This contribution discusses two forms in which spiritual care in the Netherlands can be organized: in terms of a (church) office which reflects the current form, or as liberal profession which is a form to be conceivably pursued as an alternative proper to the sociocultural and institutional developments that this text indicates. The historical Dutch context of pillarization is tributary to a form of spiritual care that seems less apt to deal with the challenges ahead. The conditions and requirements of a liberal model are presented, but also put into perspective of the limited opportunities of the professional association of spiritual care to manoeuvre in politics and policies.

The philosophy of John Rawls (1921-2002) has had a profound influence on political and legal thinking. From the beginning people have wrestled with the place of religion in his works. Rawls own religious ideas remained hidden territory until 2009, when two documents by Rawls on religion were posthumously published. This article explores how Rawls’ early theological ideas can be recognised in his later works, specifically with regard to faith and reason, the meaning of community, and the question of merit in justice. It concludes that, despite his loss of faith, Rawls remained deeply influenced by the neo-orthodox Christianity of his student days.

The Netherlands has a unique educational system, based on freedom of education, that provides for public and denominational education both financed on equal terms by the state. Only schools belonging to formally recognized denominations are qualified for public finance. School education is one of the few policy fields in The Netherlands where a formal recognition of faith actually occurs.
A denomination is qualified for recognition when four formal conditions are met: (1) it is a fundamental orientation well founded on a specific faith or philosophy of life, (2) that is apparently entrenched in Dutch society, (3) distinguishable from other recognized denominations, and (4) implemented in the bye-laws that must safeguard the religious or philosophical character of the school. In the Roman Catholic denomination only the bishop is competent to recognize a school as Roman Catholic. This system is now under discussion in the political arena, where two alternatives are presented: extension as opposed to abolition of the concept of denomination. The present article concludes that denominational school education is rooted in the concept of civil society and argues the extension of the concept of denomination to include also pedagogical visions. But also in its extended application a connection with a shared contemplation of man should be put first and foremost.