and the content was geared towards nation building. It was
> subsequently revised to introduce Asian values and culture in 1974, and
> was re-named Education for Living (EFL). The new subject was an
> integration of Civics, History and Geography and was taught in the
> mother tongue (Mandarin, Malay or Tamil).
> 
> In 1979, the Ong Teng Cheong Report on Moral Education found that
> Civics syllabus in secondary school as well as the EFL programme had
> little content on moral values. Those that were dealt with were too
> abstract and there were insufficient explanations on the moral and ethical
> principles behind them. The Report recommended Civics and EFL be
> replaced by Moral Education (ME) under three broad areas:
> 
> 1)      Personal Behaviour        - habit formation and development of
> character
> 2)      Social Responsibility    - sense of belonging to the community
> and respect
> for cultural heritage
> 3)      Loyalty to the Country - love of country and spirit of nation
> building.
> 
> Based on the Report, a common Moral Education syllabus for primary
> one to secondary two was issued to schools in 1983 with "Being and
> Becoming" Package for secondary and "Good Citizens" Package for
> primary schools.
> 
> At upper secondary level, Religious Knowledge (RK) and Confucian
> Ethics (CE) was introduced as a compulsory subject in 1984. The object
> of teaching RK and CE was to anchor the values acquired from primary
> one to secondary two through the teaching of one of the established
> religions/ethical systems. However the introduction of RK and CE
> proved to be controversial and was phased out in 1992.
> The Human Spirit in Moral Education                           61
> 
> Throughout the forty-odd years of implementing moral education in
> schools, the main thrust has been citizenship training, incorporating
> some moral development techniques such as values clarification into the
> lessons, and lessons on social living such as social etiquette and boy-girl
> relationships. With the introduction of the concept of National Education
> in 1995 by the Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong , this trend seems set
> to continue for many years to come.
> 
> Contributing Factors towards Limited Success of Moral
> Education
> 
> Among contemporary works analyzing the shortcomings of various
> moral education models in the US, the findings can be grouped under
> three categories:
> 
> 1.      The Basic Flaws within the Models
> 
> The moral education of the 60's was concerned with ideas, with
> intellectual skills, and with structures of thinking. There was
> little attention to doing - to moral action or how one ought to
> behave.
> 
> Winston Langley wrote:
> 
> "The approach (abstract reflective) tends to see moral education
> and development as somewhat specialized rather than something
> that is all-pervading, spreading and assimilated into all areas of
> one's life. Second by virtue of its specialized and abstract nature,
> the approach rarely induces one to see the relationship between
> moral values and human condition. Indeed one can know very
> well the formal ideals and rules and yet never understand their
> application to ambient life."7
> 
> 2.      Whose Values Should We Teach?
> 
> Langley, Winston, Children, Moral Development, and Global Transformation, World
> Order Magazine, Spring 1997, pp. 18-19.
> 62          THE SINGAPORE BAHA' I STUDIES REVIEW
> 
> In scientific and philosophical fields, values are not given the
> same recognition as facts. Values are regarded as mere feelings
> and not objective truths. Only facts, which can be scientifically
> proven, are objective truths. As a result, moral values are
> therefore relative truths, a matter of private and personal value
> judgement. As a subject, moral education becomes more of
> personal preference, as long as the reasoning power is cultivated
> in the minds of the students.
> 
> The increasing secularization of the public arena is another
> barrier to achieving the moral consensus indispensable for
> character education in schools. Government schools retreated
> from their once central role as moral and character educators.
> 
> 3.      The Constraint of Teachers
> 
> James Leming8 observed that teachers do not think of
> themselves as moral educators. The education system requires
> that teachers see themselves first as classroom managers. The
> demands on teachers' time and energy are a very real problem
> resulting in "burn-out" or cumulative fatigue. There is very little
> passion left to teach moral values, which are considered
> secondary in importance to academic subjects.
> 
> While these are very real problems and limitations, there are bigger
> issues that contribute to the limited successful implementation of moral
> education programmes.
> 
> The decline in moral discipline has to be looked upon as but one of the
> many complex problems facing humanity, all of which are
> interdependent. One of the main problems is the pattern of modern life
> that is based on accumulation of material wealth. Schumacher
> commented on the highest goals of the present generation :
> 
> "The development of production and acquisition of wealth have thus
> become the highest goals of the modern world in relation to which all
> 
> Leming, James S., "Kholbergian Programmes in Moral Education: A Practical Review
> & Assessment" in Lawrence Kholberg, Consensus and Controversy, Edited by Sohan
> Modgil and Celia Modgil, Falmer Press, Philadelphia, 1986.
