A directive recently issued by Cardinal Joachim Meisner, Archbishop of Cologne, on multi-religious celebrations in schools, has aroused conflicting reactions in Germany. The directive, aimed at teachers of Catholic religion in the archdiocese, invites them not to participate in multi-faith celebrations held in schools since they are difficult for children to understand: “the image of God in non-Christian religions is not identical to that of God, Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ”, explained the cardinal. “Therefore, common celebrations are not possible. Each community may as a consequence pray individually to its own God. If this happens at a community level, the other groups should watch in silence”. “Since the faith of children and adolescents is not yet completely developed – explained Meisner – there is reason to fear that they may encounter difficulties in distinguishing ecumenical celebrations from Catholic or multi-faith celebrations”. His directive has aroused negative criticisms right across the political spectrum. Of quite another view is Friedrich Weber, representative of the Lutheran Church of Braunschweig: “The directive specifies the limit that ought not to be transgressed to safeguard religious identity, in spite of the need for multi-religious integration in schools”. Weber also stressed that the directive adopts “the same line” as that of the ten theses recently issued by the Council of the German Evangelical Church (EKD) on religious education in schools. Evangelical Eberhard Troeger, member of the workgroup for Islam of the German Evangelical Alliance, thinks that what Meisner said “is blindingly obvious”: “the Biblical and Koranic understanding of God cannot be reconciled. That’s why Christians and Muslims cannot celebrate in common. We need to avoid as far as possible what might resemble a mixture between religions”, he concluded. The Forum of German Catholics and the German Bishops’ Conference have also expressed their support for Meisner’s directive.
