Religious Education in the Preschool Multi-confessional Space: A Parental Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/17.4/1063Keywords:
kindergarten, religion optional, parents, confessional approach, multicultural contextsAbstract
This study explores the perceptions of parents in Romania on the importance of religious education at pre-school level and identifies the main challenges related to its implementation in kindergartens. Theoretical foundation starts from international research supporting the onset of religious education at an early age, given the benefits on the moral, emotional and social development of children. The research was carried out during December 2024 – April 2025, through an online survey of 564 parents of preschoolers. The data were analysed according to socio-demographic and socio-cultural variables, and the results show significant support for the introduction of an optional religion in kindergarten, with statistically significant difference in favour of parents from more numerous families and from Protestant/neoprotestant confessions. Moral motivation was prioritized over other types of motivations (religious or educational-cultural). The main difficulties identified are related to religious diversity and the adaptation of religious content in multicultural contexts. The conclusions support the need for a flexible, inclusive and contextualised approach to religious education at preschool age.
References
Aran, H., & Nayebkabir, M. (2018). Role of parents in religious and social education of children. International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding, 5(3), 180–191. http://dx.doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v5i3.347
Broer, N., de Muynck, B., Boele-de Bruin, L., de Vries, A., & de With, F. N. (2024). The role of the ideal of coherence between school and family in valuing cooperative practices of religious education. International Journal of Christianity & Education, 28(3), 306–322. https://doi.org/10.1177/20569971241227958
Bustan, R., Milani, L., & Mukti, Y. (2019). Implementation of character values in kindergarten. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 503. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.201205.098
Cataya Rodriguez, M. (2025). How can a spiritual pedagogy in religious education contribute to children’s spiritual growth? International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436X.2025.2450436
Dura, R. (2019). Kindergarten-family-community partnership and personality training. International Journal of Educational Theory and Practice (IJETP), 6(12), 40–48. https://www.journals.aseiacademic.org/index.php/ijtp/article/view/218
Eaude, T. (2024). Barriers to young children’s spiritual growth – and some pointers to how these can be overcome. International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436X.2024.2397971
Esquierdo, J. J., & Stehn, A. V. (2025). Strengthening partnerships entre las familias, las escuelas, y la universidad for Dual Language Bilingual, Bicultural, Biliterate Education (DLB3E). Journal of Latinos and Education, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2025.2462210
Essomba, M. À., Nadeu, M., & Tarrés Vallespí, A. (2023). Young educators’ voices on interfaith dialogue and religious diversity in leisure time education: Towards an effective policy framework and training. Religions, 14(11), 1378. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111378
Grimmitt, M. (2000). Pedagogies of Religious Education: Case Studies in the Research and Development of Good Pedagogic Practice in RE. McCrimmons.
Grümme, B. (2019). Kindergarten as safe space? Heterogeneity-sensitive remarks with ideology-critical intent. Österreichisches Religionspädagogisches Forum, 27(2), 9–23. https://doi.org/10.25364/10.27:2019.2.2
Hakiman, H., Sumardjoko, B., & Waston, W. (2021). Religious instruction for students with autism in an inclusive primary school. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(12), 139–158. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.12.9
Hannam, P. (2024). Religious education as a place of disruption. Journal of Religious Education, 72(3), 267–276. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-024-00246-z
Hidayatun, L., Sumiadi, R., & Marzoan, L. (2025). The role of teachers in instilling religious character in children aged 5-6 years in kindergarten. Panicgogy International Journal, 3(1), 31–38. https://doi.org/10.59965/pij.v3i1.132
Hill, E., & Woolley, R. (2022). Religious education and its interaction with the spiritual dimension of childhood: Teachers' perceptions, understanding and aspirations. Religions, 13(4), 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13040280
Hovdelien, O., & Sødal, H. K. (2022). Religious education in secularist kindergartens? Pedagogical leaders on religion in Norwegian ECEC. Religions, 13(3), Article 202. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13030202
Hyde, B. D. (2023). Children of the 'now': Dispelling some neoliberal assumptions in Christian religious education. Religious Education, 118(2), 105–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2023.2198407
Hyde, B., & Rouse, E. (2022). Teacher voice for reflections on practice: Using the voice-centred relational method to determine early childhood teachers’ understanding of spirituality. International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 27(2), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436X.2021.2024153
Jiang, P., Song, X., Wang, Q., Wang, X., Chen, F., & Tu, D. (2025). A crisscrossing competency framework for family–preschool partnerships: perspectives from chinese kindergarten teachers. Behavioral Sciences, 15(5), Article 694. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15050694
Jurišić, M., & Žagmešter Kemfelja, M. (2025). Intercultural competence in catholic religious education. Religions, 16(1), 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16010047
