L’educazione religiosa per tutti nel tempo del pluralismo delle appartenenze: un cantiere aperto nella scuola italiana

The article explores the role of religious education in a context marked by intense cultural pluralism and advanced processes of secularization. In light of the thought of P.L. Berger, the operational meaning of the concepts of religious education and religious instruction is clarified. The different positions adopted by believing persons regarding religious education is examined, reflecting on the rationale for religious education and the risks of its absence. The argument focuses on three pedagogical reasons: comprehensive education, prevention of religious distortions, and promotion of intercultural dialogue. The article also addresses the issue of religious education in public schools, highlighting both its curricular marginality and its cultural and social relevance. Finally, it discusses the various European models of religious education and the prospects open to it in the Italian context, characterized by an ongoing debate on a possible overcoming of the current confessional framework.