TEACHING RELIGION

Evening Star, Issue 19697, 26 October 1927, Page 12

TEACHING RELIGION

WHY SOME HEADMASTERS HAVE DOUBTS

Criticism of the system ol religions teaching in British schools was .made by Mr J{. R. Henderson, head master ot Alleyn’s School, Dulwich, in a speech at the Modern Churchmen's Conference, at Bouniville, Birmingham. “ Religions instruction,” he said,‘‘is thrust into tho background and ignored. Many schoolmasters hi day schools—though their number is probably decreasing—are definitely hostile to the Christianity which has been presented to them; some arc rankly indifferent, but the great majority arc neither one way nor the other—they arc themselves so much puzzled by the ■present religious outlook that they sei/.o anv respectable excuse for throwing" on to the parents the responsibility for training the boys. "The crux of the matter is that the schoolmaster is in a state of doubt, ■ind Im has reason for it. Not a. lew schoolmasters are under the impression tlmt if they mulerlnkc the tc:u:hmg ol divinity they will ho expected to believe that Cod sent down lire on innofont soldiers afc the request of a blood-thirsty prophet.” (Laughter.) . Dr E. J. Martin, vicar ol M■ •lohn s Kasbriek, Yorkshire, said the hymn book was the finest instrument the teacher had—and the most dangerous. 1 Rad Jivmns had been the banc ol Engilish religion. Ear too many hymn | books might aptly have ior their motto | Browning’s lines— With the slothful, with the mawkish, the. unmanly, Like the aimless, helpless, hopeless did I drivel. (Laughter.) It was a tragedy that in the very field whore children were most willing ‘learners they should be subconsciously poisoned with the trivial and the lalsc.