Kanniappan, V., Muthuperumal, P., Venkataraman, P., Murugesan, A., Chinnasami, B., Muthiah, M., Sethuraman, S., JR, A., Suresh, S., Grace, A. G., Veeragoudhaman, T. S., & Deivasigamani, K. (2025). A protocol to study the effect of targeted parental education intervention to identify early childhood development disorder – Multisite interventional study. Archives of Public Health, 83(7). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-024-01495-y
Koç, A. (2023). Curiosity of preschool children (4–6 years of age) about religious and moral issues. Religions, 14(2), 260. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14020260
Koliouli, F., & Kouniou, M. (2025). Reflecting on the concept of death: A qualitative investigation of the experiences among early childhood education teachers. Death Studies, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2025.2511254
Ministerul Educaţiei Naţionale. (2019). Curriculum pentru educaţia timpurie – 2019 [Early Childhood Education Curriculum – 2019]. https://www.edu.ro/sites/default/files/Curriculum%20ET_2019_aug.pdf
Miron, V. (2021). Religious education. Ground for soul recovery. SCIENTIA MORALITAS – International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 6(1), 119–134. https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=1021172
Oliveira, V. H. A., de Souza, M. H. F., Dell, M. L., Campos, L. F. S., Borges, T. A. A., & Almeida, A. M. (2025). The impact of religiousness and spirituality in childhood: What do Brazilian children and their parents think? International Journal of Latin American Religions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41603-025-00292-x
Opriş, D. (2014). Kindergarten religious education in Romania. Theoretical issues and perspectives of using the case study. Educaţia Plus, Special issue, 285, 268–275. http://www.uav.ro/jour/index.php/jpe/article/view/285
Osewska, E. (2018). Religious education at preschool: Main assumptions and kindergarten teachers’ opinion. The Person and the Challenges, 8(2), 109–120. https://doi.org/10.15633/pch.2564
Parker, S. G. (2021). Children’s subjectivity and agency in religious education. Journal of Beliefs & Values: Studies in Religion & Education, 42(3), 277–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2021.1954854
Perdana, F. P., & Ngadiman, A. (2019). The implementation of religious and moral education at kindergarten. JournEEL (Journal of English Education and Literature), 1(1), 45–51. https://doi.org/10.51836/journeel.v1i1.40
Poncini, A. (2023). Standards setting in religious education: Addressing the quality of teaching and assessment practices. Religions, 14(3), 315. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14030315
Pop, A. I., & Pop, M. O. (2019). Dezvoltarea religiozităţii la preşcolari. Astra Salvensis, 5(9), 89–100. https://astrasalvensis.eu/?mdocs-file=1026
Poulter, S. (2025). Transforming sacred space to children’s own space: Finnish preschoolers at the meeting point of secular and religious. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research,1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2025.2506377
Puskás, T., Andersson, A., Jeppsson, F., & Slaughter, V. (2023). Living in heaven and buried in the earth? Teaching young children about death. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31(6), 900–913. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2023.2221002
Rouse, E., & Hyde, B. (2024). Enacting a spiritual pedagogy in the early years: Phenomenological reflections on thoughtfulness in practice. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 32(5), 739–751. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2024.2311074
Santi, C., & Santi, E. A. (2014). Elemente de educaţie religioasă în grădiniţă. Teorie şi aplicaţii practice [Elements of Religious Education in Kindergarten: Theory and Practical Applications]. Basilica
Shields, M., & Hattingh, S. (2022). Christian early childhood leaders: Management challenges and responses. International Journal of Christianity & Education, 26(1), 18–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/20569971211039243
Smith, J. (2021). Transmission of Faith in Families: The influence of religious ideology. Sociology of Religion, 82(3), 332–356. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/sraa045
Söldner, L., & Paulus, M. (2025). The moral self in formation: Caregiver emotional availability and early prosocial behavior predict preschoolers’ moral self-concept. Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001902
Stan, L. A., & Opriş, D. (2025). Using selfassessment methods and techniques in the context of evaluative actions performed with Romanian preschoolers. Revista Românească pentru Educaţie Multidimensională, 17(2), 834-858. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/17.2/1007
Teraoka, E., Okamoto, M., Saito, T., & Ube, H. (2025). Parents’ perceptions of teachers’ support in a Japanese private kindergarten: Overview of the trust relationship building process. Cogent Education, 12(1), 2505318. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2505318
Thoma, N. (2023). Overcoming religious and racioreligious othering in preschools: Transforming educational policies for more social just pedagogies. International Journal of Early Childhood, 55(3), 331–346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-023-00373-y
Toifur, S., Setiawati, R., & Ali, M. (2022). Formation of early childhood religious character through religious activities in school. Jurnal Smart Paud, 5(2), 117–124. https://doi.org/10.36709/jspaud.v5i2.23
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors & InManifest Network
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant this journalright of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work, with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as an earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala Journal has an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
CC BY-NC-ND
