This article focuses on the subject of religious education in the Finnish state schools. In the first part of this research I will present the context, the debates, the challenges related to religious education, the role and mission of the Church in terms of religion in Finland and the status of religion in a european context. Regarding religious education, Finland is a northern example, it is a different model from the other EU member states, a decisive role belongs to the parents. The Finnish model differs from other models of the Nordic countries, for example the Swedish one, but has similarities to the Austrian model. The roots of this model date back to 1920 when it was required that at the primary level the religion class be made in accordance with the majority religion of the pupils. The predominant model of religious education is in accordance with its own beliefs and at the same time it is defined as non-confessional, and teachers are not allowed to introduce religious practices during classes. In the second part of this article, I present the important steps in the history of religious education in the Finnish state schools, I highlight the legislative approaches, the contemporary legal framework, the status and the curriculum of religious education in Finland. I will also highlight the characteristics of religious education in the Finnish system, aspects related to classroom textbooks and details of the professional training of religious teachers.