Of Ethics and Scripture
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 02 May 2010 in From Steve's Study :: Children
I’m sure you will all be aware of the recent controversy over the trial of “Ethics” classes for Primary children not involved in SRE. Many Christians find it hard to understand why we might oppose something that on the face of it seems to be good (who could argue that it is a bad thing to get kids to think about why they make the decisions they do?).
I want to share with you a few quotes I have read this week which, at the very least, give us cause to think, and may well spur us to action.
Peter Robinson, CEO of “GenR8” (which oversees schools ministry workers in NSW), says:
“Ethical behaviour must by its very nature be developed from a particular world-view. There are Christian, Buddhist, Communist, Islamic, and many other types of ethical systems.
Some feel that the ethics course by default will imply a Secular Humanist world-view that commits to “the use of critical reason, factual evidence, and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith and mysticism, in seeking solutions to human problems and answers to important human questions.” (The Council for Secular Humanism.)”
And further:
“By introducing non-religious alternatives to SRE there is a long term threat to SRE in state schools and there are certain groups, notably the executive of the NSW P&C Federation, whose agenda is to go along the American line of taking all religion out of state schools. … some of those involved in pushing for the course are known to favour the elimination of all religious teaching within state schools.”
And this opinion is certainly backed up from the experience of the current trial. One correspondent said that she lost 17 children from her year 5 class of 25. Across the trial schools, it is estimated that SRE classes have been slashed by up to 50%! This has partly occurred because the Department of Education has been actively luring kids to switch.
So, let me encourage you to pray that God will maintain the awesome opportunity that we currently have to take the gospel into our schools. Pray also for those who will make decisions about the future implementation of the Ethics program. Pray also that Christians will be wise in their response to this challenge.
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