Religious Education in Quebec’s Ethics and Religious Culture Curriculum: A Cultural Approach

Abstract

The presence of diverse religions in Western pluralistic societies raises the following question: how can religion be taught while respecting the different religions and cultures represented in the school environment and in society? Since 2008, the province of Quebec has addressed this issue by suggesting a new type of non-denominational religious teaching: a cultural approach to religion in the “Ethics and Religious Culture” (ERC) program (Mels 2008. Éthique et culture religieuse [Online]. Québec: Ministère de l’éducation du loisir et du sport). In this article, we will explore the basic components of this cultural approach to religion and thereby grasp its uniqueness. This analysis will offer a new and contextualized perspective of the issue of non-denominational religious teaching in the Western world. In order to understand the issues of this specific educational context, we will first take a brief look at the history of the ERC program, showing how the secularization of the Quebec education system gradually gave birth to a non-denominational cultural religious curriculum for the entire academic path of Quebec students. Next, we will analyze the cultural challenges of the program; its place in the Quebec education program, the student’s vision, the teacher’s role and the concept of being cultural mediators, and the professional stance of impartiality, as well as program goals and skills. We will focus particularly on the skill described as “demonstrate an understanding of religion,” since it is at the heart of cultural religious teaching in the program. Therefore, we will examine in detail the program components, its concepts of religion and religious expression, its themes, the time dedicated to studying religious heritage, and the time allotted for each religion.