Human rights education as a framework for transmitting religion as cultural heritage

The transmission of religion as cultural heritage can pose challenges to fundamental human rights principles, especially when the majority religion is closely tied to national identity politics. The rights of children to freedom of religion and belief, as well as to non-discrimination, provide an international framework for Religious Education (RE). This chapter analyses the portrayal of Christianity as cultural heritage within the national curriculum for RE in primary and lower secondary schools in Denmark. It addresses key issues related to safeguarding the rights of both children and parents in RE. To prevent an essentialist understanding of national identity, both the methodological and didactical approaches to presenting religion as cultural heritage are essential. The chapter argues that incorporating principles from human rights education could help create a more pluralistic, objective, and critical approach to RE, allowing the classroom to serve as a community of disagreement.