This article treats the main forms and principles, as well as theoretical and methodological approaches to what is called "Religious Education" in modern Europe, and the basic principles of its implementation in the context of the contemporary policy of "Europeanization" of school education in general. In this connection documents and recommendations of international European organizations are considered. The author points out that the main approaches, principles and content of "religious education" in different countries are determined, first of all, by the legislation in the field of church and state relations and by the organization of the school educational system, cultural and historical factors, and also the political context. On the basis of this criterion, the article identifies four main types of "religious education" in the countries of modern Europe. The author draws attention to various methodological approaches in the teaching of religion, based on exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism in assessing contemporary religious diversity in Europe. Particular attention is paid to the interpretative approach.

Keywords: Religious Education, Europeanization, teaching about religions, interpretative approach.

Over the past twenty years, discussions about the place and role of religion in public schools have been taking place in European countries at various levels, from international organizations and political institutions (Council of Europe, European Union, OSCE)

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up to the school boards of trustees, information about them is splashed out in the media and continues on social networks. There is no consensus on this issue, both in society and among politicians and experts. Some believe that teaching any knowledge about religion at school is an anachronism, while others believe that it is necessary in today's multicultural Europe, and the whole question is to what extent religious associations themselves can be included in this process. It is impossible to cover all aspects of this broad discussion in one article, including its philosophical, social and cultural aspects, since each of these aspects deserves separate consideration.1 Therefore, we will focus here on the key characteristics of what is called "religious education" in modern Europe, and on some basic principles of its implementation in the context of the current policy of "Europeanization" of school education in general.2
In most European countries, the term "religious education" is used in pedagogical theory and practice to refer to all forms of knowledge transfer about religion in the school educational space. However, given the ambivalence of its meaning (cf.: religious studies), experts add additional characteristics to indicate its content features, for example: "non-confessional religious education", "confessional religious education", "inclusive religious education", etc.In the documents of international European organizations, the term" religious education " is not used. For example, Council of Europe documents use the expressions "religious dimension of intercultural dialogue in education" or "religious dimension of intercultural education". Robert Jackson (University of Warwick, UK), who has led various pan-European education projects for many years, notes that the term religious education is not used in Council of Europe documents because of its ambiguity. In his opinion, this ter-

1. See for example: Stepanova E. A. Religion and education in Europe: Debates on mutual compatibility / / Izvestiya Uralskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Ser. 1. Problemy obrazovaniya, nauki i kul'tury [Proceedings of the Ural State University]. 2011. N92 (3). pp. 6-15.

2. Although Russia was a participant in this discussion and in the process of developing European documents, the Russian case is not considered in this article; other articles in this issue are devoted to it.

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The term can be used both for "religious understanding", i.e. religious instruction or religious education carried out through religious practice and appropriate training, and for general inclusive or integrative teaching of "understanding religion/s3.

It is interesting that additional characteristics of "religious education", such as "confessional" and "non-confessional", are understood differently in different countries, depending on the national political and legal context, as well as the current educational practice. This, for example, is pointed out by Peter Schreiner (University of Munster, Germany). He's writing:

What is meant by "confessional religious education" in one country is fundamentally different from how it is understood in another, both in the conceptual and practical perspective. In the English context, the term "confessional education" often refers to indoctrination, while in Germany it refers to the joint responsibility of religious communities and the State in the field of religious education.4
The main approaches, principles and content of "religious education" in different countries are determined primarily by the legislation in the field of church-state relations 6 and the organization of the school system, cultural and historical factors, as well as the political context. In the variety of types of school teaching in the field of religion in the countries of modern Europe, we can distinguish four main ones, using as a criterion the legally approved principles of church-state relations and relations between the school and the church.

The first type is the lack of "religious education" in public schools based on a legally established legal status.-

3. Jackson, R. (2016) "Inclusive Study of Religions and World Views in Schools: Signposts from the Council of Europe", Social Inclusion 4(2): 16.

4. Schreiner, P. (2015) "Religious Education in European Context", in J. Berglund, T. Lunden, P. Strandbrink (ed.) Crossing and Crosses. Borders, Education, and Religious in Nothern Europe, p. 147. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter.

