In schools in Britain it is planned to introduce the study of all religions and teachings of the world. The goal is to instil in their students a deep respect for every faith. However, the representatives of Catholicism and Judaism disagreed. In their opinion the study of other religions could have a negative impact on students. However, the parents have the right to refuse the introduction of the subject in the school curriculum of the child.
According to The Guardian, the British Commission for religious education for two years conducted research and came to the conclusion that religious education in British schools is in dire need of a fundamental change, as it does not reflect the realities of a rapidly changing and increasingly diverse world. According to representatives of the Commission, schools need to explore the whole spectrum of modern religions, beliefs, doctrines and concepts, including agnosticism, atheism, humanism, secularism, and many others.
As noted in the Commission’s report, the updated object should be called “Religion and worldview”, and its purpose will be to nurture in students a deep respect and understanding of each faith and doctrine.
This decision was made after it became clear that the share of pupils attending a course of religious education this year has decreased by 22% compared to last year; and two days after the publication of new evidence that more than half of the population do not profess any religion.
According to the authors of the report, the new subject must give a “deep understanding of the various Sciences, the arts, literature, history, contemporary politics and society,” and to teach students compassion and respect for all doctrines and worldview.
However, not everyone in Britain welcomed the recommendations of the Commission on religious education. The Catholic education service stated that the Commission is trying “not so much to improve religious education, how much to divest its essence”. According to representatives of service, it is impossible to improve the quality of religious education by cutting the teaching of God’s law.
Condemning the new initiative and the Council of representatives of the Jews of Britain, who said that the report “flawed in its core.”
“Good cause the authors of the report turned into its opposite, “due to the depletion of religious education by the overflow of a variety of concepts of world order that are just hard to fit into the rigid schedules of instruction. We believe that this attempt by the haters to shove faith in schooling their concepts and to undermine strict religious education in a time when a deep knowledge of doctrine is vital,” said Vice-President of the Council of representatives of the Jews of Britain Suker Edwin (Edwin Shuker).
In England, Wales and Scotland, all schools in the compulsory teaching subject in which children learn about major world religions. While the course focuses on Christianity and tolerance of other faiths.