On 29 May 2026, the Council of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE) adopted a new ‘Regulations on the Authorisation of Protestant Religious Education at the European Schools and at Recognised European Schools’ in Doorn. In doing so, the CPCE is fulfilling its responsibility to ensure the long-term quality and structure of Protestant religious education within the European context.
KEY DETAILS OF THE COUNCIL’S RESOLUTION
· Date and place of adoption: 29 May 2026 in Doorn by the CPCE Council
· Objective: To ensure the quality of Protestant religious education in accordance with the CPCE’s fundamental theological convictions
· Core principle: Establishing mutual trust and mutual commitment between the CPCE and Protestant religious education teachers
· Drafting of the regulations: The Education Advisory Board to the CPCE Council
Key points of the regulations: Commitment and trust
In the future, any appointment to teach Protestant religious education at the European Schools will require the teacher to be authorised by the CPCE. The regulations governing this authorisation (‘vocation’) form the legal basis for this. The Council deliberately chose the term ‘authorisation’ in order to include both ordained and non-ordained teachers from all member churches and to do justice to different church traditions. Central to the regulations on authorisation is the establishment of a relationship of mutual trust based on mutual commitment:
Support and promotion
Through these regulations, the CPCE undertakes to represent the academic, legal and professional interests of teachers vis-à-vis school and state authorities, and to promote their continuing professional development. Teachers undertake in writing to deliver lessons based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ in accordance with the applicable curricula and the fundamental theological convictions of the CPCE.
Building trust
These mutual commitments foster trust between the CPCE and the religious education teachers. This trust strengthens their identification with the values and aims of the CPCE as a communion characterised by reconciled diversity. It fosters a sense of theological and denominational belonging amongst teachers within the CPCE. At the same time, it promotes teachers’ sensitivity to other Protestant faith traditions and thus influences the practice of religious education, which aims to create the best possible opportunities for successful religious education in a European context for the benefit of the pupils.
Religious Education in line with the European Schools’ Guidelines
At this point, the objectives of the CPC’s Authorisation Regulations – with regard to the support and theological grounding of religious education teachers – and the pedagogical guidelines of the European Schools mesh seamlessly: Religious education that is sensitive to denominational differences and gives voice to diverse faith traditions is in line with the overarching educational mission of the European Schools to offer all pupils a high-quality, multilingual and multicultural education within the framework of a school ethos based on European values.
‘Reconciled diversity’ as a reflection of the European framework of values
A central educational objective of the European Schools is to actively promote tolerance, communication, cooperation and respect for different spiritual, moral and cultural backgrounds. Religious education that is sensitive to different denominations and aligned with the fundamental theological convictions of the CPCE forms the foundation for a learning environment that strengthens familiarity with one’s own religious identity whilst at the same time fostering respect for other beliefs.
Key competences
In line with the key competences for lifelong learning, religious education understood in this way empowers pupils to achieve personal development, social responsibility, ethical judgement and the ability to engage in intercultural dialogue. By receiving professional support, further training and mutual trust from the CPCE through its theological and religious education guidance, teachers create optimal learning environments. In these environments, pupils not only acquire knowledge of the Christian tradition, but also learn the concepts of ‘learning to live together’ and ‘learning to be’ – as enshrined in the UNESCO Education Report – which serve as essential guiding principles for future-ready citizens in Europe.
Quality assurance in the service of competence-oriented educational standards
The pedagogical principles of the European Schools require teaching to be based on competence-based, active and learner-centred learning, which focuses on the learners’ lived experience and the questions they raise. The requirement for teachers to deliver religious education in accordance with both the current curricula of the European Schools and the theological principles of the CPCE guarantees the theological and pedagogical quality of the subject. This ensures that teaching meets the high educational standards – ranging from the systematic development of basic subject-specific competences (such as understanding religious language and relating it to one’s own life) to transparent assessment of performance against specified performance descriptors.
Requirements for the granting of authorisation by the CPCE
The requirements, particularly with regard to the quality standards of the European Schools, therefore include the teacher’s membership of a CPCE member church (or Anglican partner church), a church recommendation, training in theology or religious education from a church or state institution, and compliance with child protection standards. Mutual recognition is based on ecumenical trust; provisions for supply teaching and further training are also enshrined.
Summary
Within this international school context, the new authorisation scheme of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe fulfils three key functions:
Quality assurance
It ensures that, despite the diversity of European countries of origin, lessons are taught by qualified teachers and that the Protestant character of the teaching is maintained.
European standards
For the first time, it establishes a uniform, transparent legal framework for religious education teachers from across Europe. This provides school heads with greater legal certainty when appointing religious education teachers.
Reliable support
It provides authorised religious education teachers with support as well as theological and professional guidance within the international school environment.
2026-29-05 Regulations Governing Authorization_EN_Final
2026-29-05 Ordnung der Bevollmächtigung_DE_Final
2026-29-05 Règlement d’autorisation _FR_Final
The Advisory Board on Education to the CPCE Council
The Regulations on Authorisation were drawn up as a draft for the Council by the Advisory Board on Education, which reports to it.
Members
The day-to-day management is carried out by Monica Niedermaier at the CPCE Secretariat. The following members, appointed by the Council, sit on the Advisory Committee: Rev. Volker Brandt (Belgium, Central Coordinator for Protestant religious education at the European Schools in Brussels), Prof. Director Dr Werner Haußmann (Germany, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Religious Education and the Didactics of Protestant Religious Instruction), Senior Church Councillor Rev. Stefan Knöll (Germany, Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau, Head of the Department for Schools and Religious Education), Rev. Dr Ruth Kossmann (Germany, Evangelical Reformed Church and Evangelical Lutheran Regional Church of Hanover, Centre for Protestant Religious Education in East Frisia), Rev. Marion Reysen (Germany, Evangelical Church in Rheinland), Dr Katalin Balogné Vincze (Hungary, Budapest, Protestant Theological University, Research Fellow at the Institute for Religious Education). The members were appointed for the duration of a legislative term by the CPCE Council, which was elected at the 9th General Assembly in Sibiu/Hermannstadt in 2024.
Working meetings and topics
The Advisory Board on Education meets several times a year for working meetings, both in person – for example, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany – and online. In addition to having completed work on a European framework for accreditation, it has recently finalised work on a curriculum for the subject of Protestant religious education at primary level. Furthermore, it advises the Council on educational issues within the CPCE’s working processes and on educational matters within the Council of Europe. [Stefan Knöll]