The teaching of Religious Edcuation in schools in crisis. It has been omitted from the new English Baccaluareate and a recent survey found that a third of all secondary schools will cut it from their curriculum. Professor Trevor Cooling, Reverend Jan Ainley and Dr Phillip Barnes discuss.
What is the role of secularism and humanism in RE?
Listen via iPlayer (from 33- 45 minutes)
Monday, February 21, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
BHA meets with schools minister Nick Gibb MP
FEB182011
BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson and Head of Public Affairs Naomi Phillips met with the schools minister Nick Gibb MP at the Department for Education. Mr Copson explained the BHA’s long history in education, campaigning for inclusive schools since the early 1900s and on RE since the 1950s.
Mr Copson raised the BHA’s concerns about religious discrimination in the state school system and the funding of ‘faith’ schools. Mr Gibb replied that the government did not agree with the BHA’s position on ‘faith’ schools.
We raised the issue of compulsory worship, informing the minister that it was one of the most frequent reasons why parents got in touch with us, worried about their children being forced to worship and equally not wanting to withdraw them from whole class or school activities. Mr Gibb stated that he felt there was already enough flexibility in the system, with schools being able to apply for “determinations” so that they do not have to have mainly Christian content in the worship.
We raised the issue of evolution in the curriculum, asking for the government’s position on including evolution as a core part of the primary science curriculum. Mr Gibb said that he agreed that the teaching of evolution should be compulsory at secondary level. Mr Gibb also said that he and his department were robust in their response to requests from religious groups wanting the inclusion of creationism and “intelligent design” in science lessons, stating that creationism has no basis in science and should not be taught as such.
The topic of Religious Education was discussed, with particular reference to the inefficiency of RE curriculums being locally determined and the deleterious effect on the subject because of that. The BHA argued that RE should be included in the current review of the curriculum being carried out by Mr Gibb’s department.
Mr Copson raised the BHA’s concerns about religious discrimination in the state school system and the funding of ‘faith’ schools. Mr Gibb replied that the government did not agree with the BHA’s position on ‘faith’ schools.
We raised the issue of compulsory worship, informing the minister that it was one of the most frequent reasons why parents got in touch with us, worried about their children being forced to worship and equally not wanting to withdraw them from whole class or school activities. Mr Gibb stated that he felt there was already enough flexibility in the system, with schools being able to apply for “determinations” so that they do not have to have mainly Christian content in the worship.
We raised the issue of evolution in the curriculum, asking for the government’s position on including evolution as a core part of the primary science curriculum. Mr Gibb said that he agreed that the teaching of evolution should be compulsory at secondary level. Mr Gibb also said that he and his department were robust in their response to requests from religious groups wanting the inclusion of creationism and “intelligent design” in science lessons, stating that creationism has no basis in science and should not be taught as such.
The topic of Religious Education was discussed, with particular reference to the inefficiency of RE curriculums being locally determined and the deleterious effect on the subject because of that. The BHA argued that RE should be included in the current review of the curriculum being carried out by Mr Gibb’s department.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
a rationalist/fideist paradox
reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fideism#In_culture (accessed 5th February 2011)
Douglas Adams, in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, uses his Babel fish to demonstrate a rationalist/fideist paradox:
- "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
- "But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves that You exist, and so therefore, by Your own arguments, You don't. Q.E.D."
- "Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.
- "Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.
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