The Critique of Goldman's Theory of Developmental Psychology by Considering the Principles of Religious Education in Children from the Islamic Viewpoint

Due to having many functions in different periods of life, religious education has always been one of the important dimensions of education in many human societies. Religious education is especially important in childhood, which is one of the most influential educational periods. Therefore, educators, whose main concern is children's religious education, face two major challenges. The first challenge is to properly understand the content of religious education which is appropriate to the age of the child, and the second challenge is to adopt a religious education approach that is appropriate to the psychological characteristics of childhood. In religious texts, the content of education has been specified to a large extent. So far, various theories have been presented in the field of the development of religion with regard to the psychological characteristics of children. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this research reviews Ronald Goldman's theory, who is one of the experts in this field, with the aim of using the psychological findings for the religious education of children, and by considering the principles of religious education from the Islamic perspective.