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Worship Experiences in Church Schools: Towards a More Effective and Ethical Model

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Worship Experiences in Church Schools: Towards a More Effective and Ethical Model Worship Experiences in Church Schools: Towards a More Effective and Ethical Model by Anne Wright, Master of Theology (Sydney College of Divinity), Bachelor of Theology (Sydney College of Divinity), Bachelor of Education (Sydney University). i This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Murdoch University, 2013 I declare that this thesis is my own account of my research and contains as its main content, work which has not previously been submitted for a degree at any tertiary education institution. .................................... Anne Faith Wright ii Abstract This study, "Worship Experiences in Church Schools: Towards a More Effective and Ethical Model", is directed to re-assessing the concept of school worship in the light of the increasingly secularised population of schools sponsored in Western societies by Christian denominations; i.e. a population in which a significant proportion of attendees may not come from a consciously embraced background of religious faith or may belong to an alternative faith tradition. The main issues addressed were: (1) What is the nature and purpose of worship in the church school context? (2) What place can it play in the life of the school? and (3) How should worship activities be conducted, if they are to continue to occupy a place in the life of the church school? First, the relevance of this enquiry was established through a literature survey of thought and practice in some comparable countries, and an analysis of findings obtained from empirical studies of contemporary Australian youth. Second, an ethnographic enquiry using grounded theory research methods illuminated worship practices in nine denominationally sponsored schools in Western Australia, drawing upon both staff and student perceptions. Third, the enquiry then sought to generate a model for the conduct of school worship consistent with a biblical view of Christian worship and with the educational and ethical parameters of the school context. To this end, issues of indoctrination, education and enfaithing were also considered, leading finally to the formulation of a set of guiding principles for conducting worship activities in church schools. iii Worship Experiences in Church Schools: Towards a More Effective and Ethical Model. Introduction............................................................................................................................ 5 Chapter 2 Views of some Leading Christian Educators ......................................................10 Chapter 3 The Landscape of the Young Australian Soul .....................................................28 Chapter 4 History of Religious Education and Worship in Uniting Church Schools in Western Australia....................................................................................................46 Chapter 5 Planning the Ethnographic Phase of the Study..................................................73 Chapter 6 Discussion of Findings.........................................................................................91 Chapter 7 Towards a Theory of Worship in the Church School........................................131 Chapter 8 Indoctrination, Enfaithing and Education as part of Chapel............................160 Chapter 9 Developing Ethical Guidelines for Worship Leaders in Christian Schools........175 Chapter 10 Conclusions: Proposed Ways Forward............................................................206 Chapter 11 Appendices......................................................................................................212 iv Worship Experiences in Church Schools: Towards a More Effective and Ethical Model. 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 5 2 Views of some Leading Christian Educators ........................................................... 10 2.1 Introduction: ........................................................................................................... 10 2.2 The Context of Worship in County Schools in the United Kingdom ....................... 10 2.3 Education Acts and Worship in the Australian Context ......................................... 12 2.4 The Purposes of Worship in School. ....................................................................... 13 2.5 Mapping the Field: Studies in Spiritual Development and Schools. ....................... 18 2.6 Child Spirituality and Faith Development ............................................................... 20 2.7 Chaplaincy in Australian Schools ............................................................................ 21 2.8 What is the Theology of School Worship? ............................................................. 24 2.9 Codes of Ethics for Australian Schools: Uniting Church Materials, State Schools Chaplaincy. ............................................................................................................. 24 2.10 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 26 3 The Landscape of the Young Australian Soul. ......................................................... 28 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 28 3.2 Profiling the next generation: the iGeneration ...................................................... 28 3.3 Spirituality: the Social Researchers. ....................................................................... 31 3.4 Religious and Spiritual Education Theorists in Youth Spirituality. .......................... 36 3.5 History and Definitions of Spirituality .................................................................... 37 3.6 Contours of Unbelief .............................................................................................. 42 3.7 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 43 4 History of Religious Education and Worship in Uniting Church Schools in Western Australia ............................................................................................................... 46 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 46 4.2 Religious Practice in Schools in Australia 1830-1900 ............................................. 47 4.3 History of Western Australian Religious Education, up to 1900. ........................... 48 4.4 Scotch College, 1896. ............................................................................................. 51 4.4.1 Foundations and Religious Origins. ................................................................ 51 v 4.4.2 History of Chaplains, current Practice of Worship and Spirituality in the School. ............................................................................................................ 52 4.4.3 Current Relationship with wider Uniting Church. .......................................... 53 4.5 Methodist Ladies' College, 1907. ........................................................................... 54 4.5.1 Foundations and Religious Origins. ................................................................ 54 4.5.2 Early Experiences of Worship and Religious Education in the School. .......... 54 4.5.3 History of Chaplains. ...................................................................................... 55 4.5.4 Current Practice of Worship, Religious Education and Spirituality in the School. ............................................................................................................ 55 4.5.5 Current Relationship with wider Uniting Church. .......................................... 56 4.6 Presbyterian Ladies' College, 1916. ........................................................................ 56 4.6.1 Foundation and Religious Origins .................................................................. 56 4.6.2 Religious Controls by Denomination at Board Level ...................................... 57 4.6.3 Early Experiences of Worship and Religious Education in the School. .......... 57 4.6.4 History of Chaplains. ...................................................................................... 58 4.6.5 Current Practice of Worship, Religious Education and Spirituality in the School. ............................................................................................................ 58 4.6.6 Current Relationship with wider Uniting Church. .......................................... 58 4.7 Wesley College, 1923. ............................................................................................ 59 4.7.1 Foundation and Religious Origins .................................................................. 59 4.7.2 Religious Controls by Denomination at Board Level ...................................... 59 4.7.3 Early Experiences of Worship and Religious Education in the School. .......... 60 4.7.4 History of Chaplains and Current Practice of Worship, Religious Education and Spirituality in the School. ........................................................................ 60 4.7.5 Current Relationship with wider Uniting Church. .......................................... 61 4.8 Penrhos College, 1952. ........................................................................................... 61 4.8.1 Foundation and Religious Origins. ................................................................
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