5. See for example: World experience of state-church relations / ed. by N. A. Trofimchuk, Moscow: RAGS, 1998.

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dividing the school from the church. An example of this is the educational system of most French departments, where public schools have been separated from the church since 1882, while in the departments of Lower and Upper Rhine (Alsace) and Moselle, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish religious instruction has historically been included in the school curriculum.6 However, since the late 1980s, after two reports (P. Joutard, 1989 and R. Debray, 2002)7 prepared at the initiative of the Ministry of Education, it was decided in France to deepen the coverage of religious issues in the school curriculum by teaching knowledge about religion within the framework of history, first of all,in order to improve the quality of education. stories of the ancient world and the Middle Ages 8. In the Netherlands, where the church is also separated from the state, public (municipal) primary schools do not offer any religious education, but the programs of private primary schools that have a large number of children are approved in accordance with the decisions of the governing councils, and these schools are divided in relation to religion (Catholic, Protestant, Jewish,etc.). humanistic ones). The State has no control over religious education programs in these schools. Experts note that in recent years, the model of a private primary school that exists in the Netherlands as a confessional-oriented one has undergone a significant transformation due to the fact that children from families with a different religious affiliation come to these schools. 9
6. Hourmant, L., Willaime, J.-P. (2014) "L'enseignement religieux dans les ecoles publiques d'Alsace-Mosell: evolutions et defis", J.-P. Willaime (ed.) Ledefi de l'enseignement des faits religieux a I'ecole : reponses europeennes et quebecoises, pp. 309 - 330. Paris: Riveneuve editions.

7. Joutard, P. (1989) Rapport de la mission de reflexion sur l'enseignement de Ibistoire, la geographie, les sciences sociales. Rapport a Monsieur le Ministre de l'Education nationale. http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid2024/1-enseignement-du-fait-religieux-dans-l-ecole-lai que.html, accessed on 14.08.2017]; Debray, R. (2002) L'enseignement dufait religieux dans l'Ecole laique. Rapport a Monsieur le Ministre de l'Education nationale [http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid2025/l-enseignement-du-fait-religieux-dans-l-ecole-lai que.html, accessed on 14.08.2017]; См.: Carpentier, J. (2004) "L'histoire recente de l'enseignement du fait religieux en France", Cahiers d'histoire 93: 79 - 92.

8. Willaime, J.-P. (2007) "Teaching Religious Issues in French Public Schools. From Abstantionist Lai'cite to a Return of Religion to Public Education", in R. Jackson, M. Siebren, J.-P. Willaime (eds) Religion and Education in Europe. Developments, Contexts and Debates, pp. 87 - 101. Munster: Waxmann.

9. Spinder, H. (2000) "The Netherlands", in P. Schreiner (ed.) Religious Education in Europe: A Collection of Basic Information about RE in European Countries, pp. 119 - 120. Munster: Comenius Institut.

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The second type of" religious education " is characterized by the fact that the State delegates its implementation in public schools exclusively to representatives of religious associations. This is a classic form of confessional education or catechesis; it exists in Poland, Ireland, and Italy. Thus, the Italian Constitution approves the separation of church and state, but this does not apply to the state educational system. The Concordat of 1984, signed in Rome at the Villa Madama, and the corresponding State Law of 1985, which states that the Italian Republic, recognizing the value of religious culture and taking into account the fact that the principles of Catholicism are part of the historical heritage of the Italian people, provides the normative basis for Catholic confessional religious instruction in public schools in Italy. provides teaching of the Catholic religion in the state educational system at all levels, excluding the university level.10 At the same time, religious education is voluntary: those who do not want to attend religious training are encouraged to use this time for individual classes in other subjects under the guidance of a teacher or independently. In recent years, there has been a growing initiative in Italy to introduce a course on the history of religions as an alternative for those who do not want to attend Catholic religion lessons.11
The third type is "religious education" carried out exclusively by the State. This model is generally considered to be typical of the Nordic countries. For example, in Sweden, since 1969, control over "religious education" in primary schools has been transferred to state structures that determine the goals and content of teaching, which is declared to be non-confessional in nature. Despite the fact that the Church of Sweden had a state status until 2000, according to the Education Act, it did not and does not have the right to interfere in the educational process in any form. However, some experts believe that in practice, "religious education" in the Nordic countries retains its confessional character.-

