Abstract
While the State accepts the existence of religious pluralism in so far as private beliefs are concerned, it also expects the various religions to play an increasingly important role in maintaining societal cohesion. This it does by encouraging each religion to contribute to the transmission of a set of common values which are to be shared by all members of the society.
Thus confronted by the challenge of cultural pluralism, Western societies find that their value system is not religiously neutral: the State utilizes the sacred. Whether they do so in conflict or in co-operation, State and religion inevitably meet in the sphere of education.