In many respects children and youths receiving religious instruction in our culture resemble extraterrestrial beings doing an orientation course. Religion and religiosity are unknown quantities which they have hardly encountered at home. Religion seems something else, something greater. This book is a study of the foundations of religious education, centered around six concepts: religion in a globalizing society, religious tradition, religion, the religious self, learning through participation and interreligious learning.

Chris A.M. Hermans is Professor of Identity of Catholic Schools and Religious Education at the Catholic University of Nijmegen (The Netherlands). Since 2001 he is also Scientific Director of the Institute of Catholic Education at the same university.