10. Baseline Study of Religious Education in Italy [https://agora.grial.eu/iersproject/files/20l6/05/Baseline_Study-RE-in-Italy_April-20l6.pdf, accessed on 15.07.2017]

11. Giorda, M.C. (2013) "Religious Education in Italy. Themes and Problems", in A. Jodicke Religious Education Politics, the State, and the Society, pp. 177 - 197. Wurtzburg: Ergon-Verlag.

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zonal character and "pickled" in the Evangelical Lutheran tradition 12. This applies not only to Sweden, but also to Norway, 13 where the church has been separated from the state since 2012, and Denmark, where the state church remains (although freedom of religion is enshrined in law in the Constitution of 1849). The Church of Denmark, whose head is Queen Margrethe II, does not officially control school education, the content of which is developed within the state system. However, there is a school subject "Christian Knowledge "(Kristendomskundskab), which provides "religious education" based mainly on the Evangelical Lutheran faith 14.

The fourth type is "religious education", which is carried out by the state in cooperation with religious associations (Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Spain, etc.) on the basis of various forms of legally established church-state relations and the existing educational system. Most often, this type of "religious education" is confessional and mandatory, at least for primary schools. It is often called "mixed", because very often, even in the case of an official declaration of a" non-confessional " approach and a voluntary choice of this subject itself, training, nevertheless, turns out to be colored by confessional features. In some countries, secular teachers who teach subjects related to "religious education" in State (municipal) schools require permission from the relevant religious organizations to teach them (Finland, Germany, Latvia).

School education in the UK took on a modern look as a result of the reform of 1988, which was carried out by the Conservative government, concerned, according to William Key

12. Berglund, J. (2013) "Swedish Religion Education: Objective but Marinated in Lutheran Protestantism", Temenos 49(2): 165 - 184.

13. Andreassen, B.-O. (2013) "Religion Education in Norway: Tension and Harmony between Human Rights and Christian Cultural Heritage", Temenos 49(2): 137 - 164.

14. See T. Jensen's detailed article in this issue, as well as: Jensen, T., Kjeldsen, K. (2013) "Religion Education - Political and Professional Discourses and Debates, Past and Present", Temenos 49(2): 185-223. See also: Jensen T. Conceptualization (and religions in religious education (RO) in schools in relation to the conceptualization(s) of "religion" in the academic study of religion // Academic research and conceptualization of religion in the XXI century: traditions and new challenges. Vladimir: Arkaim Publ., 2016, vol. 7, pp. 19-20.
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(Trinity College, Wells, UK), "preserving public money by reducing the power of local education authorities" 15. The government grant system has resulted in the State gaining the right to inspect schools that receive it, even if they are church schools, and thereby influence the content of the curriculum, including in schools that are not part of the state budget. areas of "religious education". The peculiarity of the British model of" religious education " is that it is taken out of the state curriculum, which includes nine main subjects (mathematics, English, science, history, geography, computer science, music, art and physical education). "Religious education" refers to the so-called "basic curriculum", which can be regulated at the local level by local educational councils forming special advisory councils on "religious education", which include representatives of local religious associations, primarily Christian ones, representatives of the teachers ' community and representatives of local authorities. In the Education Reform Act of 1988 It was pointed out that school curricula for "religious education" should reflect the fact that the main religious tradition in the UK is Christianity, but it is necessary to take into account the beliefs and practices of other religions that are most widespread in the country. In 2014, the government's Department of Education issued an official order stating that all schools are required to promote the "spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students" based on "fundamental British values", which include " democracy, the rule of law, personal freedom, mutual respect and tolerance for those with other beliefs." 16. These four types of" religious education " relate to different approaches to assessing existing religious diversity. The first approach is exclusivism, which is used by the most conservative proponents of confessional religious education. Every religion claims to be exclusive-

15. Kay, W.K. (2010) "Religious Education in Great Britain", in E. Almen, H.C. Oster (eds) Religious Education in Great Britain, Sweden and Russia: Presentations, Problem Inventories and Commentaries / Linkoping Studies in Religion and Religious Education 1: 40.

