Towards integrative religious education in Belgium and Flanders: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

This article describes the way in which RE has been organised in Flanders and Belgium, and gives attention to the problems and challenges that arise these days. We argue that the Schoolpact of 1958 which implies separate RE in different religions in public schools needs a revision. Therefore we propose an alternative system, within the boundaries of the Belgian Constitution, that makes room for integrative RE as a new compulsory school subject in all schools.

On the epistemological features promoted by ‘Philosophy for Children’ and their psychological advantages when incorporated into RE

“…Notes 1. As Loobuyck and Franken (2011) demonstrated, RE remains unchanged in Belgium since the Schoolpact in 1958 despite major changes in the society over the same period. Very briefly, whereas there are two main school systems (i.e.…”

The Catholic school advantage and common school effect examined: a comparison between Muslim immigrant and native pupils in Flanders

“…Approximately 99% of these non-public schools are Catholic, and in virtually every city and town there is at least one such school. Further, all Catholic schools are almost completely financed by the state, in exactly the same way that nondenominational public schools are financed (Loobuyck & Franken, 2011). It is fair to say, then, that the public-private distinction in Belgium (as in several other European countries) concerns not the means of its being financed or the mechanisms of accountability -which are virtually the same for all schools -but rather its curriculum content, its ethos, and how they are governed.…”

“…In fact, throughout Flanders the total number of Catholic schools rivals the number of public schools, and in virtually every city and town there is at least one Catholic school. Second, Catholic schools are almost entirely financed by the state, in more or less the same way that non-denominational public schools are financed (Brutsaert, 1998;Loobuyck & Franken, 2011). Third, a large number of non-Christian children attend Catholic schools.…”

Waarheen met de levensbeschouwelijke vakken in Vlaanderen?

“…Ondanks de verschillende nationaal gekleurde systemen, zijn deze discussies veelal het gevolg van gelijklopende maatschappelijke tendensen: de-traditionalisering, secularisering, toegenomen diversiteit en voor de Lage Landen ook de ontzuiling. Deze debatten leren dat de maatschappelijke evoluties en de wijzigingen in het levensbeschouwelijke landschap tot een paradigmawissel hebben geleid (Franken & Loobuyck, 2011). Met uitzondering van Frankrijk, was er in de meeste Europese landen een consensus dat levensbeschouwelijke vakken dienen om jongeren te socialiseren in hun eigen, meestal christelijke, levensbeschouwing die ze van thuis uit meekregen.…”