The Church view on religious education

1987 B.B. Min. 329

20. Request the State Government to add the following Clauses to the “Education Act and Another Act Amendment Bill 1987” in the form herein suggested or in a form to that effect.
“Nothing in this Act shall operate:
A. to authorise or permit the Governor in Council or the Minister or any Council or body operating pursuant to this Act to impose any requirements in relation to the teaching of any religious philosophy or to require special educational qualifications of any person to teach any religious philosophy or to restrict in any way the nature, content or extent of the training of such religious philosophy or to affect any course accreditation by reason of the inclusion in such a course of religious philosophy.
B. to enable the exercise of any power or right of the Governor in Council, the Minister, a Council or other body operating under this Act in such a way as the inclusion in the students’ course of any religious philosophy might adversely affect the selection of such student for entry into any higher education institution.
C. to exclude the conferring of an award by any religious denomination upon any person in connection with training undertaken by that person in a tertiary education institution conducted by that religious denomination for the purpose of qualifying persons to promote the religious philosophy of that religious denomination.”

1991 B.B. Min. 203

6. (a) Note that the action of releasing a Moderatorial Curriculum for Queensland State Schools was endorsed by the Commission of Assembly on 14th November 1990.
(b) Advise the Premier, Minister for Education, Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Liberal Party and the Media, of the Assembly’s total opposition to the introduction of the proposed P-10 Religious Education Core Curriculum in Queensland State Schools because it is a study in comparative religion taught from a universalistic perspective; and include a copy of the Moderatorial Statement.

2006 B.B. MIN. 134

14. Give heartfelt and grateful thanks to Almighty God Who has intervened in the actions of Government so that it will not be proceeding with proposed amendments to Religious Education provisions in the Education Bill and has noted the existing arrangements regarding religious instruction in State Schools are a satisfactory arrangement for the time being.

15. Instruct the Clerk of Assembly to:
(a) Advise the Minister for Education and the Premier of the Church’s appreciation for the action, confirming that the Assembly believes that it sees the hand of God in this action and that the Assembly believes that maintaining the status quo for religious education in schools will be of benefit to the community and the students; and that the Assembly counsels the Government that it should maintain the current position on these matters in future.
(b) Advise the Minister for Education, whilst strongly applauding his steps in relation to religious education, that the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland did understand the proposed changes which were contemplated, and because of that understanding it has been numbered amongst many Christian organizations who have felt that the proposed changes were not in the best interest of the children, the education process or society in general.
(c) Write to all Kirk Sessions advising of the action of the Assembly and calling on all Kirk Sessions to seek meetings personally with local Members of Parliament to encourage such Members to be vigilant in these matters and to ensure that any such action to change the present status quo is addressed urgently.
(d) Express the Assembly’s appreciation to the relevant staff workers within the Anglican Church of Australia, Brisbane Diocese, who produced an exceptional amount of positive work in the area of religious education in schools which was graciously offered for the use of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.