By Rod Benson
On Tuesday former ABC managing director and spokesman for the lobby group Parents4Ethics David Hill launched a spirited attack against the churches for their concern at the erosion of the Special Religious Education program in state schools by the introduction of ethics classes.
Mr Hill quoted Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen who said the classes were championed by those wanting “to remove all traces of religion from public life,” and Cardinal George Pell who said the classes showed “general hostility towards religion.”
From the tone of Mr Hill’s article, it would seem that he is one of those people. The churches do not view ethics classes as a threat to their existence, nor do churches believe they should have a monopoly on the teaching of ethics.
What the churches do have is a responsibility to offer Special Religious Education in state schools, and that should not be impeded by intolerant secularists using ethics classes to destroy SRE.
Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 18 July 2010.
Image: http://senatesite.com/blog/uploaded_images/ethics-sign1-778814.jpg
