Loss of faith in religious dialogue
The Government has launched a consultation with the public to discuss how it should engage with faith groups on key issues, including education.
One of the questions is: “Do you think that faithbased schools are good for society?”
Another is: “Do you think that faith-based or religious practices in schools have a positive impact on a child’s education?”
The call for evidence says that it will value the responses of religious people more than non-religious: “Because the review is specifically about faith and religion, priority will be given to
responses that fit within those parameters.”
So you can expect the results to be slanted towards people who, for instance, approve of having a state education system that segregates children according to their parent’s religion.
Any idea that this might be an impartial process isn’t helped by the fact it is being led by Colin Bloom, formerly a director of Christians in Politics.
The National Secular Society is not impressed.
“The Government’s consultation places a disproportionate focus on religious communities’ input on important matters of public policy,” said chief executive Stephen Evans.
“The whole thing appears to have been designed to reach a conclusion which will please religious interest groups.
“This approach marginalises the non-religious and those who see religion as a private matter – and who have a legitimate interest in its findings.”