Friday 5 September 2008

Accord Coalition launched

Good to learn of the launch of the Accord Coalition (www.accordcoalition.org.uk) which describes itself as "a new broad-based coalition calling for inclusive schools and an end to special arrangements for state funded religious schools".

At last we have something that demonstrates that opposition to state-funded church- or mosque-schools comes as much from people with religious affiliation as from those without.

My own opposition to religious organisations running state schools is rooted in a number of theological issues :

1) Reformed theology insists on separation of powers of Church and State.

2) Segregationist schools are a denial of an incarnational approach

3) Segregational schools undermine true catholicity / ecumenicity

4) Segregationist schools promote a privatised / sectarian image of religion which is a denial of its true nature.