Christians, Muslims and atheists call for end to compulsory religious education in Ireland
The Evangelical Alliance of Ireland (EAI) has joined Atheist Ireland and Irish Ahmadiyya Muslims in calling for reform to religious education (RE) to allow pupils to choose another subject in its place.
A joint study from the group based on hundreds of documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from the National Council for Curriculum & Assessment (NCCA) says that the state-sponsored religious education course at second level should not be compulsory.
The EAI said it was seeking to "protect children from coercion and discrimination in the area of religious education," the Irish News reported....
A lot of religion classes may not use the Word of God. I suppose that even if the teacher isn't saved that,as long as Scripture is rightly quoted,it can all be to God's glory. For we know that His Word never goes out void!
Good points, both. I feel like maybe I need to clarify my post. John Y. had asked why anyone would oppose religious teaching. I was trying to think of circumstances where no religious teaching would be preferable. If the gospel is being presented with clarity and truth (and from your posts, it apparently is at times), I say "Hallelujah!"
God bless, and may His word go forth in Ireland and around the globe.
I'm from Northern Ireland where there is also compulsory RE. I have mixed feelings about it. One one hand, if the teacher is born again it may be the only time certain members of the class hear the gospel. However our school took the route of turning RE into philosophy meaning that we spend most of our time on secularist or Catholic philosophers!!
I have friends in the Republic of Ireland who are asked by many of the schools to take the RE classes, and as a result are able to present the gospel message to the children. While I am not entirely sure whether I would agree with religious education being compulsory, I think that having it removed from the curriculum could have a detrimental affect on future generations.
John Yurich USA wrote: Why would the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland be opposed to religious education in Ireland?
Maybe because wrong religious education is worse than no religious education.
Who is to decide what religious education the children receive? The government? What if the government is pro-catholic, or pro-Buddhist, or pro-Muslim? Would you want that to be compulsory?
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