SPAIN
From: elsaltodiario.com
¿Educación confesional en la Escuela ? Ni una, ni ninguna
Reflection on the impact and role of confessional religion education in the secular state, with a focus on Spain.
“Cuando hablamos de religión confesional en la Escuela, nos estamos refiriendo, exclusivamente, al monopolio de la religión católica, ya que los alumnos que optan por las demás religiones permitidas (evangélica, judía y musulmana) no suponen ni el 1% entre todas ellas. La religión confesional no es una responsabilidad del Estado, no es asunto suyo. El Estado no tiene que tutelar ninguna religión, la CE ya se encarga de garantizar la libertad religiosa de todas. Sobran concordatos y convenios pues sólo sirven para privilegiarlas. Democracia y privilegios son contrarios”.
Read more: https://www.elsaltodiario.com/educacion/educacion-confesional-en-la-escuela-ni-una-ni-ninguna
Date: 13/02/2021.
On the same topic cf.:
Link: https://www.diariodenavarra.es/noticias/navarra/2021/07/10/pedro-huerta-nuestro-ideario-catolico-no-contrario-pluralidad-493702-300.html
Date: 09/07/2021.
SPAIN
From: lavanguardia.com
Religión y programas políticos en Catalunya. La laicidad y el papel de la escuela concertada son puntos de fricción entre los partidos
In Catalonia, elections were held in February 2021. Issues relating to the role of religion (and religions), secularism and the role of state subsidized schools were topics of discussion among the political parties.
“Hay cuestiones en que es difícil encontrar diferencias entre los partidos políticos. El tema religioso no aparece en los grandes debates, pero a duras penas en los programas. […] La asignatura de religión es uno de los caballos de batalla y no se dice nada sobre las inmatriculaciones”.
Read more: https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210214/6246262/religion-programas-politicos-elecciones-catalunya-cataluna.html
Date: 14/2/2021.
On the same topic cf.:
Link: https://www.religiondigital.org/religion_digital_catalunya-foc_nou/voto-catolico-Cataluna_7_2296040380.html
Date: 15/12/2020.
POLAND
From: repubblica.it
Polonia, a scuola diventa obbligatoria l’ora di religione o etica.
Poland. The class of religion or ethics will become compulsory in schools. The Minister of Education has announced a reform, while the number of Christians who identify with the Pope but not with the Polish Church is increasing. 30% of families have decided to exempt their children from both religion lessons and the alternative class of Ethics, as the current law allows.
“Nuova offensiva della destra nazionalclericale-integralista eletta al potere in Polonia nel 2015. A fronte dell’ondata di apostasia nella cattolica Polonia, dove molti adulti, pur restando spesso credenti, non si riconoscono nella linea filo-governativa e anti-Francesco dell’episcopato e dove si calcola che circa il trenta per cento delle famiglie abbiano tolto i figli dall’ora di religione a scuola…”.
Read more: https://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2021/04/23/news/polonia_a_scuola_sara_vietato_non_frequentare_l_ora_di_religione_o_etica_difenderemo_i_valori_cristiani_e_nazionali_-297670746/?ref=search
Date: 23/04/2021.
On the same topic cf.:
Link: https://notesfrompoland.com/2021/04/22/polish-education-minister-to-stop-pupils-dropping-both-religion-and-ethics-classes/
From: https://notesfrompoland.com/
Date: 22/04/2021.
AUSTRIA
From: bmbwf.gv.at/public.html
Ethik – Pflichtgegenstand für alle Schülerinnen und Schüler, die keinen Religionsunterricht besuchen
In Austria, following a resolution of the National Council of 20 November 2020, BGBl. I Nr. 133/2020, was modified the School Organisation Act and ethics was introduced as a compulsory subject for all students who are not attending religious instruction. With Circular 5/2021, the implementation directives for religion classes and ethics classes in public schools are published.
“Mit Beschluss des Nationalrates vom 20. November 2020, BGBl. I Nr. 133/2020, wurde das Schul-Organisations-Gesetz geändert und Ethik als Pflichtgegenstand für alle Schülerinnen und Schüler eingeführt, die keinen Religionsunterricht besuchen. Damit wurde ein langjähriger Schulversuch und eines der offenen aktuellen bildungspolitischen Ziele in den Regelbetrieb übergeführt”.
Read more: https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/Themen/schule/zrp/ethik.html
Date: 05/2021.
On the same topic cf.:
Link: https://rundschreiben.bmbwf.gv.at/rundschreiben/?id=1014
From: https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/public.html
Date: 05/2021.
SWITZERLAND
From: fr.ch
Première réunion fructueuse du groupe de travail pour la révision partielle de la loi sur les relations Eglises-Etat
Canton of Fribourg (Switzerland) is planning a round table to prepare the partial revision of the 1990 Law on Church-State Relations (LEE). The group began its work on 28 April 2021, in the presence of State Councillor Didier Castella. Representatives of the Canton’s main religious communities voted for the idea of setting up a Round Table of Religions. They will also have to discuss the delicate topic of teaching different religions in schools from 2022.
“Le groupe de travail chargé de préparer la révision partielle de la loi sur les relations Eglises-Etat (LEE) a commencé ses travaux fin avril 2021 en présence du conseiller d’Etat Didier Castella. Les représentants des principales communautés religieuses du canton qui en font partie ont plébiscité l’idée d’instituer une Table ronde des religions.”
Read more: https://www.fr.ch/diaf/actualites/premiere-reunion-fructueuse-du-groupe-de-travail-pour-la-revision-partielle-de-la-loi-sur-les-relations-eglises-etat
Date: 7/05/2021.
