Christianity Is A Taught Religion

There is widespread support in England for teaching Christianity in schools, according to a YouGov poll released by Oxford University.

Almost two-thirds (64%) of the more than 1,800 people questioned said that children need to learn about Christianity to understand English history, while more than half (57%) said it was important if pupils are to understand the English culture and way of life.

The poll also revealed that more than two-fifths (43%) of the adults surveyed said that more attention should be given to teaching about Christianity in RE (Religious Education) lessons. More than half (51%) also said they felt Christianity distinguishes right from wrong. But just over a third (37%) said they believe that many RE teachers do not know enough about Christianity to be able to teach it effectively.

Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of Christian Concern, welcomed the findings:

"It is striking that so much of the public sees the need for Christianity to be taught properly. We are often given the impression that teaching about Jesus and His message is old-fashioned and irrelevant to a modern generation. But this survey shows that many people value the Christian framework.

"This is not surprising, given that our society is increasingly confused about a basis for moral decisions, for human dignity and for community. Jesus is the personal basis for this, as well as the foundation for so much of our nation's culture and history."

The poll was commissioned by Oxford University's department of education as part of a new project to support the teaching of Christianity in RE lessons, following concerns from inspectors and other quarters about how the subject is taught in schools.  -Christian Concern, Nov 29, 2012, Peter Norris

Teachers are some of our most unforgettable characters. When Jesus walked this earth, He was called by a number of titles (e.g. Rabbi, Master, Lord). One of the most common was “Teacher.” In fact, forty times in the four gospels Jesus is called “Teacher.”

Christianity is a taught religion – it is not inherited, nor does it just randomly affect this person or that. Jesus charged His apostles to teach people all things that He had commanded (Matthew 28:20). That responsibility comes to us not only by implication from Matthew 28, but also from passages such as 2 Timothy 2:2.

To better understand, let's look at the Master Teacher so that we may better appreciate Him and imitate Him. We see in the gospels that Jesus taught with authority (Matthew 7:28-29). The scribes based their teachings on what various respected Rabbis had said (often cited a chain of Rabbis). As then, many today base their authority on what some man says, or on some book other than the Bible.

Jesus strongly appealed to Scripture (Matthew 21:42; Luke 24:27). He also strongly emphasized truth (John 8:40, 45-46). Our authority derives not from ourselves, our authority comes from God’s word (Colossians 3:17; John 12:48). Therefore, we must emphasize God’s word, and be loyal to truth.

Scripture: James 3:1; Hebrews 13:7; Romans 10:17; Colossians 3:16; Matthew 6:33; Acts 18:11; John 17:17; Titus 2:1-15; Acts 15:35; 1 Peter 4:10

Prayer:

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
For all the benefits thou hast won for me,
For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly:
For ever and ever.   -St. Richard Chichester (1197-1253)

Grace be with you all,

Bonnie