A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED WHICH CONSIDERED SELECTED EUROPEAN EXPERIENCES INVOLVING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RELIGION AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AS RELATED TO ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY, NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL POLICY. THE PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL POLICIES OF ENGLAND, THE NETHERLANDS, AND SWEDEN WERE EXAMINED BY MEANS OF LITERATURE SEARCHES, OBSERVATIONS, INTERVIEWS, AND CORRESPONDENCE. IN GENERAL, THE FINDINGS INDICATED THAT ECCLESIASTICALLY BASED CLAIMS TO AUTHORITY IN MATTERS OF RELIGION STEM FROM PARTICULAR HISTORIC CREEDS AND DOCTRINES. THE TEACHING MISSION OF THE CHURCH IS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL. OTHER CONCLUSIONS AND REFERENCES ARE REPORTED. (TC)