Example of Religious Education Overall the World
Key Questions:
• What effects countries in adapting religious education models?
• Which country has compulsory RE?
• Which country has no RE at all?
• Some examples from overall the world.
What effects countries in adapting religious education model (Hull, 2003)?
• Educational policy
• Ideology
• Educational Philosophy
• Educational approach
• Religious Educational Model
• School type
• Every country has own religious education model. It has to be understood in the context of the countries’ own
situations.
There are different implementations of religious education models around the world:
• France
• Germany
• USA
USA
(Morgan, 2010 & Kizilabdullah, 2014)
• There is an article in first amendments of US’
Constitution. This article is as follows:
• «Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof
(1791)»
• It is known as «establishment clause» (Kizilabdullah,
2014).
Seperation of Church and State
• To talk about school religious education in the USA, it is important to know that the main principle of «the
separation of church and state». This principle depends on the first amendment that mentioned before (Kizilabdullah, 2014).
• There is a huge discussion about this metaphor in the
United State.
• According to this clause, there is no religious education course in public schools in the USA. Because of secular understanding, it is not allowed that to teach certain religion at state schools. Religious education is left to
religious communities because of the separation of church
and state (Kizilabdullah, 2014).
Germany
(Dogan, 2008)
• Germany is a secular country.
• According to Constitution Religious education is one of the regular courses. Even though it is under the control of the State, it is tought with the harmony of the religious sects’
principles.
• The religious education course is the confessional course.
According to this article
• Students have their religious education with their parents’ consents.
The students whose parents don't want them to take the course, they have an option to take the «ethics» course. Except for non-religious schools, RE is compulsory in all the public schools. Even though the government has a control, religious denominations are responsible for the content of the course.
• Although It has some differences between the states, RE model is
confessional (Learning religion) and there are some classrooms for
each denomination. In different State, it is possible to see inter-
religious, inter-sectarian, and different models as well.
• Generally, books and curricula for RE are prepared by the a commission that consists of religious leaders and state and denomination has co-responsibility for this issue.
• Teachers are hired and get paid by government generally,
but they have to have certain qualifications and licenses.
France
(Messner, 2008 & Estivalezes, 2006)
• France doesn't provide religious education and instruction at public schools.
• The law about laicization was accepted in the end of the nineteenth century.
• Teaching about religion is the main model for religious knowledge. Through this model it has been trying to understand civilizations and societies.
• The separations of church and state was accepted by law in 1905. This law
gave the freedom of religious exercise to the religious institution as well
(Messner, 2008).
• In 1882, religious instruction was removed from the curriculum and religious topics were replaced with moral and civic instruction. According to the law (1882) «Public schools have to be closed one more day in addition to Sunday to give the
opportunity to exercise religious practices to the families (Estivalezes, 2006).» The place for religious education is seen church and family. It has been accepted that it is a private subject and it has to not be the subject at schools. With this
understanding, it will be possible to exercise religious freedom (Messner, 2008) .
• Every religious organization has a right to built its own school, dormitory, or other religious organization. But for secondary education, according to the law (1959)
«State has to provide religious facilities to students who want to exercise religious
practices. » For example, if families apply, they can have a chapel in the secondary
school building (Messner, 2008).
• Teaching about religion in schools is a hot topic through the history of France. It has been pointed out that
teaching about religion is necessary to pupil’s literacy and adaptation of culture (Estivalezes, 2006).
• Teaching about religion is made in history, literature, and
philosophy courses (Messner, 2008).
Cited Resourses
•
Moran, G. (2010)., Religious Education in United States’ State Schools. International Handbook of Inter-religious Education. Edited by Kath Engebretson and others, Springer: London- New York.•
Estivalezes, M. (2006). Teaching About Religion At School In France. International Handbook Of The Religious, Moral And Spiritual Dimensions In Education. Ed. By Marian De Souza and Others. Springer: Nederland.•
Messner, F. (2008). Fransa. Avrupa Birligi Ulkelerinde Din-Devlet Iliskisi. Ed. By Ali Kose& Talıp Kucukcan. ISAM:Istanbul
•
Dogan, R. (2008). Avrupa Birligi Surecinde Dinî Kurumlar ve Din Egitimi: Almanya Modeli. AUIFD XLIX , N II, pp.1-43•
Aydin, M.Z. (2001). Avrupa Birligi Ulkelerinde Din Egitimi ve Turkiye ile Karsilastirilmasi. Diyanet Avrupa,N:29, Ankara, pp.23-28.•
Kizilabdullah, Yildiz (2014). Cokkulturlu Toplumlarda Din Egitimi Modelleri-Indiana Ornegi, Otorite Yayinlari:Ankara.
