National Secular Society Slams Church of England’s Schools ‘Proselytizing’ Program

The Church of England’s latest evangelism initiative, aimed at promoting Christian values in its schools, has sparked controversy and drawn criticism from the National Secular Society (NSS). The initiative, which includes the distribution of Christian materials and the encouragement of student-led prayer groups, has been accused of proselytizing and blurring the lines between education and evangelism. The NSS argues that the program violates the principle of religious neutrality in state-funded schools and may make students from non-Christian backgrounds feel excluded or coerced.

On the 2nd of July, the Church of England announced its ‘FLOURISH’ initiative, which aims to evangelize to schools and colleges nationwide across 12 dioceses, including ‘NONRELIGIOUS’ schools.

It comprises of a two-year scheme which seeks to create 40 new worshipping communities. Schools will work with local parishes to create extra-curricular groups so that pupils can find out more about Christianity, and worship God.

The Flourishing Schools programme has been met with controversy from non-Christian groups.

Head of campaigns for the National Secular Society, Megan Manson, said: “As much as the Church may wish it, our state schools are not there to serve the interests of the Church of England. They are there to educate our children.

“This new initiative is a cynical move to use our schools to ease its plummeting membership.

“The Government shouldn’t allow state-funded schools to be exploited by the Church of England to help it achieve its goal of doubling the number of ‘young active disciples’ by 2030.”

The debate raises important questions about the role of religion in public education and the balance between freedom of expression and respect for diverse beliefs. While the Church of England maintains that the initiative aims to promote values such as kindness, respect, and forgiveness, critics argue that it undermines the secular nature of state schools and may be detrimental to the inclusivity and diversity that schools strive to foster. As the controversy unfolds, it remains to be seen how the Church of England will respond to the criticisms and whether the initiative will be implemented in its current form.