One doesn’t rule out the other

Should there be ethics or religion classes in school? One doesn’t exclude the other. The issue was debated a few days ago in Vienna at a parliamentary meeting titled “Values and education in religion or ethics classes in an open and pluralistic society”. Among the experts attending the meeting figured theologian and religion sociologist Paul M. Zulehner, theologian and religion pedagogue Anton Bucher and philosopher Konrad Paul Liessmann. The question is the object of debate on the part of religious leaders. Follows a summary of the various positions. Ensuring religious and ethical formation. Religious and Ethics Formation is fundamental in modern education and it is the State’s responsibility, said Paul M. Zulehner in the meeting of May 4 in Vienna. “In modern society the educational realm cannot exempt itself from providing religious and ethical formation”. Otherwise “it would fall short of its educational responsibility, that reposes on human rights”. To fulfil its educational task “the State could act in conjunction with Churches and religious communities”. The State is however called “to ensure formation on religious as well as on ethical-social questions” also to those who opted-out of religious learning. A “comprehensive formation is part an parcel of ideological and religious plurality”, which includes even “atheist stances”. This can contribute, Zulehner said, “also to ensure peace, when the encounter with others takes place in a framework of dialogue and tolerance”. The theologian said that the progress of modernity doesn’t entail the disappearance of religion. Instead, it “highlights the importance of religious and ethical formation”. It should be considered that “ethical formation always implies a certain degree of ideological education whereby Christian formation represents a special variation”. In fact, “religious formation always has ethical implications”. Cooperation with religious communities. Anton Bucher underlined the importance of cooperation of religious communities in the planning of ethics classes. “Also religion teachers can give an important contribution to ethics classes”, he said, envisaging the possibility that with further academic specialization religion teachers could also teach ethics. A different stand was expressed by Paul Liessmann, who pointed out: “The value of ethics lessons doesn’t only consist in its difference from religion classes”. Indeed, in a democracy it represents “a civil, cultural and social requirement”. It is a need that also stems from the fact that “a secularised society are no longer marked by a system of norms that are passed down by tradition and shared by everyone”. For this reason, Liessman said, “in contemporary society an agreement must always be sought on the basis of coexistence”. Ethics vs religion classes? The representative of the Evangelical Church Karl Schiefermair said he favours the introduction of compulsory ethics classes in secondary schools for all students who decide not to attend religion classes. Schiefermair underlined that although he expects “lower attendance in confessional religious lessons”, ethics should be valued positively, “as we cannot be indifferent to those students who decide to opt out of religious learning”. Also Orthodox Churches and Austria’s Islamic Community said they would welcome compulsory ethics classes, but only for those students who decide to opt out of religion lessons. Austria’s Greek-Orthodox Metropolitan Michael Staikos, and Emanuel Aydin, Chorepiscopos of the Syrian-Orthodox Church, highlighted the importance of religion and of religion classes, notably for immigrants’ social integration. “Integration understood as more than mere assimilation isn’t possible if the religious faith of individuals is not taken into account”, Staikos said. Aydin conveyed his concerns over the possibility that compulsory ethics for everyone (even for those attending religion classes) may cause “an increase in the exemptions from religion classes”, and therefore its disappearance, since it would represent a further burden on students. Also the president of Austria’s Islamic community Anas Schakfeh, guarded against introducing ethics for all students. “It would lead to the elimination of religion classes”, he said, although he admitted being in favour of compulsive ethics classes for students who decide not to attend religion classes.