Religious Education in Southern Europe on the Basis of thirteen Key Questions

In Europe, religious and spiritual education happens in a context which is at the same time increasingly secular and religiously plural. This places the problem of religious experience on the agenda. Today most students of religious and spiritual education lack appropriate experiences and show different opinions about what religion or spirituality could be. This Setting raises several questions: How can religious experience be conceptualized in a context of religious plurality and secularity with the traditional religious traditions as just one option among others? Do the concepts of spirituality and implicit religion give way to a new understanding of religious experience?

What are the key questions highlighted in religious and spiritual education today? In societies today, the distinction in religions or identities between global and local or inside and outside no longer functions well. There is an increasing and constant need to re-examine the conceptions and theories concerning religion, dialogue and education. This volume brings together 14 new international studies. The topics of the articles include studies on religion, dialogue and education in different contexts ranging from policy studies and higher education to home education, and research on education about religions to confessional education. The volume serves the interests of researchers, policymakers, practitioners and students of religious and spiritual education.