Half a century ago, most faith schools offered a pretty rigid form of religious education in which dissent, independent critical thought, etc. from pupils was certainly not encouraged, and was in fact usually suppressed in one way or another.
Fashions change. Nowadays, the tendency is to say that of course children should be encouraged to think and question, even when it comes to religion (though this may well immediately be qualified by "But not too early or too much!").
I think many religious schools are in something of a quandry on this point. On the one hand, they want to pay at least lip service to the idea that children should be raised to be autonomous critical thinkers; on the other hand, there's a suspicion that this might erode the faith, and perhaps also lead children into immorality, etc.
My view is that we certainly should raise children to be very robust critical thinkers even about morality and religion.
It's easy to pay lip service to the idea of free and open discussion and critical thinking, while actually heavily psychologically manipulating people.
Would those schools that say they foster independent thought welcome followers of other religions, and also atheists and humanists, into their classrooms to foster robust discussion of the school's religion and raise some challenging questions?
I know from personal experience that, in the UK, many religious schools would certainly NOT welcome that, which suggests that, while these schools may say they encourage independent thought and debate, it's actually debate of a very stage-managed kind.
Certainly, that there's critical discussion of, say, the Bible is not enough. Go to a Bible reading group and you'll find a lot of critical discussion, but of course it all takes place within the framework of a faith - which is never questioned. The question of whether the faith itself is true just doesn't come up.
I think it should come up, in all schools. Am I right? Is that a fair demand?
Comments
I was rather horrified the other evening when watching a program about the rise of the Christian fundamentalists in Britain (Dispatches? I ought to check really.)
It showed a little girl taking a "science" test apparently based on young Earth creationism. Now the program as whole seemed pretty ropey and sensationalist but the thought that someone somewhere in the UK is teaching such manifest twaddle as science is unsettling. No amount of lessons "questioning belief" would make up for this. It is one thing to ask a child "According to the Bible, how old is the Earth?" but to leave out the qualifying phrase and expecting 6000 year to be the correct answer is just plain wrong.
This recent 'Times' article reveals a very disturbing state of affairs in one Islamic school:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article3746920.ece
Critical thinking was offered as an AS level, RE lessons were one of the most relaxed because they tended to involved prolonged class discussions in which anything could be brought up and no view was ridiculed (whether it be Christian or not). RE was essential for my own personal development acutally, from an arrogant little year 7 to a more mature person today.
I'm not sure "critical thinking" is really something to be taught in RS, RS is for learning about and from religion. Critical thinking should be used, but the skills required are better taught in history, english and science.
I don't think it's fair to lump all "faith schools" together. The Bible was not taught to us as fact, we were not required to read it for class or memorise it (as the Qur'an is encouraged in some Muslim schools).
Oh and a note to anonymous, it's a C4 documentary. I wouldn't trust it at all personally!
Unless, of course, hell is interpreted in an alternative fashion as eternal separation from god, or somesuch other less-than-firey damnation.
That is: Accept nothing that you haven't thought through for yourself.
It's a lot to ask. But if critical thinking doesn't begin from a foundation of skepticism, what good is it?
But it must be difficult for some families who value religous culture as part of their identity and feel threatened by impacts, such as, californification.
So how does one preserve cultural identity while allowing dilution from seductive messages like those produced by Hollywood?
Aren't you getting Stephen Law confused with Sammo Law?
In "Western" political systems we have the right of choice but only if we teach critical thinking? I could be wrong but it appears hypocritical to me.
Indeed I actually suspect it has reinforced religious culture in many ways, from the blatant "Its a Wonderful Life", all of the horror flicks where a holy symbol and a bit of faith saves the day through the simple casual acceptance of the supernatural that underlies many film plots. Producers always leave the religious mindset something, witness the stubborn refusal to discount the influences of "greater powers" or "fate" in the closing scenes of many films.
Education, as I understood it when I was at school and university, seems to have gone by the board completely. Nowadays, the very notion of having their cherished beliefs questioned strikes some people - even so-called teachers - as deeply offensive, as we've seen from many recent instances on Stephen's blog.
If this increasingly clueless government really doesn't understand why it is so unpopular, it need look no further than its appalling track record on dumbing down free speech and independent thought in recent years.
Seems whilst the press has been focusing on Fundamental Islam the garden fate vicars have slowly been dusting off their pitchforks.
Shocking to say the least.
Haven't got time to provide the link, but it'll be on the Channel 4 website I'm sure. "Dispatches: In God's Name"
Scott
The RE syllabus appears designed to discourage critical thinking about religion -- the aim seems to be, above all, to encourage children to respect 'their own religion' and that of others, rather than to help them to develop any kind of skills to think about what they and others believe.
The direct relationship between family religious identity and individual children's own beliefs is never questioned, so while the school brings together children from different relgious backgrounds, it does not provide an environment in which they are encouraged to question the religious certainties they learn at home and in sunday school or daily after school mosque sessions.
In the classroom teachers seem to skirt away from any questioning of religion, concentrating on the external practise of religion (buildings, celebrations, clothing etc...) rathe than beliefs. In the playground any criticism of religion is interpreted as 'racism'.
Vicars, imams and other religious leaders are welcomed into school for ocaisional 'show and tell' sessions, but no body with an atheist perspective.