Religion in Schools

Originally posted by bbarr
Some perfectly fine governments have state religions and nobody seems much to mind.

We mind, we just cant do much about it.

Originally posted by Teinosuke
Who's "we"? I don't believe in any gods. I'd like children in British schools to know that Christianity has been one of the main forces shaping British culture, but that could be taught in history lessons. If we are going to have Religious Studies lessons, they should be comparative, unbiased, and include the Greek, Norse and Egyptian pantheons on an equal footing with the Abrahamic and Dharmic creeds practised today.

that would be like teaching to much to take in at a the young age and teachers have too much to cram in now, you start with what you know in science we teach basic chemistry and expand then if the pupil takes this up they have further education lines open to them. so in faith we teach the basic knowledge [from a christian view point] and if they take it further there are education lines open to them

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I agree with part of that: the bit about : “Religion has no place in any school that receives any degree of funding from the State”
The only problem is that I think: “Religion has no place in ANY school” –that is an unqualified statement.

Also I think the word “responsibility” in:
“religious Education should be the responsibility of parents,”
should be replaced with the word “irresponsibility” and the word “should” should be replaced with the words “can”.

This gives: “religious Education can be the irresponsibility of parents,”

Originally posted by FabianFnas
No religious teaching then...?

is not religious teaching truth as we know it? science is the truth till we debunk it

Originally posted by stoker
that would be like teaching to much to take in at a the young age and teachers have too much to cram in now, you start with what you know in science we teach basic chemistry and expand then if the pupil takes this up they have further education lines open to them. so in faith we teach the basic knowledge [from a christian view point] and if they take it further there are education lines open to them

At my (nominally Church of England) private school in Northern England, we were taught comparative religion - not including obsolete creeds as I suggest, but nevertheless ranging over Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism as well as Christianity. Despite this, there was time for some reasonably in-depth study of specific books of the Bible. We learned about the Crusades and the Reformation in history.

Yes, we start science teaching with basic Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Similarly, we should start religious studies with a broad, basic introduction to the major creeds currently practiced - I'd say you could give a useful introduction to the Abrahamic religions in the first year of high school and the Dharmic religions (plus Shinto, possibly) in the second year. Then, if students continue to study the subject, you could begin in-depth studies of particular religions.

Originally posted by stoker
so in faith we teach the basic knowledge [from a christian view point] and if they take it further there are education lines open to them

Why not from a Muslim point of view?

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Does that include islamic schools, hinduistic schools, buddhistic schools, satanistic schools, hedhen schools, whatever schools? Or do you only mean christian schools?

And don't forget the Agnostic schools.

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If by "religious education", you mean the catechetical or doctrinal component of education then I don't think Church leaders have a problem with the State not funding that.

If, however, by "religious education" you mean an educational philosophy or approach that has the worldview of a particular religion as foundation, then Church leaders argue that such a separation simply cannot be done. Religion is a hermeneutic for reality. Everything about a school - from the choice of what courses and activities (beyond the core national curriculum) to promote to what disciplinary procedure to adopt - can and should be informed by a particular vision.

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WAR !

Originally posted by twhitehead
Why not from a Muslim point of view?

This is a reasonable question in countries like many in Western Europe, where there are more observant Muslims than observant Christians. But many atheist or agnostic Europeans would still regard themselves as hailing from a Christian culture, and accept that their outlook has been influenced by the Christian traditions of their society.

I dont think religous indoctrination should be left to the parents either.
Parents can suggest stuff to their kids but ultimately its going to be the kids choices that shape his/her life. His/her spiritual orientation.

If a child is stifled by "down your throught religon", they will lose their confidence to question. This will close of their spiritual/religous avenues.