SCHOOL AND PARISH CATECHESIS IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY IN RELATION TO CANON AND UNIVERSAL LAW

Abstract

The article deals with the topic of the school and parish catechesis in the Federal Republic of Germany. The author presents the legal basis of the catechesis, in the Church and in the State. The catechetic teaching is defined in the Code of Canon Law. Information on this can be found in the second chapter of the title “The Ministry of the Divine Word” in this code. After a brief outline of the legal basis the author proceeds to presenting the history of religious education in Germany. Its origins\nlie in the 16th century at the time of Reformation and Counter-Reformation. As Rainer Winkel stated, when one studies the history of education, there are seven fields of education to be distinguished: 1. pedagogy, 2. religion, 3. ethics, 4. economics, 5. science, 6. politics, 7. art. Each of them is based on the development of one of seven “athropina”, i. e. features that are characteristic for human beings. All in all, it can be said that the religious education must be an integral part of all-round education. In a further part of the article the author describes the current catechetic teaching in Germany. Since the 1960s we can observe a development from catechesis to religious studies in the religious education at school. Instead of forming and educating pupils religiously, knowledge of religions is imparted at school. It is taught that there are many equally valid systems of values. The truths of faith and the sacraments are omitted during lessons. Above all, it can be observed that the German society is misinformed about the sacrament of penance. Besides, the passion of Christ, its meaning for a Christian and the role of the Holy Virgin Mary are not among the topics in school. On the other hand, parish catechesis is not very popular. The reason for this is probably the disappointment of the young people about the institutional character of the Church. In addition, there is a high percentage of atheists (especially in the former East Germany). Therefore, the author claims that there is a need of a renewed evangelisation instead of catechesis in Germany, in order that people believe in Jesus and the Mother of God again.\n\n