Meeting of 25 July ‘Suffer the Little Children: Faith Formation or Religious Indoctrination?’
Most members of SoFiA were brought up within conventional Christian families and communities even if their faith journeys have subsequently led them to unexpected destinations. While a minority of younger Australians are still raised as Christians or as members of other world religions increasing numbers are reaching adulthood without any significant experience or knowledge of religion of any kind. Even progressive Christians and some non-believers are concerned about that.
In the present context it also seems clear that whatever parents and mainstream Christian churches in Australia are doing with children it is not effective; most Anglican Uniting Church and even Catholic parish congregations are bereft of older children and teenagers. Parents in their 40s to 60s have watched as the children they once literally drove to church each Sunday morning have dropped by the wayside. Whatever they learnt at home and in the Sunday School has not survived their education in science and history and the dominant secularism of modern Australian life.
The focus of this meeting will not be Religious Education in schools – we have already considered this important issue in previous meetings. On this occasion we shall look rather at the fostering of religious knowledge and faith in the home and the parish. In each case we shall consider the role of such matters as Bible stories and characters prayer social action and information about other religions and denominations.
· The Home: What should non-believing parents and Christian parents of a liberal disposition do about the religious education and/or faith formation of their children?
· The Parish: What should be taught in Sunday School?
What do we do with the children?