Religious Education in Public Schools: Study of Comparative Law

Europe is going through a sort of "social revolution" with the influence of the church and religious instruction in state schools being open to discussion. Critics claim that providing religious instruction in state schools violates the constitutional separation of church and state. And yet, despite an alleged separation of church and state, in most countries, the church continues to play a considerable public role, especially in education.

This publication is a compilation of studies on religious instruction in state schools. It describes the diversity between states and analyzes the legislative basis of religious instruction in various countries. Whereas in some countries, religious instruction in state schools is optional or compulsory with the possibility to opt out, in other countries religious instruction is banned from state schools.

The comparative analyses in this book will be of great value to researchers in educational research and to educational policymakers.

The chapters are written in the English, French, German, Italian and Spanish language.

A comparative study discussing religious instruction in state schools Describes the diversity between states and analyses the legislative basis of religious instruction in the various countries

Inhalt
La enseñanza de la religión en la escuela pública: panorama comparado e internacional; solución española.- La liberté de choix en ce qui concerne l'enseignement d'une religion ou de la morale non confessionnelle en Belgique Perspectives historiques de la relation Eglise-Etat.- L'Insegnamento della religione cattolica in Italia.- Educação Religiosa nas Escolas Estatais.- Religionsunterricht in Österreich.- The case of Germany.- Religious education and collective worship in state schools: England and Wales.- Religion, education and the law in Northern Ireland.- L'enseignement religieux dans les etablissements scolaires publics en France.- Prayer and religious activity in American Public Schools.- L'instruction religieuse dans l'enseignement public primaire et secondaire en Grèce.- Religion and education in the Russian Federation.- Historical background to conflicts over religion in public schools.