> The Human Spirit in Moral Education                              63
> 
> other goals, no matter how much lip service may still be paid to them,
> have come to take second place. The highest goal require no
> justification; all secondary goals have finally to justify themselves in
> terms of the service their attainment renders to the attainment of the
> highest. This is the philosophy of materialism, and it is this philosophy -
> or metaphysics - which is now being challenged by events."9
> 
> Another worldwide trend that needs urgent address is the declining
> influence of parents over their children. The present set-up of schools is
> simply not equipped to take full responsibility in educating children, and
> will not succeed until parents exercise their inescapable duty to educate
> their children.
> 
> Human Spirit in Moral Education
> 
> Morality in the Baha'i Faith is not merely following a set of do's and
> don'ts. Neither is it solely about the learning of virtues and values, both
> of which are insufficient. It is based upon relationships between people
> that necessitate moral behaviour and two powerful forces that can instill
> these moral virtues and values, religion and world citizenship, are
> presented here for discussion. They function in the domain of the human
> spirit and are the foundation for a new morality in a broadened, universal
> arena.
> 
> Religion as A Motivation Force
> 
> Teaching our children to differentiate right from wrong is not difficult.
> The problem is the cultivation of the will to do the right thing. Even as
> Confucius said of himself:
> 
> "Morality cannot be properly cultivated, learning cannot be deeply
> pursued, words of wisdom cannot be put into practice, bad habits cannot
> be changed - these are my greatest worries."
> 
> E.F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful, Sphere Books, 1974, p. 246.
> Confucius. Analects Chap 9 Verse 23. (Direct translation from Chinese text).
> 64          THE SINGAPORE BAHA' I STUDIES REVIEW
> 
> The current focus on moral education has been far removed from
> religion. Yet again and again when the issue of universal values is
> discussed, the recognised values such as justice, kindness, honesty and
> integrity are found in the teachings of all religions. There is little doubt
> that religion has the power to inspire scholars and the illiterate to a
> higher level of sacrifice and altruistic love, a feat no secular learning can
> match.
> 
> The Baha'i Faith regards religion as a means for man to establish an
> authentic relationship with his Creator. In the process of knowing his
> Creator and thereby learning to love Him, he is able to establish the right
> relationship with his fellow men. Morality can then be firmly established
> upon greater and greater understanding of God: sacrifices are evoked for
> the love of God.
> 
> Fasting is a good example of sacrifice and self-discipline. Very few
> people would go on a period of fasting even when it has been proven
> medically to be beneficial to the body. Yet millions of religious
> followers abide by this law every year without the need of any physical
> justification. Many virtues are learnt in fasting: patience, moderation,
> mindfulness of the less fortunate, self-discipline, a prayerful attitude and
> humility. What lesson is more powerful than this?
> 
> On the enlightening and spiritualizing power of divine religions,
> ' Abdu'1-Bahá quoted the comment of Galen, a Greek philosopher, on the
> early Christians:
> 
> "The generality of mankind are unable to grasp a sequence of logical
> arguments. For this reason they stand in need of symbols and parables
> telling of rewards and punishments in the next worlds. A confirmatory
> evidence of this is that today we observe a people called Christians, who
> believe devoutly in rewards and punishments in a future state. This group
> shows forth excellent actions, similar to the actions of an individual who
> is a true philosopher. For example, we all see with our own eyes that
> they have no fear of death, and their passion for justice and fair-dealing
> is so great that they should be considered true philosophers."11
> 
> 'Abdu'1-Bahá. The Secret of Divine Civilization, Baha'i Publishing Trust, Wilmette,
> 1970, p. 84.
> The Human Spirit in Moral Education                       65
> 
> However, many religious teachings are now obscured by prejudices and
> dogmas. One of the most dangerous of present day religious dogmas is
> the prejudice that only one religion contains all truth, and the other
> religions are false. The degeneration of true religion into a set of dogmas
> has been the chief source of suffering. Religious followers were
> persecuted and at times put to death for subscribing to differing views.
> This frame of superiority and the desire to convert everyone else to the
> sole truth was the beginning of cultural disharmony when the Western
> powers expanded their influence and colonised the rest of the world.
> 
> While my proposition is to reintroduce religious teachings into the
> school curriculum on moral education, we have to be selective by
> excluding religious prejudices and concentrate on values that will
> promote understanding and love between people of all races and creeds.
> Religion has the force to empower man to rise above material pursuits. It
> induces in the human spirit a higher aspiration, a motivation and will to
> act beyond what he is normally asked for. To deprive our children of this
> immense source of knowledge and inspiration is both a disservice to
> them and to future generations.
> 
> World Citizenship
> 
> The idea that the next stage of man's social evolution is global unity is
> not new. World consciousness has been expressed by poets, gurus,
> saints, and many thoughtful men throughout history. It is not difficult to
> see that the world has to function as one country as we witness economic
> problems and environmental disasters that are global in scale and that are
> becoming more acute with each passing day. World summits and
> conferences have been called by world leaders from all nations to find
> ways to combat these issues on a united front, and yet we are still
> clinging to the age-old nationalistic, patriotic and racial loyalties that
> divide the world.
