Lack of access to evangelical religious education in Spanish schools
A report by FEREDE highlights the lack of access to evangelical religious education in Spanish schools, which in some cases amounts to restrictions of parental rights to educate their children in conformity with their beliefs.
A recent report of the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE) about the religious freedom situation in the country highlighted several problem faced by evangelical Christians in Spain. One of the most pressing issues is the lack of access to evangelical religious education in schools, which, in some cases amounts to restrictions of parental rights to educate their children in conformity with their beliefs.
For example, during the 2021-2022 school year, more than 2,000 students who requested evangelical religious instruction in schools and institutes of Spain were left without receiving the requested teaching.
During 2024, in Andalusia region alone, it is estimated that at least 3,000 pupils have been left unattended without receiving the evangelical religious education requested. In addition, more than 1,200 requests from evangelical families in the in Valencia region, who wanted their sons to receive a religious education in accordance with their own beliefs, were left unattended, a situation that has been maintained during the 2023-2024 year.
Update: In a 4 January interview in Madrid, Carolina Bueno, executive director of FEREDE, said that in 2025 many evangelicals in Spain faced inequalities such as the lack of a dedicated IRPF income tax box, pastors being left without pensions, and other limitations. She urged the government and regional authorities to adopt concrete measures in 2026 to address these disparities and ensure effective religious freedom and mutual respect.
Source: ferede.es, europapress
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