Would you call this RE or worship?

[whatsthemattermaryjane]

Before I take the story further please understand that yes, this is a CofE school, but that we live in one of the rural areas where the only schools are church schools. We did not therefore 'choose' this school the way parents in more urban areas might - it simply is the school to which village children go. Next school is 5 miles, also CofE. Next school after that, another 7 miles, also CofE...

So, my point. Every week, along with daily short class assemblies and prayers, and a weekly whole school assembly, there is a 'lesson' called 'Open The Book'. This lesson is taught by the vicar, who reads a Bible story to the children and then they must act the story out. The children are told that this is a true story that they are re-enacting. This happens every week all through the year for all age groups, always led by the vicar and always a Bible story.

Mumsnetters, in your opinions, is this Religious Education, or is it an act of worship?

Well, it is a church school.

If they are told it is a true story, then I think that is worship.

I agree with TeenAndTween, 'True story' = worship

Unless there is an element of 'some people believe' or comparing different kinds of stories or doing gthings related to different religions, then it isn't teaching them about religion, it's treating one religion as being the correct one, which is basically worship.

Worship. Are you non-religious or of another faith? Does the school know that?

Worship. On both of your threads.

It's a CofE school which I'd assume is teaching it's children the way of the Church.

I'm not Christian and my DS goes to a CofE school. We talk about different religions and that people believe different things. Most of the stories are about respect and making the right choices, being helpful...

Open the book!

Faith schools usually have worship. I expect you can withdraw your child if you want to though?

Does your child really come home and use the expression 'we have been told this is a true story'. . Surely they are much more likely to say 'we acted out the story of the Good Samaritan' or something like that.

'Open the Book' is run in many Church Schools - if you have strong feelings about it go and talk to the Head - but be wary about withdrawing your child from these sessions, a friend of mine was never 'allowed' to attend any worship or RE lessons at school and hated the fact that she was always isolated and made to feel 'different'. Incidentally she now has an extremely strong faith (CoE) and is very involved in Church life .

Hmm - something inbetween!?

To me RE is the whole - some people think x, other people think y.

To me Worship - is praying, whatever they do facing the right direction, not eating x on y day, active things.

Nativity plays, acting out a scene as above, making stuff - all sort of 'inbetween' stuff. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it, they had us doing all of that stuff when I was at school, they were stories, it was kind of fun. I'm a die hard athiest, it didn't do me any harm :)

Why do you ask?

Oh and now, I just do a lot of that 'Oh did you, some people believe that - I don't, when you are older you can decide if you do or not :)'

Oh no I am so sorry, I didn't realise it had posted twice

Yes, my child comes home and tells me the stories and asks if I know who Jesus is and so on. I explain that I don't share this faith and that every religion has its own stories but he believes that it is true, not a story, because this is waht he is told at school. He thinks this is what really happened in the same way he knows about Romans or dinosaurs.

My question is because, I consider removing him from worship as I am worried about just how much worship is going on - but is this session going to be worship or RE? Because I want him to learn about religions, just not in this way!

And yes, I also feel that if it is presented as truth then surely it is worship or similar? As RE should teach that all religions have different beliefs and not everyone believes the same things?

If you remove him from worship you are also removing him from Christmas concerts, nativity plays, harvest festival etc etc

I don't think you need to remove him, just counteract that stuff at home.

Do you follow another faith at home?

My DDs had Open the Book too. It was done in assembly, not as a lesson, by me members of the village church.

I'd definitely class it as worship.

DD2 is as bigger atheist as me, and was not impressed. We also live in a rural all local schools are CofE area.

me

I completely sympathise, it drives me mad that we are stuck in the middle like this. We're in exactly the same situation with a rural school and no voice of a non-religious education. And the alternative (as we are very strongly atheist) is withdrawing your child and making them
feel like a pariah. It's so unfair. I just make the point to my children that they are just stories like all their story books and that god isn't real and people made up religions.

Think of it as cultural and let it go.

You can always tell your child 'Christians believe it is true', or more accurately, 'Some Christians believe its true.'

This kind of stealth indoctrination bothers me too. Speak to his teachers and make your feelings clear.

I would say just roll with it. We went to church when our children were small and they went to sunday school. DD1 went to religious summer camps. We had a major lapse of faith when something terrible happened in our family.

DD1 went on to do a Theology and Religious Studies degree BUT she is not a Christian and has no faith, just an interest in religion in the same way as people have an interest in history.

A bit of religion in school will not make your child a zealot.

I'm not sure if it would be any help to you, but here is a link to the British Humanist Association's FAQ on religion in education. They've put a lot of thought into this issue and how you could respond to religious content in schools.

It's a faith school.

Chilly - what do you mean by that? The OP has said that it is a faith school, but that there is no alternative for those of other faiths or none.