On the same topic cf.:
Link:
https://www.laliberte.ch/info-regionale/religion/bientot-une-table-ronde-des-religions-a-fribourg-604195
From: https://www.laliberte.ch/
Date: 7/05/2021.
Link: https://www.vaticannews.va/de/kirche/news/2021-05/schweiz-fribourg-will-religionsgemeinschaften-mehr-rechte-geben.html
From: https://www.vaticannews.va/de.html
Date: 8/05/2021.
From: zeit.de
Lernen, was die Mitschüler glauben
In Hamburg, Religious Education is not separated according to denomination and religion. A model that is unique in Germany. How does it work?
“Velida Hafizovic ist eine Pionierin: Sie ist Muslimin und hat islamische Religionspädagogik studiert, unterrichtet aber nicht nur muslimische, sondern auch christliche, jüdische und alevitische Schülerinnen und Schüler. Die 36-Jährige ist Religionslehrerin an der Kurt-Tucholsky-Stadtteilschule in Hamburg-Altona“.
Read more: https://www.zeit.de/2021/23/religionsunterricht-hamburg-paedagogik-islam-judentum-christentum-alevitentum
Date: 01/06/2021.
GERMANY
From: zeit.de
Lehren sollt ihr, nicht bekehren. Der bekenntnisgebundene Religionsunterricht der christlichen Kirchen ist schon lange nicht mehr zeitgemäß. Schafft ihn ab!
The article analyzes the aspect of the confessional teaching of religions at school, even though article 7 paragraph 3 of the German Law guarantees confessional religious instruction: “religious instruction is given according to the principles of religious communities”.
“Er stammt noch aus der Weimarer Kirchenrechtsverfassung von 1919, also aus einer Zeit, als über 90 Prozent der Bevölkerung den christlichen Kirchen angehörten. Religionshistorisch erscheint der Artikel heute als “Fossil” (so der Ex-Bundesverfassungsrichter Ernst Gottfried Mahrenholz schon 1972). Im Jahr 2018 waren gerade noch 53 Prozent der Deutschen Mitglieder der beiden christlichen Kirchen, gut vier Prozent sind Muslime. Knapp vier Prozent sind Mitglieder anderer Religionen und knapp 38 Prozent ohne Religionszugehörigkeit”.
Read more: https://www.zeit.de/2020/53/religionsunterricht-kirchen-christentum-glauben-saekularisierung
Date: 16/12/ 2020.
On the same topic cf.:
From: https://www.faz.net/aktuell/
Überfällig überkonfessionell
“Bezeichnend ist, dass die Kirchen in Niedersachsen nun vorpreschen, ohne die Deutsche Bischofskonferenz oder die EKD in ihre Planungen einzubinden. Man fürchtete wohl, dass sich die Reform eine halbe Ewigkeit hinzieht oder abgewürgt wird“.
Read more: https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/religionsunterricht-ueberfaellig-ueberkonfessionell-17349188.html
Date: 19/05/2021.
FRANCE
The Macron government is preparing to launch a plan to train school staff on the République secularization and values1
After the shocking murder of Samuel Paty, the History, Geography and Civic Education professor who, on October 16, 2020, was beheaded in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine following a lesson on the Charlie Hebdo cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad, the Minister de l’Éducation nationale, de la Jeunesse et des Sports,
1 See in-depth window on the French education system (second section of our bulletin).
18
Jean-Michel Blanquer, commissioned Jean-Pierre Obin, “Honorary Inspector General,” to produce a report on the training of school staff on the République secularization and values.
The Obin report and Minister Blanquer’s proposals have already caused debate in the French world, which is still divided on the concept of a secular and egalitarian school within a society that is increasingly plural and religion oriented.
From: https://www.education.gouv.fr/
Read more:
https://www.education.gouv.fr/laicite-et-valeurs-de-la-republique-le-ministre-retient-les-preconisations-de-jean-pierre-obin-pour-323594
Date: 06/2021.
On the same topic cf.:
Link: https://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/religion/religion-laicite/laicite-en-quoi-va-consister-la-formation-des-enseignants-annoncee-par-jean-michel-blanquer_4664417.html
From: https://www.francetvinfo.fr/
Date: 15/06/2021.
Link: https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/formation-laicite-pour-les-enseignants-une-initiative-absolument-necessaire-20210616
From: https://www.lefigaro.fr/
Date: 16/06/2021.
Link: https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2021/06/14/laicite-l-education-nationale-annonce-un-plan-de-formation-sur-quatre-ans-pour-les-personnels_6084136_3224.html
From: https://www.lefigaro.fr/
Date: 15/06/2021.
The Obin Report (2021):
https://www.education.gouv.fr/media/89897/download
Some criticism:
Link: https://www.sudeducation.org/communiques/rapport-obin-sur-la-laicite-une-nouvelle-offensive-reactionnaire-un-nouveau-devoiement-de-la-laicite/
From: https://www.sudeducation.org/
Date: 16/06/2021.
Ligue de l’enseignement: https://laligue.org/download/cp_ligue_Obin062021.pdf
Date: 24/06/2021.
Obin Report (2014):
https://www.education.gouv.fr/les-signes-et-manifestations-d-appartenance-religieuse-dans-les-etablissements-scolaires-8888
On the Paty’s murder:
Link: https://www.corriere.it/esteri/20_ottobre_17/chi-era-samuel-paty-prof-decapitato-francia-1671b3f6-108f-11eb-bf58-6564bb782bca.shtml
From: https://www.corriere.it/
Date: 17/10/2020.
Link: https://www.internazionale.it/opinione/catherine-cornet/2020/10/23/francia-omicidio-paty
From: https://www.internazionale.it/
Date: 23/10/2020.