16. Jackson, R. "Inclusive Study of Religions and World Views in Schools: Signposts from the Council of Europe", p. 20.

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the exclusive right to the truth. The Catholic Church's point of view: extra ecclesiam nulla salus, or the position of Protestant denominations based on the words of the Acts of the Apostles (4: 12):"...there is no other name under heaven given to men by which they must be saved, " in this sense they are no different. From the point of view of adherents of this approach, the study of other religious traditions within the framework of "religious education", if it is worth it, is only for the purpose of deepening the understanding of one's own faith17. The second is inclusivism. This position assumes that different religions represent different cultural forms of a single process. This view is typical of phenomenological religious studies associated with Protestant theology.18 Inclusivism is present in curricula and textbooks on" religious education "of a confessional or" mixed type " 19. It is opposed by pluralism, which assumes that each religion is unique and should be considered as one of the ways to know the divine truth. In general, the pluralistic approach to" religious education " is used both in its non-denominational form (comparative religious studies or history of religions) and in its confessional form, in the latter case, largely based on the teachings of Protestant theologian John Hick, who distinguished two ways of implementing religious experience, manifested in various religious traditions: perception of God as a person and its perception as an Absolute or impersonal higher reality. Thus, each divine image, in his opinion, represents an Eternal beginning, " perceived through the prism of a separate religious tradition." Hick pointed out that the religious history of mankind is expressed, first of all, in what is common to all religions together - in religious faith. Therefore, a pluralistic empathic approach in "religious education" is possible as a process of "faith-to-faith"penetration, 20 which ensures interreligious dialogue.

17. См.: Jackson, R. (2004) Rethinking Religious Education and Plurality. Issues in Diversity and Pedagogy, pp. 22 - 39. Routledge.

18. Shakhnovich M. M. Fenomenologicheskoe religiovedenie: istoriya i metod [Phenomenological religious studies: history and method]. Miscellanea Humanitaria Philosophiae: Ocherki po filosofii i kul'tury [Miscellanea Humanitaria Philosophiae: Essays on Philosophy and Culture]. To the 60th anniversary of Professor Yu. N. Solonin, St. Petersburg, 2001, pp. 301-308.

19. См.: Hobson, P., Edwards, J. (1999) Religious Education in a Pluralist Society: The Key Philosophical Issues, pp. 51 - 52. London, Portland, OR: Woburn Press.

20. Hick, J. (2004) An Interpretation of Religion: Human Responses to the Transcendent. 2 ed, pp. 233 - 235. Palgrave Macmillan.

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R. Jackson, one of the most influential and authoritative experts in the field of "religious education", points out that since the mid-1960s in Europe, "the pluralization of society due to migration" has led many experts in the field of pedagogy to the opinion that " the focus of religious education in schools that are fully funded by the state should be shifted from A "non-denominational", inclusive, pluralistic approach that includes, in addition to learning about Christianity and Judaism, learning about the religions of relatively new minorities, such as Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims."21 The pluralistic approach is most often combined with the educational principle of "learning about religion". religions" (learning about religion), in contrast to the confessional inclusive approach, which is more or less associated with indoctrination, religious instruction, or obtaining religious competencies, various versions of which use educational principles: learning religion; learning into religion, learning from religion. The pluralistic approach and the educational principle of " getting knowledge about religion "most closely correspond to the trend towards Europeanization of school" religious education", which was developed in the documents and projects of international European organizations.

In 2000, in Lisbon, the European Council set a goal for the European Union countries to increase their pan-European competitiveness over the next ten years by creating the world's most dynamic knowledge-based economy. On the basis of this "Lisbon Strategy", various measures have been developed to improve the quality and effectiveness of education, both at national and pan-European levels, including special decisions of the European Council (2009) and the European Commission (2012), which consider integration in education as an important factor in the European integration policy for the development of democracy, human rights and education respect for other peoples and cultures. Thus, the renewal of the education system has come to be seen as an important element of the Europeanization process, which requires changes in national educational standards, curricula and the system of AML-

21. Jackson, R. "Inclusive Study of Religions and World Views in Schools: 'Signposts' from the Council of Europe", p. 15.

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teacher training sessions. In this regard, the question was raised about how to view "religious education"in the context of the Europeanization of education22, taking into account the national and confessional characteristics of teaching in this area, the increasing religious diversity and, most importantly, the existing differences in legal norms that ensure church-State relations. In this context, we can only talk about the development of the most general fundamental provisions of a single standard. That is why the European Union documents address the issue of "religion in school "from the point of view of developing the principles of democracy, religious freedom and tolerance, and the key words are the expressions" intercultural dialogue "and"intercultural education".

In 2007, within the framework of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, a special international expert council, created on the initiative of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, prepared the document "Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religions and Beliefs in Public Schools". The document was named after the city of Toledo, the historical intersection of the three Abrahamic religions, in which it was therefore decided to hold the first meeting of the council. Interestingly, on April 1, 2008, the "Toledo Principles" were presented in Moscow at the Russian State University for the Humanities. Speaking at the presentation, one of the members of the expert council, Silvio Ferrari (University of Milan), said that the migration processes in Europe and the associated growth of pluralism in the field of culture and religion makes us take a fresh look at the system of "religious education": "If before the teaching of religion was mainly the business of religious communities, then now the role of the state is fundamentally increasing: it should take on the task not of teaching religion, but of systematically introducing students to the basics of different religious traditions. People of other religions and cultures are perceived as "others"," strangers", which leads to inter-religious tension.-

22. Featherstone, K., Radaelli, C.M. (2003) The Politics of Europeanization. Oxford: Oxford University Press; Lawn, M., Sotiria, G. (2012) Europeanizing Education. Governing a New Policy Space. Oxford: Symposium; Schreiner, P. (2012) "Religion im Kontext einer Europaisierung von Bildung. Eine Rekonstruktion europaischer Diskurse und Entwicklungen aus protestantischer Perspective", Religious Diversity and Education in Europe 22: 216 - 264.

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This can lead to violence, the emergence of harmful stereotypes, and hostility, which can lead to tragic consequences. The best cure for this poison is to know about each other. " 23
The document states that its goal is " to promote awareness that religious diversity is growing and the role of religion in the public sphere is increasing. Understanding this is based on two basic principles: first, there is a positive value in teaching that emphasizes respect for everyone's right to freedom of religion or belief, and second, teaching about religions and beliefs can improve understanding and reduce harmful stereotypes"24. It should be noted that the Toledo Principles are based exclusively on the pedagogical approach of learning about religion, but indicate that teaching about religion and beliefs should not undermine or ignore the role of the family and religious associations in transmitting spiritual values. It should be conducted by qualified teachers who are committed to religious freedom, in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding, based on professional standards and programs developed through open procedures. The development of common standards for "religious education" is still one of the most difficult issues in the modern pan-European pedagogical discourse, primarily in the field of pedagogical approaches and emerging competencies, in addition to the basic ones related to individual rights and mutual respect.

In 2002, the international project "Challenges of Intercultural Education Today: Religious Diversity and Dialogue in Europe"was launched as part of the Council of Europe's programme for the Development of intercultural education. As a result, two books were prepared that presented the views of various experts on this sensitive issue. 25 The year 2008 was declared the Year of Intercultural Dialogue by the Council of Europe. To on-

23. The presentation of the OSCE document "Toledo Principles for Teaching Knowledge about Religions" was held in Moscow [http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=l976o, accessed from 15.07.2017].

24. Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religions and Beliefs in Public Schools. Prepared by the ODHIR advisory council of experts on freedom of religion and belief (2007), p. 11. Warsaw.

25. The Religious Dimension of Intercultural Education. Conference Proceedings, Oslo, Norway, 6 to 8 June 2004. Strasbourg: CE Publishing; Keast, J. (ed.) (2007) Religious Diversity and Intercultural Education. Reference Book for Schools. Strasbourg: CE Publishing.

