Teachings on religion(s) in European education systems: a recognition of the present, some impulses and perspectives for the future

Abstract

One of the major contributions of the Catholic school to the formation of people and to the mission of the Church is religious education. In the diversity of school systems in Europe, it is possible to identify three models: the politico-conciliar, the academic-curricular and the ethical-value-based. These models evolve in line with the religious reality of the societies in which they operate, but they retain their relevance in the name of the religious freedom that is at the heart of European democratic systems. Religious education thus contributes to the formation of citizens and to the integration of each individual in increasingly multicultural and multi-religious societies.