WHY NOT SUNDAY COLLEGES?

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 238, 2 July 1919, Page 8

WHY NOT SUNDAY COLLEGES?

THE CHUBCH'S TEACHING FUNC-

A bold campaign of religious education is urged on the Churches by Dr. 1 oster Watsou, formerly Professor of Education at Aberystwyth, in "The Hibbert Journal " He quotes with approval n suggestion that in tho new continuation schools every effort should be made to give Sound and enlightened religious teaching by well-equipped voluntary teachers. But he is still moro concerned that the Churches should ennoble their Sunday schools—turn tlicm in fact into higher Institutions more like colleges. There is more need than ever, lie urges, that the Bible in the light of Historical and critical knowledge should be made a central clement in national education. "Probably much can be done, and should bo done, to popularise the instruction in ecclesiastical history, in the higher Biblical criticism, in tho plulosopli yot' religion, and m the various departments of theology. This direction of study by laymen (who have no other opportunity for meeting lecturers) might ba arranged appropriately for Sunday, and might well 'be included in what I venture to call Sunday colleges, rather than schools. . . . There might well bo moro lay men and women students attracted to theological studies undertaken in a broad, humanist spirit both in university and non-university centres. . . . My contention is that the time lias arrived for the Church to come out of its tent, to declare unto all men its belief in the sacred unity of religion and science, and endeavour to study and tench tho principles of spiritual lite—m short, to directly promoto Ihe stuilv or tho philosophy which, asserts, jmstiiies, and expounds the spiritual basis (•! all life and knowledge." , In a word, Professor Watson rould liavo tho Church take up again seriously its leaching, as distinct from its preaching function, mid every J iU 'S 8 church transform itself into a "cathedral" with' a staff of teachers or lecturers, cither permanent or occasional, on tho level of university extension lecturers in the ordinary academic subjects —to bo brought, into touch ultimately witlj the local universities.