This recognition is reflected in the composition of the House of Lords, a number of seats being held by the clergy of the Anglican Church. In spite of the process of secularisation that has meanwhile taken place, Christianity still serves as powerful moral reference basis and enjoys privileges in education. Christianity and those movements in society which have been substantial for the development towards humanism, freedom and democracy get their appropriate space in educating citizens with a consciousness of their own. Religious education in schools is a regular element and it has to be stressed that it is not inter-religious education but a confessional doctrine. Consequently, the general framing regulations for schools in Berlin recognize the churches as partners for educational co-operation.
All confessional courses are subject to free choice.
Islamic religious education though does not take place at regular public schools in Germany. Usually, the reason that is given for the absence of Islamic religious education by School Authorities is that Muslims in Germany do not have a common institution like the Christian Churches which could be treated as an educational partner corresponding to the principle of subsidiarity. An exception to the negative attitude is the pragmatic development of an Islamic curriculum in the Bundesland of Nordrhein-Westfalen which had been initiated by the applications of three Islamic organisations to conduct their lessons in public schools. An alternative for Muslim organisations is the foundation of their own confessional private schools. This status of religious education as inculcation of Christian heritage is contrasting to French case where a deeply rooted laicism does not accommodate the appearance of religious signs in public institutions because religion is considered to be a matter of private choice and conviction.