Faith schools. They raise very interesting questions, and although not directly in the media spotlight at the minute, the issue of the place of faith within a modern twenty-first century society is constantly being addressed at the minute; whether discussing same-sex marriage or child adoption policy. Surely as a responsible society though we should be questioning how we educate the next generation, including what exactly we are inculcating, and perhaps more importantly, the environment in which our children learn.
As a theist, I am always going to argue against the marginalisation of religion within society, and equally I’m going to vehemently justify the need for a ‘religious society’ (whatever that may mean) in 2012 and beyond. It naturally proceeds that I would therefore place a large emphasis on religious education. There will be many theists that will agree with much of what I’ve said up to this point; however, many will disagree with how I believe such education should take place. Simply put. Not within a monotheistic educational setting (i.e. not in a traditional faith school).
Young people today are growing up surrounded by commercialism and vulturine capitalism. The single most deadly effect of such an upbringing (and no I don’t think I’m exaggerating by using the word deadly) is to remove any sense of kinship and human unity, and to centre their entire existence on the idiosyncratic ego. Did the second commandment to not worship idols really just refer to molten and wooden images of deities? Or were the ancient Israelites referring to an unchecked ego? In such an age, it seems clear that we have a responsibility to promote collective unity, and a sense of moral responsibility. But unity can only be achieved within an engulfing atmosphere of tolerance and respect (and I’m certainly not referring to the Respect political party). Herein lies the central problem of faith schools. I am convinced that despite their good intensions, they are actually perpetuating the aforementioned problem through fixating on distinctions. When we desperately need to feel a sense unity, we’re promoting sectarianism and disparity.
I light of this I would advocate for two possible solutions to the problems of faith schools. The first solution would be to completely do away with such schools altogether, thereby placing the emphasis of religious education upon local communities, and individual families. I can see no reason why a parent that sees the inherent worth in a particular faith, cannot find the time or opportunity to educate their child in that faith at home. Equally valid is the point of local communities working together to ensure sufficient resources are in place for the teaching of religious faiths to young people. The second potential solution involves adapting our current faith schools to ensure the successful promotion of tolerance and respect. I envisage polytheistic faith schools. That’s not to say schools where students worship different deities throughout the day, but rather schools that place a large emphasis on religious faith (larger than state schools) without focusing their curriculum on a single faith. Of course a Jewish school would tend to place more emphasis on Judaism than say Sikhism, but I think it’s totally unacceptable for students leaving a faith school to have gained knowledge of only a single religious tradition. But of course people will say ‘how can a Christian school possibly teach their children about Buddhism when Christianity and Buddhism are completely opposite theologies’. What they really mean is ‘why should we teach our children something that we don’t believe is true?’ Without ranting about the obvious contradiction of how faith schools still find it acceptable to teach creationism over evolution, we desperately need to move away from this idea of religious faith and truth (whatever truth actually means. Try and define what ‘true’ means to yourself.). Until the various religious traditions relinquish their apparent monopoly on faith, and accept that the construction ‘faith and true’ is an inherent oxymoron, then we still have a long way to go I’m afraid.
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