Prayer, Schools, The State and The Kingdom Agenda

Today I read about a school in Western Australia that has removed the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in its school assemblies because of a state ruling that schools should not favour one religion over another.  You can read the article yourself by clicking this underlined and highlighted area.

Considering it was from a Christian news source, I was glad to note a relatively balanced tone in the piece.  It could have descended into a shrill attack against all those who dare to suggest prayer should be removed from schools.  The article sparked more questions in me than actual clear cut answers on the rights and wrongs of the situation.  It also highlights an ongoing dilemma as to Christian engagement in society.  The issue is harder because some of us are still entrenched in a Christendom mentality that assumes that as long as you pray about something, conduct your rituals and get your blessings from your ritual attendance in church that’s all that is required of you to be a Christian.  Thus ‘Christian’ communities and countries make claims to a heritage almost directly from the line of Abraham via Jesus and Peter and as that is the way they have already done things, it should be kept the same way.

So some of the questions I’m left with in the light of the article include:

• Why should there be Christian prayers in state run schools in areas that promote the equality agenda?
• Is it part of the Kingdom Agenda to ensure that state institutions are Christianised?  (This question goes further to consider is that what the likes of Daniel and Joseph did in the foreign empires in which they lived?)
• What should the family’s response be to the marginalisation of Christianity in institutions like school?  (Note, the question is not the Church, it is the family for surely they have primary responsibility for the development of members within it.)
• Is there power or anything symbolically or actually crucial to non-believers reciting a prayer?

There are other issues that it arouses, but those questions are good to consider in the meantime, and maybe I’ll come back and give developments on my own working out of the answers in future blog entries.  Maybe.

Oh and here’s another thought worth noting.  Even in the cases where foreign empires made godly legislative changes these came about through godly convictions in the leadership, i.e. Nebuchadnezzar.  Even then, these moves were only as successful as long as it hard the authority and ethos of the ruling empire of the time.  If in actuality there is no such conviction, no legislation can take place.  Even if it could, should Christians be about the business of legislating Christian values?  (Might sound almost like blasphemy to some, and I appreciate that the Kingdom Rule to come will in essence establish righteous rule, but understand my question is about legislation on this side of the rule.)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd