Folia Theologica et Canonica 5. 27/19 (2016)
IUS CANONICUM - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem., The religious dimension of education as one the primary principles of religious freedom based on human dignity
THE RELIGIOUS DIMENSION OF EDUCATION... 143 and education, there has also been a noticeable tendency to reduce education to its purely technical and practical aspects (...) There is a tendency to forget that education always presupposes and involves a definite concept of man and life. To claim neutrality for schools signifies in practice, more times than not, banning all reference to religion from the cultural and educational field, whereas a correct pedagogical approach ought to be open to the more decisive sphere of ultimate objectives, attending not only to ‘how’, but also to ‘why’ (,..).”28 * 30 If we compare this stand point with the most recent working document of the same Congregation, which analyzes the entire field of education from the kindergarten to the university, can be seen the most relevant emphasizes, and every single one derives from the human dignity and from the primary principle of religious freedom. The well detailed text was composed on April 7'h 2014 and really considerable in particular concerning the challenge of identity of religious schools and also on the legal challenges. Regarding these the document fixes that the “(...) Contemporary educators have a renewed mission, which has the ambitious aim of offering young people an integral education as well as assistance in discovering their personal freedom, which is a gift from God (...)”.M Concerning the legal problems the document gives a clear reflection on the grievous reality: “(...) Some governments are quite keen on marginalizing Catholic schools through a number of rules and laws that, sometimes, trample over Catholic schools’ pedagogical freedom. In some cases, governments hide their animosity by using lack of resources as an excuse (...). Under the guise of a questionable ‘secularism’, there is hostility against an education that is openly based on religious values and which, therefore, has to be confined to the ‘private’ sphere.”M Conclusion: Denominations improves values of the society through THEIR OWN EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER SERVICES The religious communities - particularly the “historical churches” and denominations - make considerable contribution to the general culture, to the development of humanity and to improving of morality in the society. This unique value which originates from the natural religious feature of the human nature 28 Congregatio pro Institutione Catholica, The Catholic school on the threshold of the third millennium (28 dec. 1997), Introduction, art. 10. 2” Congregatio pro Institutions Cattolica, Instrumentum laboris, Educare oggi e domani. Una passione che si rinnova (7 apr. 2014) III, 1, a. 30 Congregatio pro Institutions Catholica, Instrumentum laboris. Educare oggi e domani. Una passione che si rinnova (7 apr. 2014) 111, 1,1.
