Religious education

Task of religious education (earlier on products, also referred to as: religious doctrine ) is to introduce into the beliefs, history and value systems of one or even of different religions. One distinguishes religious education in schools ( Shrinking ) and extracurricular religious education (ARU ).

Religion is taught as a rule of the professing waiting a teacher who belongs to the respective religious community. Thus, the religious instruction from the outset does not purport to be issued by a neutral point of view. In religious studies or the teaching of ethics, however, teachers are putting aside their own creeds or beliefs and to give only comparative knowledge about different religions and their beliefs.

The traditions and designs of religious instruction, and possibly also the integration into the general education differ significantly already within Europe.

Not infrequently religious instruction outside of school, outside of official school hours through the various faith communities as community education ( formerly " Sunday School " ) issued and the like. Such forms are e.g. the children of the Church, the first communions, Firmungs or confirmation classes, Bible studies, or madrassas. The confessions obtained their religious education in the community centers and schools, in their places of worship ( churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, etc.) or in small denominations in private premises.

Religious education worldwide

America

USA

In the United States no religious instruction in public schools granted, but offered exclusively by the religious communities with their own facilities. This corresponds to the principles of separation of church and state and freedom of religion under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

Asia

Turkey

The teaching of religion in Turkey is strongly influenced by the Kemalist principle of secularism. In fact, there are in Turkey today, three different forms of religious education: The state education in schools; the supported from Islamic religious communities " Koran lessons ", under the aegis of the Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı ( Bureau of Religious Affairs ) is, however; and thirdly, the more illegal forms of secret Koran courses.

Europe

Germany

Religious education in Germany within the meaning of the Basic Law school religious instruction in public schools. In addition, there are free religious communities to provide religious instruction as well as extracurricular religious education.

Religious instruction is issued either by the state teachers ( appointed by the religious institutions and under the technical supervision ) or directly from the respective religious community trained and authorized teachers. In Germany the training of teachers of religion / inside on religion teacher training colleges and at theological faculties of state universities is carried out.

Main supplier to German schools are the Christianity belonging to denominations or confessions of the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches, to their religious instruction, inter alia, also Free Church and Orthodox students participate, unless a separate religious instruction is offered. In particular, the invitation to attend the Protestant religious instruction aimed always been to all students, regardless of whether they belong to a faith community or not. Jewish religious education will (soon ) available in the states of Baden -Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Lower Saxony and North Rhine -Westphalia. Since 2003 year group and across schools of Buddhist religious teaching in Berlin at three public schools. An "Islamic religious instruction " in Germany is still under construction, its design still in the discussion.

France

In France generally will be no school religious instruction. For historical reasons, there is an exception to this in the Departaments Haut-Rhin, Bas -Rhin and Moselle, as the imperial province Alsace- Lorraine were part of the German Empire until 1918. There, a school Religion is taught with government sponsorship.

Austria

In Austria, religious education is a compulsory subject for all students, belonging to a legally recognized church or religious society. The teaching of religion is concerned by the relevant legally recognized church or religious society, guided and directly supervised. The training of religion teachers is mostly on religion teacher training colleges.

See also: Ethics Education in Austria

Poland

The teaching of religion in Poland takes place with public bodies at all schools and kindergartens. It is officially a non -requiring school subject ( roughly equivalent to the German term " elective "). But most of all pupils are first filed by the school administration lump sum to the Roman Catholic religion classes and the parents who do not want this need, their children out explicitly.

Switzerland

The legal status and the content design of religious education in public schools sees in every canton in Switzerland is different. The denominational religious instruction is to be given separately as an optional part due to the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion in Switzerland from the rest of the classroom.