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At the beginning of April this year, a public discussion "On the religious component of intercultural dialogue: Teaching knowledge about religions and other beliefs as a contribution to the development of democracy, human rights and intercultural dialogue" was held in Strasbourg, which was attended by secular experts and representatives of religious associations. In the same year, the White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue was published, and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted the "Recommendations on the Religious Dimension and Non-Religious Beliefs in Intercultural Education" (CM/Rec (2008) 12), which stated that it should be implemented in accordance with the goals of educating democratic citizenship, human rights and other issues. and respect for the equal dignity of all people. On 29 May 2009, the European Wergeland Center for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue was opened in Oslo to conceptualize the content and teaching methods of intercultural education in its religious dimension.

In 2014, under the auspices of the Council of Europe and the Center, the book "Road Signs: Policy and Practice of Teaching about Religions and Non-Religious Worldviews in Intercultural Education"was published.26 It was written by R. Jackson based on the developments of an international group of experts headed by him. The purpose of this book is to help teachers put into practice the Council of Europe recommendations in this area by setting specific "road signs", i.e. defining the principles and basic approaches to teaching. It highlights the importance of studying the diversity of religions, combined with the need to understand each religion as a specific socio-cultural and psychological phenomenon that every student should try to understand. Jackson emphasizes that this is a very difficult task, as teaching is carried out in a wide variety of educational contexts. In this regard, much attention is paid to the development of a single terminological apparatus, which not only cannot contain elements of "hate speech", but must correspond as adequately as possible to the tasks and principles of teaching and form a single pedagogical discourse. For example, the book points out the need for a very clear separation of the "organized" worldview, which, according to Jackson, includes religion and the Church of God.-

26. Signposts: Policy and Practice for Teaching about Religions and Nonreligious Worldviews in Intercultural Education (2014). Strasbourg: CE Publishing.

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cultural humanism, and the individual worldview of each. The individual worldview reflects the "organized worldview" to one degree or another, but it is very often eclectic, combining elements of different ideas, up to a combination of an atheistic position with elements of Christian spirituality and ethics.27 In general, the book "Road Signs" is based on the interpretive approach to "religious education" developed by Jackson himself and widely used in the UK and in a number of other European countries by teachers who have undergone appropriate retraining. According to Jackson, the goal of "religious education" is not so much to gain knowledge that determines the understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews, but rather to form a student's own position based on this knowledge.

Based on an interpretive approach, for several years in the mid-2000s, under the auspices of the Council of Europe, the international project REDCo (Religion in Education: A Contribution to Dialogue or a Factor of Conflict in Transforming Societies of European Countries) was implemented, which was attended by experts from eight countries, including Russia, mainly representatives of various religious organizations. religious associations. One of the key findings of the research is that students aged 14-16 years in transforming societies recognize the need for peaceful and respectful coexistence in the context of ideological and religious diversity and, regardless of their religious or non-religious beliefs, are interested in learning about religion in school education.28
However, the interpretive approach is not supported by all experts, even among those who participated in the above-mentioned projects of the Council of Europe. For example, Professor Peter Schreiner from Munster, who participated both in the REDCo project and in the preparation of the Road Signs recommendations, noted in one of his publications that in the Council of Europe documents "you can find provisions related to religion and education, as well as criteria and expectations related to religious teaching and concepts."

27. Jackson, R. "Inclusive Study of Religions and World Views in Schools: 'Signposts' from the Council of Europe", p. 19.

28. Jackson, R., Weisse, W. (ed.) (2009) Religion in Education. A Contribution to Dialogue or a Factor of Conflict? The REDCo-project: Presentation to European Parlament, p. 30 - 36. Hamburg.

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However, the Council of Europe prefers the knowledge-based pedagogical approach of "teaching about religions". Other models of "religious education" he does not take into account and does not discuss"29. Schreiner refers to the confessional separative (that is, dividing students into groups based on the choice of module) "religious education" that exists in Germany. In most German federal states, students choose between Catholic and Protestant denominational "religious education" and alternative courses in ethics.

