289 Theology of Disclosure for Christian Citizenship Formation 9 fragmentation, shalom demands that we seek connection in the field of education as well. It is, therefore, of great importance that trainee teachers learn not to turn their backs on society, but to be there for others—and to be exemplary for their students in doing so. They can achieve the latter by inviting every student to contribute to the greater whole through their own uniqueness and talents. This starts small and slowly grows. By constantly inviting students to belong to the group and the community, teachers work purposefully to foster a sense of belonging in their students. Zooming out, then, we are talking about nothing less than a sense of belonging concerning the whole world. We see it as a large, coherent whole (ecosystem) that is God’s originally good creation. This has the characteristics of both a preordained good (moral) order and a degree of brokenness due to sin and injustice. Respect for creation, as well as for God’s order, laws and provisions, is indispensable in counteracting fragmentation and promoting true coherence. This very thing gives meaning to life and, therefore, cannot be missed. We find adherence to this spiritual, religious element of education to be of fundamental importance. We recognise this awareness in other cultures, sometimes also stamped by other world religions. We miss it quite often in the modern West, where we signal that people (and, therefore, students) are regularly thrown back on themselves. This process of individualisation is fuelled by secularisation and a conception of school and education strongly focused on (economic) performance. The premise that living together begins with seeking connection is, on the one hand, a critique of the way in which the public debate on citizenship is conducted and of the rules that flow from it. Treating the key citizenship themes linked to measurable objectives as an addition to existing curricula is an approach that fails to address the deeper problem of social and societal fragmentation. Proposals to push religion back into the private sphere are counterproductive. On the other hand, this premise also includes a critique of religious schools that turn away from the broader whole of society and focus solely on their own grouping and/or faith education. While it is necessary for Christian schools to follow their own pedagogical course, unilateral opposition to other groups encourages further fragmentation. The existing problems in education and society are thus magnified. This does not contribute to the goal of Christian education of preparing students to serve in society. From the above, it becomes clear why both faithfulness and openness substantially belong to the vocation of Christian education. Indeed, they come together where the sense of belonging is central—a person comes to the destiny of being human in connection with God, creation, other people and
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