Scotland's Schools Win Battle to Keep Faith Curriculum after Government Attempt to Shut Down

Teresa Neumann : Nov 26, 2014
Staff – The Christian Institute

"We [the Church] hope to continue to have a major input into Scotland's education system—for the sake of Scotland's children." -David Robertson

(Scotland)—America isn't the only country battling to save their schoolchildren from being cheated out of learning about their Christian heritage. In Scotland, one government leader, MSP John Finnie, recently introduced a bill to reduce the role of Christianity in the nation's educational system. (Photo via BBC)

According to a Scottish law passed in 1973, three religious figures were supposed to be included on local school authority boards—one from the Church of Scotland, one from the Roman Catholic Church, and a third from another religious organization.

Finnie's bill would have removed that requirement, thus preventing a significant Christian vote on educational matters.

Following a huge outcry, in which less than a fifth of the people responding to the move agreed with Finnie, the bill was dropped.

Said Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton of the Church of Scotland's Church and Society Council, "Clearly, the Church was not alone in recognizing the added value which religious representatives bring to their participation in education committees."

David Robertson, a Free Church minister, agreed. Saying churches have a valuable role to play in Scotland, he added, "We hope to continue to have a major input into Scotland's education system—for the sake of Scotland's children."