BIBLE INSTRUCTION

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 154, 17 July 1937, Page 6

BIBLE INSTRUCTION

-Press Association.)

Teaching in Secular Schools "ADMISSION OF FAILtJRE"

(By Telegrap'i-

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Bible instruetion in secular schools was attacked by Dr. I. L. Kendel, of Columbia University, an eminent American educationalist, when he was discussing aims and methods of education with teachers attending the New Education Fellowship conference. He contended that the giving of such instruetion was an adnxission of fa.'lure by those whose task it was to look after religious education. "I should be the last to minimise the importance of religious education, but at the same time I think that it is preposterous — nothing less than nonsense — that tlie great religious influences of the home and the churches should be equalled by five xninutes' Bible reading in schools every day," he added. The best religious instruetion, except'in schools definitely set aside for the purpose and where there was tio ibreak, was given in the home and tlie churches, he continued, in apologising for embarking on a subject which was a matter of contention in this country. "This attempt to restore in the schools something of religious instruetion by Bible reading without comment is, to my mind, an admission of failure by those whose task it is to look after their religious education," the lecturer cominented.