Training of Religious Education Teachers in Europe : A Qualitative-Empirical Study Based on National Reports

Comparative Insights from 52 Countries

In recent years, the European perspective in the academic field of Religious Education (RE) has gained increasing importance. This development includes a growing focus on an European perspective regarding the training of RE teachers. This book presents a comparative study of this specific training in 52 European countries, drawing on the comprehensive data set of the “Rel-Edu”-Project. Using a qualitative research design that combines two methods – global evaluation and Grounded Theory – the study generates comparative findings that, for the first time, map the training of RE teachers across such a large international area. Through systematic organization along eight identified categories derived from a remarkably unique European data set, similarities and differences in RE teacher training are identified. At the same time, the study offers a critical reflection on the methodological potential and limitations of large-scale comparative research. The book contributes to greater conceptual clarity in European RE and provides a foundation for further international qualitative empirical research in this field.