RELIGION IN EDUCATION [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR, —Few
who have thought about the matter will quarrel with Dr. M. L. Jacks' contention that religion in our schools and universities should not be treated as merely one subject amongst others. The point, however, which is not sufficiently appreciated by our Education Authorities is that, while reli- gious truth is relevant to all studies, it has a much closer affinity with some subjects of study than with others. It is not by accident that the problems of God and the soul invariably emerge, more or less explicitly, in all serious studies of moral philosophy. Further, it is only in so far as religious truth can first of all be related to a man's moral principles that it can interpenetrate his other studies and become, in Newman's words, " a condition of general knowledge."
I would therefore suggest that the proper way in which to
secure a more adequate place for religion in education is to require some systematic study of the principles of morality, both in our secondary schools and in the universities, and to secure teachers in this subject who, however unorthodox they
may be, will at least not be antagonistic to a religious philo- sophy of life. Why not make moral philosophy an essential subject for every University degree, whether in Arts, Law, Engineering or Medicine? The more materialistic a student's special line of study tends to be, all the more important is it that he be given some inkling of where morals and religion come in.
A further and even more practical reason might be advanced in support of this policy. If, as we believe, our democracy can only be securely based on the elemental principles of our Christian morality, it is surely desirable that all our young people, who are to defend this democracy, should be given a comprehensive understanding of its basic principles. It is true, of course, that knowledge about morality is not the same thing as zeal for it; but zeal is nothing the worse for being according to knowledge.—Yours, &c., R. CORICEY.
College Park, Belfast.
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