Durham E-Theses A theological critique of Christian education, with special reference to developments in Northern Ireland since 1944 McCann, John How to cite: McCann, John (1992) A theological critique of Christian education, with special reference to developments in Northern Ireland since 1944, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5769/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 John McCann: A Theological Critique of Christian Education, with special reference to Developments in Northern Ireland since 1944 Ph.D. ns2. ABSTRACT The perspective adopted in this thesis is that of a Northern Irish CathoUc Christian, a teacher by profession. The field is that of the theology of education. The thesis has three principal aims; firstly, to provide a justification for a confi• dent Christian education in an increasingly secular and agnostic world; secondly, to evaluate the development and present status of Christian education in Northern Ireland in the hght of its sectarian history and current situation of community con• flict; thirdly, to consider the remit of Christian education and its role in promoting societal harmony. The thesis consists of eight chapters. Its overall design may be discerned in a general introduction and seven other chapters of which four engage the issue of Christian education in the Northern Ireland context. Of the other three, one chapter criticizes analytical philosophy and positivist influences in con• temporary liberal education, especially where these have aff'ected conceptions of religious education. The second attempts a validation of Christian education, and in addition promotes Christian apologetics as both a viable and needed response to relativistic agnosticism. The third consists of the conclusions to be drawn. The scope of the thesis embraces considerations of the assumptions and values of Christian education; the nature of religious education; theistic beliefj the Chris• tian tradition^ the nature of confessionalism; Northern Ireland confessionalism; the influence of ideologies; the separate schools system; the question of integrated education; the historical background to the divided communities; the challenge of the great Christian imperatives of love and forgiveness in respect of community reconciliation and of implementing a Christian education fully alive to its respon• sibilities. The penultimate chapter confronts practical issues and suggests models and approaches in Christian education with outreach towards reconciliation. 1 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. A Theological Critique of Christian Education, with special reference to Developments in Northern Ireland since 1944 by John McCann A Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Theology The University of Durham 1992 1 2 MAY 1993 Contents Acknowledgments 7 INTRODUCTION 8 1.1 PuTpose of the study 8 1.2 Limits and scope of the study 9 1.3 Background to the study 12 1.4 The heritage of sectarian violence I4 1.5 Segregated schools in the divided society 20 1.6 State schools, de facto and de jure Protestant 24 1.7 The theological emphasis 28 1.8 Notes and references 35 THE ISSUE OF CONFESSIONALISM AND THE CRISIS OF IDENTITY 43 2.1 The complexity of the issue in Northern Ireland 43 2.2 The influence of the school and the wider community .... 50 2.3 Influence and role: the schools in Northern Ireland 52 2.4 The role of the Christian school in the divided society ... 57 2.5 Children in the divided society 60 2.6 The outbreak of open conflict in the divided society 62 2.7 Inequality in the confessional society 65 2.8 Notes and references 74 THE EMERGENCE OF AN EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGE: THEOLOGIES IN CRISIS 80 3.1 Preliminary observations 80 3.2 Factors which contribute to the educational crisis 83 3.3 The origins and consequences of ethnic division 90 3.4 The influence of stereotypes 95 3.5 The failure to find consensus 99 3.6 The religion factor: the historical background 103 3.7 Proselytism, sectarianism and particularism 110 3.8 Particularism and Christianity 115 3.9 Notes and references 122 3 4 MOVES TOWARDS INTEGRATED EDUCATION ... 132 4.1 Mixed education: the nineteenth century experience 132 4-2 The Irish Christian Brothers withdraw from the system . 135 4.3 The disillusionment of the hierarchy 136 4.4 The Catholic bishops' objections to current legislation . 138 4.5 Protestant opposition to integrated education I42 4.6 The campaign for integrated education I46 4.7 Calls for experiment and reappraisal 149 4.8 Failures in ecumenism 152 4.9 The inappropriateness of integrated education 156 4.10 Notes and references 160 5 THE RATIONALIST-EMPIRICIST CHALLENGE TO CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 166 5.1 Beliefs and commitment in secular liberalism 166 5.2 The doctrine of relativism 168 5.3 The 1960s 'crisis in theology' 169 5.4 Objectivity in moral values: the Natural Law 171 5.5 Christian humanism and the early liberal tradition 173 5.6 The liberal ideal in Newman and Victorian England 177 5.7 Contemporary liberal education 179 5.8 'The case against an epistemic basis for liberal education' . 183 5.9 The epistemology of Classical Foundationalism I84 5.10 Thiessen's reconstruction of the ideal of liberal education .. 187 5.11 The concept of religious education 191 5.12 Content in Christian religious education 200 5.13 The positivist/empiricist roots of Analytical Philosophy . 203 5.14 Language, meaning and Linguistic Philosophy 207 5.15 Insight, intuition and inference 213 5.16 The gift and miracle of language 218 5.17 The intelligibility of the universe 220 5.18 The Christian origin of modem science 221 5.19 Notes and references 227 6 THE VALIDITY OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: A THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE 238 4 6.1 Religion and psychology 238 6.2 Early man and belief in God 241 6.3 Ersatz religion 244 6.4 The Church and the Academy 248 6.5 The Enlightenment 251 6.6 Secularism and the denial of the Transcendent 256 6.7 Image and idea 259 6.8 The nature of faith in God 262 6.9 The integrity and validity of Christian education 269 6.10 Notes and references 277 7 WAYS AND MEANS TOWARDS RECONCILIATION . 285 7.1 Achievement and disappointment for Christian educators . 285 7.2 The case for reappraisal 289 7.3 Parents as partners in a child's schooling 299 7.4 The crucial role of teachers 302 7.5 The Christian spirit of peace at work in Northern Ireland . 309 7.6 The potential of Christian educators 313 7.7 Approaching the parents 322 7.8 Meeting possible objections 325 7.9 Christian educational outreach 329 7.10 Reconciliation: a Christian imperative 331 7.11 The sources and resources of Christian education 353 7.12 Dialogue, compromise and the Peace of Christ 335 7.13 A way of dialogue in Christian education 342 7.14 A pedagogic approach in Christian education 348 7.15 Notes and references 353 8 CONCLUSIONS 361 Bibliography 369 Copyright The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information from it should be acknowl• edged. Declaration The author declares that none of the material contained in this thesis, other than that duly acknowledged to other authors, has previously been submitted for a degree in this, or any other university. Acknowledgments It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the debt of gratitude I owe to my supervisor, Professor Edward Hulmes, without whose encouragement from the very beginning, this thesis would not have been written. The generosity with which he afforded me his valuable time throughout the course of my research was typical of his kindness. His wise guidance and expert advice have been of inestimable assistance to me; his scholarship a source of admiration. I shall miss the privileged occasions which were his tutorials more than I can say. I would also hke to thank the university hbrary staff" at Palace Green, and es• pecially Mrs Hilda Guy. I am grateful, also, for the help and advice I received from the advisory staff at the University's Computer Centre. I thank, also, my friend and erstwhile teaching colleague, Jim Brown, for referring and making available to me a number of particularly useful historical works. Finally, I would Hke to fkoyJc m.^ sisters at home, Kathleen, Mary and Char• lotte, for their patience, moral support and prayers. In respect of their prayerful good wishes, my gratitude is also extended to the other members of my family; to Mother Helena, CP., and the sisters of her community at Aquinas Hall, Belfast; and, immeasurably, to Mary and John, my mother and father, both, now, with God. Chapter I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of the study The purpose of this study is threefold.