Research Information System
British Journal of Religious Education, 2025 (AHCI)
This study examines the relationship between critical thinking dispositions, tolerance levels, and experiences of encountering religious and cultural diversity among RE teacher candidates in Turkey. Data were collected from 513 prospective teachers enrolled in six theology faculties in 2023 using valid scales. Causal comparative and regression analyses were applied to test the indirect effect of critical thinking on tolerance. The findings revealed that critical thinking dispositions have a significant and direct effect on tolerance, while tolerance indirectly strengthens experiences of encountering differences. Gender emerged as an important variable, with female candidates scoring higher on both critical thinking and openness to differences. Class level did not create a significant difference in terms of critical thinking dispositions and tolerance, but a partial effect was observed in the experience of encountering differences. These results indicate that current teacher training programmes for religious education in Turkey do not fully reflect the competencies outlined in policy documents and that the curriculum needs to be systematically restructured to strengthen critical thinking and intercultural competencies.