Milutin Đuričić

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The question why religious communities do not take into account the state independence and autonomy of the state in the area of school system can be explained by the fact that they accepted separation from the state after long-lasting opposing and condemning that idea, but never considered school system as a field that can be governed freely or autonomously by the state.

Constitutional provisions of the European states on separation of state from the church should be regarded in accordance with the constitutions of the state mentioned above, as well as the Constitutions of France and United States, ie countries that were the first to promote human and civil rights, thus banning theology in public schools. Opposite acting would be in some way negation of democratic traditions in the mentioned countries.

 It should be enabled studying detailed overview of the most significant world religions in schools, without ideological selection. The experts in that field  should have the final word on that issues.

Prohibition of teaching theology is not the expression of dissatisfaction, neither hatred against church and religion, nor it is suppressing religion from public life. This concept is an expression of coherent enforcing of the constituonal  principle on the separation of state from church.

Key words: education; religion; the right to education; the right to freedom of religion.