After a long period of downplaying the religious identity of its schools, the Church of England is seeking to reassert the Christian and Anglican nature of these institutions.
The British Catholic magazine The Tablet (Oct. 10) reports that since the late 60s, Church of England primary and secondary schools have emphasized serving the entire community and minimizing their Christian orientation. Today, “Increasing numbers of influential people within the Church” are working to expand the Anglican role in education.
Often re-introducing the Anglican factor into these schools means holding (often ecumenical) worship services and religious education, although many non-Christians (such as Muslims) attend them. But the high demand from parents for many of these schools is actually increasing the religious emphasis. In order to choose students from a large pool of applicants some schools pick those students whose parents attend church regularly.
(The Tablet, 1 King St., Clifton Walk, London, W6 0Q2 UK)