NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Dr Zain Ali: Don't throw out baby with the holy water

By Dr Zain Ali
NZ Herald·
12 Mar, 2014 04:30 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Classes on religion need to spread the focus beyond Christianity alone. Photo / Steve McNicholl

Classes on religion need to spread the focus beyond Christianity alone. Photo / Steve McNicholl

Opinion
Religious education in schools has an important role to play in a secular state, provided it's done right.

There has been considerable debate on whether there should be religious education in schools, but there is one controversial line of thought that has yet to be fully explored. The thought is simply that religious education can help to promote and secure a secular state.

Before I explore this further, I want to address a recent and somewhat troubling argument offered by some "defenders" of religious education. The argument is that those who have objected to it are a minority and that their views should not overrule that of the majority. It seems reasonable to defend the rights of the majority, however the latest census figures reveal that the majority of New Zealanders are not Christian, and the content of religious education that is under debate is primarily Christian in nature. Accordingly, the "majority rules" argument cannot be easily applied to Christian-focused religious education, since Christians are a numerical minority.

I'm not a Christian, but I have a deep respect for the Christian tradition and I feel very comfortable sharing with my children a number of Biblical narratives. For example, I related to my children the parable of the Good Samaritan. The story had them utterly intrigued and we had a wonderful conversation about helping others, even if you didn't know them.

A diehard cynic may dismiss the parable as a story for simpletons. But if we take a moment to consider the parable as mature adults, there emerges a rather wonderful line of thought. The Samaritan is good precisely because they offer help and assistance in a way that is unconditional. This parable captures an idea that is foundational to a secular state - that the dealings of the state are in no way meant to be prejudiced by considerations of religious belief, culture and ethnicity. The secular state is meant to behave in much the same way as the Good Samaritan.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is an example where religious tradition affirms a core principle of a secular state. Accordingly, religious education can promote and help secure the future of a secular state through engagement with religious tradition.

We can further develop this line of thought by considering the objections critics have raised against religious education.

The objections raised, as it turns out, help to develop the view that religious education within a secular state can have a number of positives. Overall, there are five objections; let's consider each one in turn.

• A secular state shouldn't teach religion. While it is true that the state should not be in the business of promoting religion, it cannot totally exclude it either. After all, religion plays an important role in a number of subjects such as politics, history, art, literature and philosophy, and it would be a travesty to teach these subjects with religion blacked out. Religious education can be a forum where these issues are raised and critically discussed.

• Religious belief is a matter of personal choice, and children shouldn't be preached at. Given the prevalence of religious belief, however, is it not be a good idea for children to be given tools that empower them to make good choices? Religious education can do this.

• Religious education as it is currently practiced involves meaningless activities that may not have any learning outcomes for students. The issue here is with how religion is taught, and not with religion per se. I acknowledge that the syllabus may need to be reconsidered, and a government agency may be best placed to review and monitor the syllabus. This can be done if religious education is incorporated into the mainstream curriculum at all levels.

Discover more

World

Bingeing puts strain on schools

10 Mar 04:30 PM
Lifestyle

Smarter people are more trusting - research

12 Mar 06:00 PM
New Zealand

Oil bishop gets his miracle

30 Mar 03:15 PM

• Students who opt out of religious education face being ostracised. If true, this is disappointing, since you'd think those attending religious education classes would be better behaved. If those who opt out are being ostracised, then there may be a problem with what students are being taught. This again raises the question of whether religious education needs to be incorporated into the mainstream syllabus at all levels. Once religious education is part of the mainstream, it can then be reviewed and monitored effectively - no one needs to be ostracised.

• Society is now multicultural so Christian-focused religious education is no longer appropriate and focusing on only one faith tradition may alienate many students.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Critics suggest that our multicultural society is a reason to abolish religious education, but there is another option; we could open up religious education in a way that exposes students to the diversity of religious belief.

The challenge is to open up religious education to reflect this diversity, include religion in the mainstream at all levels, and equip students with the tools that will allow them to make good choices about their own beliefs.

These challenges can be met, but it will require our secular state to behave like the Good Samaritan.

Dr Zain Ali is head of the Islamic studies research unit at the University of Auckland.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

19 Jun 08:11 PM
New Zealand

Luxon to Meet Xi Jinping, SpaceX rocket explodes, Matariki | NZ Herald News Update

New Zealand

Aoraki/Mt Cook alpine rescue team suspended after mass staff exodus

19 Jun 07:00 PM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

19 Jun 08:11 PM

School rankings, property deals, gangs, All Black line-ups, and restaurant reviews.

Luxon to Meet Xi Jinping, SpaceX rocket explodes, Matariki | NZ Herald News Update

Luxon to Meet Xi Jinping, SpaceX rocket explodes, Matariki | NZ Herald News Update

Aoraki/Mt Cook alpine rescue team suspended after mass staff exodus

Aoraki/Mt Cook alpine rescue team suspended after mass staff exodus

19 Jun 07:00 PM
Why US$42b DataDog is going all in on AI

Why US$42b DataDog is going all in on AI

Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP