In this article we present you two reports about the IV study tour in November 2025 in Slovakia.
The first one is from Eljay Abadiano (Vox Dei Academy, Philippines), member of the GPEN-Council.
What inspired or encouraged you the most during your visit to Lutheran schools in Slovakia?
Going through those classrooms in Lutheran schools in Slovakia, I was moved by how faith and learning are woven together. It’s one thing to have chapel services or devotional time; it’s another to see teachers, staff, students actually living out Christian values — kindness, humility, service — in the small daily moments: helping one another, listening well, celebrating one another’s gifts. What encouraged me most was seeing that this kind of culture is possible: schools that nurture not just minds, but hearts; ones that believe education is more than grades, more than competition — it is formation in the image of Christ.
What do you see as the greatest benefit of international cooperation among Lutheran schools?
International cooperation among Lutheran schools, is like discovering siblings in distant places — we share a common faith, mission, and calling, but each brings a different story, different strengths, different challenges. When we connect, we sharpen one another: I learn new pedagogies, new ways of integrating faith; I see solutions to problems I struggle with; I gain courage. And there is a spiritual richness in knowing that we are not alone — that the Gospel-centered education we seek is being lived in many contexts, under many skies. It reminds me: God is at work everywhere, and our cooperation strengthens the Kingdom more than what any one school can do alone.
In your view, what is the greatest challenge facing Christian education in today’s world?
The greatest challenge facing Christian education today is maintaining a strong faith identity amid a rapidly changing and increasingly secular world. As schools navigate modern issues, technological shifts, and cultural pressures, it becomes ever more crucial to keep Christ at the center of education. The task is to form students who are not only knowledgeable and skilled but also grounded in faith, compassion, and moral integrity.
Nathan Krieger, Professor of Religious Education and Social Projects at Colégio Cônsul Carlos Renaux in Brazil, although wrote a report. Find out more here.