"Ratio Studiorum” and the paradoxes of Jesuit education

Abstract

The Jesuit order (Societatis de Jesu), founded in 1534, is one of the most famous monastic associations of the Catholic Church. The Jesuits influenced the development of New European philosophy, from Descartes to Wolff to Kant, and significantly shaped the intellectual and spiritual culture of the New Age. The aim of this article is to analyze an important episode in the activities of the Order during the second half of the 16th century, aimed at the formation and development of a unique pedagogical system, which caused an avalanche-like increase in the number of the educational institutions of the Order in Europe. The theoretical expression of the Jesuits' pedagogical thought was the Order's "School Statute" ("Ratio Studiorum", 1599), which included curricula and detailed instructions for heads and teachers of different subjects and types of educational institutions. This was the first educational reform in the history of Europe. The Jesuit educational system was extremely successful because it emphasized the formation of a spiritual elite in all strata of society. At the same time, the real paradox of Jesuit education should be considered the temporary nature of its success. Already by the middle of the seventeenth century the Jesuit system was losing its mobility, its pioneering character, and its humanistic spirit. This is confirmed by the opinions of Voltaire and other famous pupils of the order's schools.