SCHOOL CLASSES IN RELIGION

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27498, 4 November 1954, Page 12

SCHOOL CLASSES IN RELIGION

BRITISH SYSTEM dr. f. t. lord advocates ADOPTION IN N.Z. (New Zealand Press Association) « AUCKLAND, Novertlbof 3. wnle y Lord, president of the 2.250.000-strong Baptist World Alliance, thinks the British system of religious’ training in schools could and should be adopted in New Zealand. ] He said this soon after his arrival Auckland today from Australia. Dr. Lord said that, soon after the Second World War, a member of the S itish Cabinet came to him and said: Economics will not provide the whole solution to our troubles. Our young people must be given a sound moral and spiritual training.” It was this attitude of British states- I men that had produced the British .. system, said Dr. Lord. In England,.an agreed syllabus of religious education ; was decided upon by the education . authority. The authority was advised by a committee in which were a nun 3 ’ ber of Protestant ministers of different denominations. This syllabus was then part of tne school curriculum, and was taught t»y teachers trained in the subject, just as they were trained to teacn Latin or mathematics, said Dr. Lord. There was no doctrinal teaching. . « “Religious instruction is a special subject, and is part of the rou fi n of a trained teacher.” he said. “Twice m my lifetime we have suffered a relaxing of parental .control because 0* a war. This has seriously affected tee moral and spiritual background of our youth. Statesmen are fully alive to tagj| situation, and realise the need adequate training in schools.” . ) Dr. Lord will spend a month in New ® Zealand after attending the annual as- < sembly of the Baptist Union of Zealand, which will begin in AucklaD* tomorrow.