Laicism, Islam, Muslims and Religious Education Policies in France

The approach to religious education differs in many European countries due to differences with regard to local, regional and national conditions. Factors such as the religious background of a country, its perspective towards religion, the role played by religion in the society, the relationship between religion and the state, the educational system etc. bring forth various different preferences in religious education and applications. In general, there are three different approaches in Europe regarding religious education applications. The first is the secular religious education which does not allow for religious education at state schools that is known as “no religious instruction” or “laic”, the second is “confessional religious education” which is based on a certain religion or sect, whereas the third known as “non-confessional religious education” is an approach towards religious education that is not based on a certain religion or sect. There is no religious education in the state schools of France following a legal regulation in 1905 that completely separated the state and the church. This approach in France limits the freedom of the Muslim community to receive/practice religious education at state schools. However, as a response to new demands from the society after 1980, religious issues have been included in history, geography and literature curricula based on a non-confessional religion education approach. In this regard, determining how the secular religion education approach in state schools of France affects the Muslim community and religion education is considered as a significant problem. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to put forth how secularism that is identified with France and that is known as the spirit of France affects Islam, Muslims and the religious education policies in the country. Within the framework of this purpose, the birth of secular approach in France, reflection of secularism on socio-cultural and religious life, religious education approaches in Europe and secular religious education approach have been examined based on a literature survey carried out for the historical background of Muslims in France and the different dimension of Islamic education. It was concluded as a result of the study that new approaches with regard to religious education have emerged in France where strict/militant secularism is in effect due to the impact of conjectural political developments as a result of the desire to live together and that the religious education demands of Muslims have been positively affected