Place for religion is in history and arts

It's all very well teaching religion, but teach them all, says minister.

Disgraced comedian Bill Cosby used to anchor a stage show around believing his name was "Jesus Christ" - as these were the first two words he heard his father holler each time he saw him.

Spokeswoman and volunteer teacher for the Churches Education Commission (CEC) Debra Hunt sees this scenario on a fairly regular basis. "For some kids, the only time they've heard the name Jesus is when it has been used as a swear word," she says.

Ms Hunt teaches Christian religious education because the Bible helped in her life and she wants children to have a chance to learn from it too. She says the lessons are values-focused, and applicable to students no matter what their faith background is.

"Taking the time to focus on character traits and values like forgiveness, generosity, servant-leadership, and perseverance can help students with their peer and family relationships and with their school work."

But a former Methodist minister, who is now behind action to have religious instruction removed from schools, disputes the idea lessons are applicable to all faiths.

David Hines of the Secular Education Network (SEN) says he never saw the harm in religious instruction. But now he believes it puts down those of other religions as well as people who have no religion. He says the lessons are one-sided.

Ms Hunt says current legislation allows a place in schools for the teaching of religions other than Christianity. School boards have discretion to choose religious instruction providers that suit the make-up of their community.

Christianity is the main religion in New Zealand, with Christians making up 48 per cent of those who chose to state their religion, according to the latest Census. The next biggest is Hindu at 4 per cent.

"It is not surprising that the main form of religious programme is Christian, but the law does not discriminate - any religion can be taught," Ms Hunt says.

CEC knows of schools offering Islam, Baha'i, and Jehovah's Witnesses programmes and works successfully alongside some of those.

Ms Hunt says a basic understanding of the Christian faith, stories and beliefs is necessary for children to understand society, history, and literature.

She says Christianity has played a huge role in the history of New Zealand. Christian missionaries were instrumental in facilitating the Treaty of Waitangi and pioneering relationships with Maori. Faith was central in the lives of many high-achieving New Zealanders, such as Kate Sheppard, Sir Apirana Ngata, and Te Whiti o Rongomai.

Though increasing numbers of people in New Zealand do not call themselves religious, many still want to honour their Christian heritage in some way, and support the classes in schools, Ms Hunt adds.

However, Mr Hines says the place for religion in schools is as part of the social studies, history and arts curriculum. The teaching should be about the impact of religion on society.

"We don't think there should be a separate religious studies course but we think it does have an important impact on people's lives."

Mr Hines says the Secular Education Network, which has supporters from a range of religions, believes current religious instruction is one-sided and an interruption.

"Our main objection is that it's biased material and so it is putting over just one side of the religious picture."

He doesn't think the religious instruction is ever appropriate, despite having taught it when he was a Methodist minister.

"I must say I never saw the harm in it but now I do. Even though some of it is teaching positive stuff like morality and so on, it's teaching it all from a Christian point of view and that's a put-down of other religions and people who have got no religion." He believes those behind current programmes think people have to be Christian to be good.

Mr Hines says children can be ostracised and bullied when parents take them out of classes. As a result, only a few of those parents who object remove their children from the classes.

Many people are afraid to speak up on the issue because of the fear of bullying. People in small country towns are even afraid they could lose business for opposing classes publicly, he says. "It's hindering us hugely that a large number of our supporters are scared to talk to the media."

Mr Hines is leading a campaign involving a negotiation with the Ministry of Education over religious instruction in schools. He says the ministry is working out ways to make the classes "more user friendly" - such as by having them outside of class time.

Mr Hines says the negotiations are an interim measure, however. He wants to change the law to remove religious instruction from schools through the Human Rights Review Tribunal.

Jeff McClintock, also a member of SEN, is attempting to remove religious instruction from schools by going through the High Court.

He has previously said his daughter was segregated and humiliated after opting out of religious studies at Red Beach Primary School. She was put in a corner alone when she opted out of the classes, he says.

Mr McClintock is seeking a ruling that the school mismanaged its programme and he wants a judicial review. He also wants a declaration that section 78 of the Education Act is incompatible with the Bill of Rights Act.

Under the Education Act, primary schools can provide religious instruction and religious observance, under certain conditions. The Bill of Rights Act permits religious instruction and observance in schools as long as it does not discriminate against anyone who does not share that belief.

Meanwhile, an academic investigating the attitudes and values of New Zealanders believes teaching religion is essential to understanding people but draws an important distinction between theology and teaching about religion.

Victoria University associate professor Dr Joseph Bulbulia says traditional religious affiliations in New Zealand have been declining steadily since 1966.

Dr Bulbulia says immigration, particularly in Auckland, is driving traditional religious identification in non-Western traditions. Hinduism is increasing due to Indian immigrants and classical Chinese religions such as Buddhism are also increasing. His studies show many New Zealanders who don't believe in a god still believe in a spirit or life force. "To understand people and to interact it's important to understand what they value and so I think it's important to teach about religious diversity."

Dr Bulbulia says there is a strong distinction between faith teaching and religious studies.

"Theologians study God and in religious studies we study theologians. We study people."

He believes religious teaching should be part of a general social science curriculum, about the role religion plays in the emergence of civilisations. -What's your view? Email kim.fulton@nzme.co.nz NZME