Religious Structure of Child Education Policy in Germany, Poland and UK

International Journal of Information and Education Technology, Vol. 6, No. 12, December 2016 Religious Structure of Child Education Policy in Germany, Poland and UK K. Heland-Kurzak Countries?” which the European Commision funded between Abstract—European countries differ tremendously in terms 2006 and 2009 [2]. The main activities in Europe are going in of religious education. The presence of religion in school is the direction of promoting understanding and respect of determined by the relationship between the state and church different religions. The European Commission in this regard related. This article traces the contemporary differences in religious education in Germany, Poland and the UK. Intensive issued a White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue, Living work on religious education in the UK led to compulsory Together As Equals in Dignity, the Council published a religious education, but differently comprehended than the Recommendation in 2008. Researchers co-operated in traditional teaching of religion, because it focuses on the basics developing a thematic and methodical approach designed to of different religions and traditions. Germany with two main gain better insight into how European citizens of different religions necessarily create an environment to give the young religious, cultural and political backgrounds can live together person choice in the educational process, meaning the specific nature of religious education, its scope, form and dutifulness. In and enter into a dialogue of mutual respect and understanding Poland there are various religious communities, and they have [3]-[7]. the right to religious education, despite the fact the Polish Cultural Modernization and secularization performed schools are mainly of the Catholic religion, as approximately thorough religious education is open to the problems of 88% of Poles are Roman Catholic. society which is putting increasing emphasis on ethical issues. The abandoning of tradition and growing religious diversity Index Terms—Confessional, education policy, intercultural, due to the subject of reflection on the concepts of intercultural religious education, secularisation. and interreligious education, makes it necessary to rethink its approach in relation to religion. I. INTRODUCTION Empirical studies have shown that the long-term trend of secularization in European society has had an impact on the Throughout Europe, religion in education is one of the religious orientation of youth. These studies confirm that most discussed topics in the debate about teaching in schools. young people are moving away from institutional religion – in Rarely have things so strongly kindled emotions. The close place of the growth of institutional religion religious faith relationship between parents and their children, the rights and becomes highly individualized [8], [9]. responsibilities of parents, as well as the rights of the child In Polish literature, this problem is dealt with mainly in the and, last but not least, the role of society and the state of the field of theology [10]-[13]. In contrast, religious education in education of the younger generation with the function of Germany follows the direction and discipline of a recognized religion in the national identity in the past and today, all these tradition, especially the Protestant one [14]. Polish research in issues underline numerous skirmishes and social struggles. education sciences is marginal, and a group of people who That the state should support religious schools is a matter of take this subject put it in the context of religious education debate. The approach to equality, freedom and social [15]. cohesion dictates the method of education for all children. On the other hand, we can say that equality means creating separate religious schools. However, state support for II. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN GERMANY religious freedom punishes financially supported religious schools. The Bader concept of justice implies equal treatment, In Germany, religious education in schools is guaranteed in opposition to neutrality. He also claims that the idea of by the constitution and takes place in all schools, just like any pluralism in the country is more suitable than the secular other school subject. In most federal states assessment of system based on neutrality and total domination of religious religion is taken into account in the students progression in groups in education [1]. school. The state does not interfere in the content of education, In Europe, we have to deal with a new situation, as more but it allows religious education and pays teachers and control and more weight in the field of religion studies, dialogue and of religious education was not discriminated against. education. A good example is the research project RedCo Attendance is compulsory and for students who gave up “Religion in Education. A Contribution to Dialogue or a religious education. lessons in ethics were organized.. Factor of Conflict in Transforming Societies of European In Brandenburg they made religious studies instead of religion, but the Constitutional Court also ordered religion classes, but students may be exempted from religious studies. The Roman Catholic and Protestant churches have roughly Manuscript received March 2, 2015; revised August 18, 2015. the same number of believers; and attract about 30% of the K. Heland-Kurzak is with the Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education, Poland (e-mail: [email protected]). population. There are also several smaller religions and DOI: 10.7763/IJIET.2016.V6.821 940 International Journal of Information and Education Technology, Vol. 6, No. 12, December 2016 religious communities. Approximately 1.55% of people in terms of religious education with the introduction of belong to Orthodox Churches. About 5% are Muslims; 0.1% - religious studies in secondary schools. Jews. Approximately 32-37% of the population does not In Poland, Catholic faith is deeply rooted in the history, belong to any religion, of which the majority are in the eastern traditions and culture, and accordingly it has become an part of the country [16]. inseparable element of the educational system. There are Religious education in Germany has opened itself to the attempts to secularize and even eliminated religion from multicultural education. The purpose of religious education is schools, but those attempts will not succeed until society will defined from pedagogical and theological terms. In Germany change its thinking about religion. two religion communities are dominates: Catholic and The Constitution of the Republic of Poland in Article 25 Protestant. Both religion communities carrie a share of paragraph. 2 declares impartiality by the Polish authorities in responsibility for religious education in schools. Religious matters of religious beliefs. Art. 53 paragraph 4 of the communities are challenged to keep their own traditions in the Constitution provides parents the right to education and context of religious and cultural diversity. In addition, religious instruction of children in accordance with their contextual factors, such as the religious landscape of the beliefs. Fourth paragraph of the same article reads as follows: region and people's faith is a strong factor in the formulation "The religion of a church or other legally recognized religious of the religious education curriculum [17]. organization may be taught in schools, but other peoples' In Germany, religious lessons go beyond the issues of freedom of religion and conscience shall not be infringed church, also taking secular issues, especially social and thereby" [20]. political, interpreted in the context of faith [18]. Because In Poland, the religious education of the Catholic Church is these are the most common problems facing every human governed by two documents: Programme of Catholic Church being, they are included within the scope of teaching religion. catechesis in Poland and the General Directory for Catechesis. The political dimension of religion classes is a responsibility The characteristic element of the Programme of the Catholic for the future of social and environmental. Topics relating to Church catechesis in Poland should be considered to be the issues of peace, justice and environmental protection have content of the document. It is based on the principle of the become a challenge and task of religious education so-called duality of fidelity: fidelity to God and of fidelity to Secularization theorists are wrong. Society does not man. The notion of "the principle of fidelity" started to use the become not religious. On the contrary, religion plays an terminology of catechesis at the beginning seventies in the last important role in many varieties of Christianity and century due to its subjective recognition of catechesis [21]. In established churches. Secularization theory has been replaced this sense, the first of the catechesis is God, and second, by the paradigm of diversity. In the late 1990s, there was a human. In addition, this rule reminds that God - as the actors discussion on whether the German society was open to of catechesis - is also its contents. In this approach, it multiculturalism and still needs to learn to become such a emphasises that any proclamation of salvation must focus on society. The task of the German society is to start respecting God's saving initiatives, His concept of man and the desire to the presence of people from different cultural and religious fullfill him with the gift of happiness. Therefore,

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