The Intereuropean Commission on Church and School (ICCS) is a network, created in 1958, which aims to provide a framework for cooperation in monitoring and developing church and school issues in Europe. It brings together representatives and experts from research, practice and policy working on Religion and Education.
Issues of church and school are in the focus of ICCS. Relations differ due to contexts and history. Cooperation exists as well as clear separation. However churches concern exist for good education and good schooling.
Bringing together experts and staff of churches and universities responsible for church & school issues is a main concern of ICCS. Exchange with churches and political institutions is a main priority.
ICCS acts as an International Non Governmental Organization in the framework of the Council of Europe. This enables participation, exchange with other INGOs and own activies related to the issues of the Council.
Since April, the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) at the Council of Europe has had a Committee for the Interreligious and interconvictional dialogue. Interconvictional here means the dialogue between different worldviews, be they...
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Churches and the people working for them, are essential to ICCS’ work. Involved in ICCS are Churches from a Protestant, Anglican or Orthodox background that mostly have official links with the World Council of Churches (WCC) or the Conference of European Churches (CEC).
ICCS is part of a wider community of organisations and associations concerned with religious education. In the Coordinating Group of Religious Education in Europe (CoGREE) they all work together.
Researchers are a very active part in the network. ICCS promotes exchange among them and common research projects about overarching topics relevant in various European countries. Within ICCS, researchers can connect to policy and practice levels.
ICCS has a network of national correspondents with one or two representatives from each country involved. The task of these correspondents is to promote the idea of European cooperation in the area of church/school relationships in their own country, to contribute to ICCS activities on a European level and also to maintain close links with other correspondents and with board members.
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