Michael Madigan, Courier Mail journalist based in Canberra, reported yesterday on the injection of religion into the Australian history syllabus. He says that Julie Bishop, Federal Education Minister, has thrown her support behind a move to incorporate study of religious issues into study of Australian history.
Madigan is reporting on the Federal History Summit held in Canberra on August 17, during which it was agreed that history be made a core subject for Years 9 and 10 throughout Australia.
Professor Geoffrey Blainey told delegates that much of society could not be explained to students without religion. It appears as though discussion was vigorous. Religion was taken out of the syllabus for two key reasons – the Christian churches’ tendency to assume too much influence, and their inability to get on with each other. The introduction of religion back into mainstream syllabus would need to ensure that education was the focus, not proselytization, nor competition between faiths. