Item Detail
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21986
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0
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0
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English
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Religious Freedom in Belgium : A Limited Study of Challenges as Experienced by LDS Children and Youth in Flemish Classrooms from the 1970's until Today
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International Journal of Mormon Studies
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Spring 2010
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3
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no.1
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90-101
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"The 19th and 20th Articles of the Belgian Constitution provide for freedom of religion. The Federal and Flemish Regional governments generally respect this right in practice even though they only accord so-called "recognized" status to a small number of mainstream religions. The lack of "recognized" status does not prevent a religious group from practicing freely and openly but the repercussions of this interpretation of the constitution does affect many aspects of life for members of religious organizations without "recognized" status. By law, all Belgian school have to provide two hours of religious education yet the religions covered are only those which have "recognized" status or non-confessional moral education. This means Latter-day Saint (LDS) pupils are faced with having to attend two hours of religious education in a religion which is not their own because the LDS church does not have "recognized" status. This paper is a limited study about the challenges LDS children, youth, and their parents experience in Flemish classrooms." [Author's abstract]