Orthodoxy will become a subject of study in Dutch schools

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, public schools in the Netherlands will have the opportunity to study the basics of the Orthodox faith. This was made possible by the official recognition of Orthodoxy as the eighth denomination at the national level. The pilot program will run for three years and will target children between the ages of 6 and 12, giving Orthodox believers access to religious education within the school system.

According to Orthodox Times, organizing a class requires at least three students in the same school to express a desire to attend. The school principal must then contact the Center for Formation Education (Het Centrum voor Vormingsonderwijs), which acts as an intermediary between schools, the Ministry of Education, and officially recognized faiths. The lessons will take place once a week for 45 minutes during school hours and will also be open to children of other faiths.

The Orthodoxe Zendende Instantie (Orthodox Guiding Body) is responsible for accrediting teachers. Candidates must have a diploma from an Orthodox theological faculty, undergo psycho-pedagogical training, have at least a B2 level of Dutch, and have at least two years of teaching experience. It is noted that at the moment there is a shortage of qualified personnel — there are only two accredited teachers for the whole country.

Representatives of the Orthodox Church in the Netherlands (OKiN) have already agreed on the first steps of the project, including informing parishes and organizing demonstration lessons. Fr. Ion Iuga, a representative of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis, said that along with the joy of the endeavor, there are also serious challenges. «A lot of work will be needed to raise awareness at the parish level, to find and train teaching staff and to develop an adapted methodology,» he emphasized. In a secular society, he said, the subject could become for believers «a barometer of their own spiritual values.»

The initiative was approved by the Orthodox Bishops’ Conference of Benelux, which praised the «favorable development in this area» and stressed the importance of cooperation between the Church and educational institutions.

Earlier, Metropolitan Savva (Esper), head of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, in his report to the 14th Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States, stated that there has been a significant increase in the number of conversions to the Orthodox faith, especially among American youth. According to him, Orthodoxy in the country is being transformed from a faith of ethnic communities into a broad spiritual movement, attracting people of all backgrounds seeking spiritual authenticity and historical continuity.