In recent years there has been a rediscovery of the importance of “religious culture” in the school systems of many countries” “” “” “” “
Religious education (RE) in European schools is a long-consolidated reality, even if highly diversified from country to country. It is difficult to draw comparisons. But one common denominator can be recognized; namely, the fact that over the last few years schools almost everywhere have been obliged to rediscover a new role in relation to “religious culture”. In practice, this has meant the placing in question of the exclusive pursuit of objectives of catechetical type, in support of or in substitution for the various confessional traditions, and the ever greater attention to a “basic” ethical and religious education, an elementary “inculturation” of religious themes, and of the foundations of the phenomenology and history of religions. Conducting a rapid (and incomplete) review of the European situation, we find that in Germany RE is guaranteed by the Constitution itself and obligatory in state schools, as a normal subject on the curriculum, though with normative differences between the various Länder. It is confessional, either Catholic or Evangelical depending on the reality of the Länder in question. Anyone who asks to be exempted from it, must take alternative courses, normally of “general ethics”. In Austria the situation is similar to that in Germany as regards the fact that RE forms a normal part of the school curriculum and is compulsory. There is a long tradition of RE in Austria, dating back to the laws issued on the matter by Empress Maria Theresa in the later eighteenth century. The Church “controls” both teachers and contents. Students have the option of applying for exemption. In Belgium the majority of schools are confessional and RE is compulsory in them. In “neutral” state schools, on the other hand, an optional regime exists: but those who choose to opt out of confessional RI are obliged to follow a non-confessional course, of so-called “natural ethics”. In the Netherlands most students attend private (free) schools that have a regime of juridical and financial equality with state (public) schools. RE is provided in confessional private schools, with teachers suitable for the Church and paid by the State. In public schools no provision is made for RE, although some provision is made for teaching concerning “knowledge of the Bible” or “cultural history of the Church”. Confessional instruction, paid by the State, can however be organized outside normal school hours, as an extra-curricular option. In Spain RE is guaranteed by the Constitution and by precise Church-State accords and is provided in all schools, both public and private. Anyone who does not want to take RE must opt for a course of ethics instead. Teachers and syllabus depend on the Church. In France there is no provision of RE in primary schools. This is an anomalous situation in comparison with the European regime in general, but is linked to the special French tradition of historic separation between State and Church. In secondary schools, however, the figure of the aumonier, the priest dedicated to school chaplaincy, has existed since the time of Napoleon. He provides RE where requested. This service, however, is provided out of school hours and is now assigned largely to lay people. As regards the training of teachers of religion, there are notable disparities between the various countries. There is however a universal requirement for a professional qualification, normally a university degree, placed on an equal footing with that of teachers of other subjects. Almost everywhere, those who teach religion receive a “mandate” from the Church he/she represents, which in many cases also sponsors his/her theological and teacher training. A final datum that may be considered common to the European countries concerns the widespread tendency to recognize the fundamental right of the person to have access to religious education.
