i did both of those area's in my HSC religion
these r my summary notes on them
should help out a little
Influence of Christianity on Education
• Catholic Church not accept state teaching of Catholic studies
• 1880 – Protestant schools severely affected by abolition of government aid
• 1962 – Goulburn School Strike – Catholic authorities temporary closed 4 schools to focus attention on needs of Catholic Schools
• 1963 – federal government campaign – Menzie promise money to private schools beginning of state aid for non-government schools
• Curriculum and teachers in gov. schools
o Yr 7 –10 mandatory history course covers religious influences
o Teacher training Catholic uni’s Christian focus
o Christian fellowships for teachers – contact b/w Christian teachers post study
o Studies of Religion introduced into HSC
1992 19% students take SOR
5th Largest elective in HSC
• Voluntary Student Groups
o Inter School Christian Fellowship (ISCFs)
• Volunteer Scripture teachers in Gov. Schools
o Churches provide volunteers for primary and secondary
o 1990 – NSW Education Act; allows school time for religious education – called Special Religious Education (SRE)
o 14000 Voluntary SRE Teachers taught 500 000 children in 2002
• Financial Support for paid scripture teachers in Gov. schools
o 60% Victorian state schools have chaplains paid by local Christian groups
o Numbers increasing
• Provision of Christian alternatives to gov. schools
o 49 Anglican schools in NSW, 5 ACT
o 2002 – Anglicans 21% Pop
o 1986 – 2001 Gov. schools decline 6.6%, Catholic 1.1% other schools grew 8.2%
o Alternative Christian schools grew 113%
o Lutherans – over 80 Schools in Aust – 30% students and 60% teachers Lutheran
• Hostels and Boarding students
o Anglican Bush Church Aid
• Education courses and resources for public
o Uniting Church – Education for Lay Ministry Center – runs marriage counseling
o Australian Catholic University
Influences of Religion on Public Morality
• Refers to attempts by Christians to influence public policy so that more just society is shaped
• Do this by either creating structures or eliminating old unjust structures
• 1972 Methodist from Vic. John Westrman suggested this could be summed up in 5 approaches.
1. Christendom
2. Separation
3. Watchdog
4. Sevanthood
5. Christian Responsibility
Christendom – Communal
• This approach says ‘we want the whole community to accept Christian standards’
• Example of this approach – religious groups have lobbied the gov. to overturn NT legislation that has legalized euthanasia, despite surveys which suggested 70% people were in favor
• 2001 – legal appeal in Vic Court which allowed infertile single women, including lesbians, to have access to vitro fertilization
• 1906 Editor of The Methodist stated “It is the right for ministers to be active fighting for righteousness as to Sunday observance and temperance, but it is not right to be active on political subjects which are matters of opinion and not conscience”
• 1902 Methodist newspapers claimed “lunacy and heart disease were products of needless Sabbath work”
Separation – Secular World is different to spiritual world
• This approach says church should address spiritual issues but note issues about running the country
• Frank Brennan (Catholic Theologian) – “When John Howard’s government wanted to crack down of boat people including even those who were bona fide refugees, and the churches objected, Immigration minister Phillip Ruddock said that the churches should stick to what they do best and leave the politics of border control and refugee rights to the elected government”
• When approaching issues with Separation approach tend to view two worlds. Secular world and spiritual world
Watchdog – Ignore public policy
• Christians ignore public policy issues unless something is proposed that threatens the church idea’s about good (private) morality
Serventhood – Serve society
• Role of the church is to serve society
• If the church cannot contribute Christianity has lost credibility and influence
• People inclined to see church’s work as rescue or ambulance service
Christian Responsibility
• Christian responsibility to be contributing to public life
• Catholic Cardinal Clancy – “The Church not only may speak out on this, the Church is obligated to speak out on matters of justice and will continue to do so”
• Rev. Dudley Hyde – Methodist Minister – was outspoken critic of Australia’s involvement in Vietnam war
• 1977 last Congregational Assembly passed twenty resolutions in one session, eight of which were public morality issues
• Max Charlesworth (Catholic philosopher) – Christians ought to be intensely concerned with social change but given that there is in a liberal society no well – defined social consensus about a set of core-values or a public – morality
• Fed. Elections 1999 – Election Issues NSW 1999 publish to inform church about members of social political parties – these were summarized by various churches and distributed to the parish
