Influence of Christianity on Education Pre - 1945

Influence of Christianity on Education Church of England Archdeacon W. G. Broughton wanted schools to teach apostolic Christianity (transmitted through a formally ordained Bishop) e.g. King’s School, Parramatta. He argued strongly for the Church of England’s right to educate the colony’s children.

Harrisford in Parramatta - the very first King's School

Influence of Christianity on Education Governor Bourke wanted general education that created a common social experience Reverend John Dunmore Lang, who had demanded that the Church of Scotland be equal to, and have the same privileges as, the Church of England, wanted to prepare young men for the professions (clergy, medicine and law) and business

Influence of Christianity on Education By 1848 a dual system of education was in place in New South Wales, with a Board of National Education supervising non-denominational schools, and a Denominational Board which oversaw church schools Anglicans, Roman Catholics and Presbyterians all gave education a higher priority than evangelism

Influence of Christianity on Education In New South Wales the Public Schools Act of 1866 unified education administration, retained church schools and provided generously for religious instruction in the state-controlled schools the administration worked against all but the largest church schools

Influence of Christianity on Education The New South Wales Public Instruction Act of 1880 abolished state aid to religious schools Education was to be compulsory, free and secular

Influence of Christianity on Education Roman Catholics objected in principle to secular education State-controlled schools had been condemned in Pope Pius IX’s ‘Syllabus of Errors’ in 1864 In 1879 Roman Catholics had condemned government schools as ‘seedplots of future immorality, infidelity and lawlessness’

Influence of Christianity on Education The Roman Catholic Church founded a school system with religious orders of teachers as their foundation The Catholic School became the mortar of the Catholic community They nurtured memories of persecution in Ireland and discrimination in early Australia They promoted success to increase social mobility and prosperity in future generations

Influence of Christianity on Education Catholic educators, such as Mary McKillop, wanted to establish schools where students could learn secular subjects while ‘constantly breathing the atmosphere of their religion’.

Influence of Christianity on Education Catholic educators, such as Mary McKillop, wanted to establish schools where students could learn secular subjects while ‘constantly breathing the atmosphere of their religion’.

Christianity in Education A strong influence on education Each VARIANT has its own emphasis Made many contributions to education Variant – Catholic, Uniting and Anglican

Christianity Influence in Ed some examples; Scripture Teachers SRE has been the focus of the Anglican Church. A Board was founded in 1919 to promote, employ & co-ordinate RE in govt. schools by the Anglican Church.

Christianity Influence in Ed some examples; Christian Alternatives to Government Schools Catholic provided Church schools as an alternative to state. 19th Cent. State Aid was abolished Bishops were felt secular education was a contradiction. Labour provided by sisters & brothers

Christianity Influence in Ed some examples; Christian Alternatives to Government Schools In 1866 – Mary McKillop founded a teaching order By 1909 she had over 1000 nuns working in schools throughout Australia Catholic schools based on cheap labour Financial support by the laity.

SUMMARY POINTS Effectively provided to those who could afford it late 18th cent The Government provided male and female orphan schools Increasing number of free settlers and religious groups = gradual increase in church run schools

SUMMARY POINTS Church run schools would promote religious values within their variant Prior to 1862 churches provided the bulk of education 1825 – The School Estate Corporation provided the Anglican Church with 1/7 of all colonial land grants Money raised from the use of land supported clergy & the Anglican Schools

SUMMARY POINTS The Church and Schools Corporation of 1826 (abolished in 1833) reaffirmed that the control of the colony’s schools remained under the control of the Church of England. This led to the decision of many Catholics to hold their children back from school. Did not want them influences by the Church of England’s teachings

SUMMARY POINTS Church Act of 1836 was intended to promote the building of churches and provide for their ministries. City churches benefited – rural churches missed out on the funding Funding suggested the government realised the importance of the Churches as; Impacting upon education, morality, social welfare

REVIEW QUESTIONS Outline the influence of Christianity on education in Australia before 1945. Explain how Christianity has influenced education in Australia before 1945.