> 
> On the subject of world education, Harold Taylor writes:
> 
> "In the most optimistic reading of contemporary history, we could now
> say that we have reached a stage at which it has become necessary for
> the educated man to extend the dimension of his loyalty to the entire
> 66          THE SINGAPORE BAHA' I STUDIES REVIEW
> 
> human race. The conception of education itself must now be one which
> locates man intellectually in a universe described by scientists, artists,
> and writers, and in a cultural setting as big as the globe. To enjoy any
> longer the luxury of defining one's nation, one's society, or oneself in
> terms of pride of ancestry, social superiority, or power of destruction is
> not only supremely dangerous to the survival of the race, but
> intellectually and socially obsolete."12
> 
> World education is not just about geography, different cultures and
> lifestyles. It is about creating feelings of affection towards people of
> different beliefs, cultures and races in a globalised world. Where love
> and respect are shown only within limited sections of the community,
> hostility and prejudice will breed and no amount of moral education can
> transform prejudiced hearts.
> 
> Based on the Baha'i principle of the oneness of the human race, teaching
> of world citizenship should cover those ethics that contribute to world
> civilization. It should teach the principle of "unity in diversity" with a
> common vision of world unity. Its promotion of the principle of oneness
> of mankind will be a potent force against the tide of racism, prejudice
> and violence to minorities. With this principle as the foundation, other
> virtues such as co-operation, kindness, integrity and the rest will become
> more meaningful in this period of the global maturity of man.
> A new spirit has been infused by the teachings of Baha'u'llah, as
> 'Abdu'1-Bahá elaborated:
> 
> "In this age his holiness Baha'u'llah has breathed the holy spirit into the
> dead body of the world; consequently every weak soul is strengthened by
> these fresh divine out-breathings - every poor man will become rich,
> every darkened soul will become illumined, every ignorant one will
> become wise, because the confirmations of the holy spirit are descending
> like torrents. A new era of divine consciousness is upon us. The world of
> humanity is going through a process of transformation. A new race is
> being developed. The thoughts of human brotherhood are permeating all
> 
> Taylor, Harold. The World as Teacher, Doubleday, New York, 1969, p. 3 quoted in
> Gayle Morrison's Education for Worldmindedness, World Order Magazine, Summer
> 1972.
> The Human Spirit in Moral Education                         67
> 
> regions. New ideals are stirring the depths of hearts and a new spirit of
> universal consciousness is profoundly felt by all men."13
> 
> Conclusion
> 
> At this juncture of human history, morality loses its meaning when it is
> confined to a single race, group or nation. It actually becomes dangerous
> and harmful to humanity as a whole. For moral education to succeed and
> serve mankind, sweeping changes to the structure of society also has to
> take place, for the school cannot effectively teach world citizenship
> while the world is still in disarray and divided along racial and
> ideological lines.
> 
> Throughout the history of man, the majority of immoral acts are
> committed not by the ordinary folk, but by the people in authority. They
> exploit, manipulate, persecute, and even put to death people who are
> weaker and people who profess different beliefs to theirs, all in the name
> of racial superiority, economic development and religion. It is no wonder
> why many have looked away from religion as a legitimate source of
> knowledge and inspiration. This is indeed the tragedy of mankind:
> skepticism on one side and blind belief on the other. To construct a new
> world civilization, moral education can play a part in offering the middle
> path and promote the principle of the oneness of man and his share and
> responsibility in a borderless world.
> 
> 'Abdu'1-Bahá. Star of the West, Vol. VIII no. 1 (March 21, 1917) p. 16.
> 68        THE SINGAPORE BAHA' I STUDIES REVIEW
> 
> Works Cited
> 
> Rogers, Carl Ransom, Client-centered Therapy: Its Current Practice,
> implications, and theory, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1965.
> 
> Simon, Sidney B., Howe, Leland W., & Kirschenbaum, Howard,
> Values Clarification - A Handbook of Practical Strategies for Teachers
> and Students, Hart Publishing Company, New York, 1972.
> 
> Kohlberg, Lawrence, Essays on Moral Development, Harper & Row,
> San Francisco, 1984.
> 
> Lickona, Thomas, Education for Character, Bantam Books 1991 USA
> & Canada. Tokyo, Japan: National Institute for Educational Research,
> 1990.
> A New Decade of Moral Education: A Report of the Regional Workshop
> pp. 104-109.
> 
> Kirschenbaum, Howard & Simon, Sidney, Readings in Values
> Clarification, Winston Press, USA, 1993.
> 
> Wynne & Ryan, Reclaiming Our Schools: A Handbook on Teaching
> Character,
> Academics and Discipline, Prentice Hall, USA, 1997.
>
> — *The Human Spirit in Moral Education (Used by permission of the curator)*