Along with criticism from the "right", there is, of course, criticism from the" left", represented by a fairly large group of international experts who believe that the process of Europeanization of education should contribute to the introduction of secular didactics in" religious education " or replace it with teaching religious studies.30
Even the most general and concise picture of the current state of "religious education" in Europe will be incomplete if we do not mention actively developing network projects that ensure horizontal interaction of teachers, created specifically for the exchange of experience and discussion of problems. These include, first of all, the European Forum of Teachers of Religious Education, the Coordination Group for Religious Education in Europe, and Teaching Religion in a Multicultural European Society, the latter bringing together theologians and religious researchers from 26 countries focused on integrating theology and religious studies. 31
Summing up this brief description of the main trends and problems of teaching religion in schools in modern Europe, we can say that they reflect not only the increase in religious diversity in Europe, but also the pluralism of approaches to teaching about this religious diversity, supported by European international political institutions,

29. Schreiner, P. "Religious Education in European Context", p. 142.

30. Alberts, W. (2007) Integrative Religious Education in Europe. A Study-of-Religion Approach. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter; Jensen, T. (2010) "Scientific vs. Religious and Civic Aims of Religion Education: For European Critique of REDC", Religion and Education 37(3): 218 - 222.

31. The European Forum for Teachers of Religious Education, https://www.efre.net; The coordinating group for religious education in Europe, https://www.cogree.com; Teaching Religion in a multicultural European Society https://www.tres-network.eu.

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as well as the desire of these institutions to strengthen the pan-European identity and pan-European values through education, first of all, democracy, religious freedom and tolerance, while each country retains a specific educational context to one degree or another.

Bibliography / References

Jensen T. Conceptualization of religion in religious education in schools in relation to the conceptualization of "religion" in the academic study of religion //Academic research and conceptualization of religion in the XXI Century: Traditions and new challenges. Vladimir: Arkaim Publ., 2016, vol. 7.

Mirovoi opyt gosudarstvenno-tserkovnykh otnosheniy [World experience of state-church relations].

Stepanova E. L. Religion and education in Europe: the debate on mutual compatibility // News of the Ural state University. Ser. 1. The problems of education, science and culture. 2011. N92 (3). pp. 6-15.

Shakhnovich M. M. Fenomenologicheskoe religiovedenie: istoriya i metod [Phenomenological religious studies: history and method]. To the 60th anniversary of Professor Yu. N. Solonin, St. Petersburg, 2001.

Alberts, W. (2007) Integrative Religious Education in Europe. A Study-of-Religion Approach. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.

Andreassen, B.-O. (2013) "Religion Education in Norway: Tension and Harmony between Human Rights and Christian Cultural Heritage", Temenos 49(2): 137 - 164.

Berglund, J. (2013) "Swedish Religion Education: Objective but Marinated in Lutheran Protestantism", Temenos 49(2): 165 - 184.

Carpentier, J. (2004) "L'histoire recente de l'enseignement du fait religieux en France", Cahiers d'histoire 93: 79 - 92.

Featherstone, K., Radaelli, C.M. (2003) The Politics of Europeanization. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Giorda, M.C. (2013) "Religious Education in Italy. Themes and Problems", in A. Jodicke Religious Education Politics, the State, and the Society, pp. 177 - 197. Wurtzburg: Ergon-Verlag.

Hick, J. (2004) An Interpretation of Religion: Human Responses to the Transcendent. 2 ed. Palgrave Macmillan.

Hobson, P., Edwards, J. (1999) Religious Education in a Pluralist Society: The Key Philosophical Issues. London, Portland, OR: Woburn Press.

Hourmant, L.,Willaime, J.-P. (2014) "L'enseignement religieux dans les ecoles publiques d'Alsace-Mosell: evolutions et defis", J.-P. Willaime (ed.) Ledefi de l'enseignement des faits religieux a l'ecole : reponses europeennes et quebecoises, pp. 309 - 330. Paris: Riveneuve editions.

Jackson, R. (2004) Rethinking Religious Education and Plurality. Issues in Diversity and Pedagogy. Routledge.

Jackson, R. (2016) "Inclusive Study of Religions and World Views in Schools: Signposts from the Council of Europe", Social Inclusion 4(2): 16.

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