European meeting of Christian school leaders in Brussels

“Sanctify in your hearts Christ the Lord, being always ready to defend yourselves, with gentleness and respect, before anyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.” 1 Peter 3:12

It was with these opening words that the forty or so school and network representatives from 13 EU countries, as well as Switzerland, the UK, Albania and the USA, began their working meetings in Brussels on January 30 and 31.

The aim of these meetings is to bring together the heads of Christian schools and Christian Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who are few in number but meet monthly to pray, study bills and defend Christian values and educational freedom in the face of current popular ideologies (gender theories, feminism, ecology, state neutrality, etc.).

In several countries, the networks are highly developed (e.g. Netherlands, Germany, Hungary), while in others the number remains small but growing. However, there are many obstacles in the way. In some countries, the state does not finance schools, which is a barrier to many parents, especially in the current economic climate. The political climate in Sweden, for example, is particularly hostile to religious schools. Elsewhere, in Belgium and Austria for example, it’s hard to find teachers who share the school’s vision.

The participants promised to work on developing fraternal links between countries and to set up a permanent representation at European level.