3D: challenges from secularisation Flashcards
What are the conflicting religious and non-religious views on Christianity in the UK?
- UK society is seeing a push towards secularisation. This means Christianity should be unconnected with certain aspects of public life, such as healthcare, education and government.
- Christianity may be characterised as: old fashioned/outdated, intolerant, opposed to reason and science and patriarchal/controlling
What are faith schools?
- around one-third of state schools in the UK are faith schools, or denominational schools with religious character.
- they may appoint staff and select pupils from religious backgrounds an emphasise faith teaching.
- this prompts a mixed reaction from UK society.
What are religious views on Christian faith schools?
- parents who want their children to have a religious grounding in their education can have this need met
- faith schools tend to be among the best-performing state schools
- they add an element of diversity and choice to the educational landscape
- values of ethics of the religious tradition these schools represent fosters inclusivity, tolerance, love and justice
What are non-religious views on Christian faith schools?
- PHSE may teach the sex and relationship components in a way that is homophobic or gender discriminatory.
- RE doesn’t have to cover other religions and almost certainly fails to give a fair account if non-religious views
- ethical issues, e.g. abortion and euthanasia may be taught from an explicitly religious perspective
- the teaching of religious education in faith schools id not specifically inspected by Ofsted
Can the UK be called a ‘Christian country’ - religious views:
- there are prominent church buildings and both ancient and modern cathedrals throughout the whole of the UK.
- Queen Elizabeth II is the defender of the faith and its Latin expression Fidei Defensor is on all UK coins. 26 senior bishops sit in the house of Lords
- chaplains are employed in many areas of public life, e.g. schools, prisons, colleges and hospitals
- state schools are required by law to provide daily worship that is mainly of a Christian character. Many faith schools are state-funded
- the UK is divided geographically into parishes. People within the parishes are under the care of the parish priest
- there are popular seasonal Christian festivals and retreats that are well attended such as Spring Harvest.
- Christianity is still the most represented religion in the UK according to the census in 2021 with 46% of the population identifying as Christian
Can the UK be called a ‘Christian country’ - non-religious views:
vacant churches are being converted into communal spaces, e.g. restaurants or climbing walls. Some are also being sold as homes
- the National Secular Society campaigns for church and state separation in England and Scotland
- there has been a decrease in the uptake of religious ceremonies or rites of passage such as baptism, or religious marriage and funerals
- there has been a rise in people who report having no religion or affiliating with other religions
- those identifying with no religion increased from 25% to 37% from 2011-2021.
- there is no legal requirement to work to cease on a Sunday anymore to enable people to go to church
What are examples of beliefs conflicting with the law of the country?
- 1) role of women - UK employment law requires women to be treated equally to men, but yet the Roman Catholic Church forbids women entering the clergy. The Church is not breaking the law but many argue the church shouldn’t have the privilege to discriminate against women
- 2) homosexuality - homosexual couples can legally be joined in marriage within UK law since 2012. The Church of England cannot legally marry a gay couple and the law allows other churches in the UK to reserve the right to refuse to perform these marriages. Many argue that churches should not be exempt from laws against discrimination
- 3) abortion - any Christians believe that abortion is forbidden by God. UK law allows abortion to be performed up until 24 weeks’ gestation or beyond in cases of severe foetal abnormality or where the mother’s life is at risk. Some Christians campaign against this or participate in prayer vigils outside abortion clinics. Such vigils are becoming increasingly banned.
- 4) marriage and divorce - scripture teaches that marriage is permanent and a life-long covenant between a couple and God. UK law allows for divorce and remarriage, yet the RCC does not recognise this. It considers remarriage after a divorce that was not annulled by the church to be adultery.
- 5) advertising - in 2015 a Church of England advert was banned from cinemas as it could offend those from different faiths. Transport for London banned an evangelical ‘gay cure’ campaign from London buses in 2012.
- 6) religious symbols - in 2006 British Airways banned a Christian worker from wearing her cross as a necklace. She successfully challenged this in court. In 2013 a nurse was barred from wearing her cross, then was transferred to a desk job for refusing and failing to conceal it under her clothes. She was unsuccessful in her challenge due to health and safety risks
What are the perceived challenges to Christianity?
- decline of the role and status of Christianity
- reduced impact in public life
- restricted religious liberty
Decline of the role and status of Christianity?
Challenge:
- secularisation advocates separation of church and state so that Christian bishops have less control over laws that affect everyone
- secularism argues for the removal of religious schools, thus preventing the promotion of Christianity and Christian ethics or values
Not a challenge:
- secularism is about religious freedom so that those of any faith or none can have equal rights and equal roles in society
- secularism protects free speech and expression so that any beliefs can be expressed and challenged publicly.
Reduced impact in public life:
Reduced impact:
- secularism requires politicians to make decisions without reference to Christian values or input from religious authority
- secularism prevents daily Christian themed worship in school, or predominantly Christian religious education of young people
No reduction in impact:
- secularism has no wish to curtail religious freedom. The church is free to support ethical causes and work alongside charities and causes
- religion should be a choice rather than a duty, secularism gives people the freedom of choice
Restricted religious liberty:
Restricted liberty:
- secularism removes the privileges that Christianity enjoyed protecting them from challenge. They are not immune from criticism
- secularism forces religious people to perform roles that contradict their faith, e.g. providing services that enable gay marriage or abortion.
No restriction of liberty:
- all religions and none have freedom of expression and freedom to challenge the beliefs and practices of others
- religious freedom does not give someone freedom to circumvent laws that apply to everyone else or to protect the liberty pf others.
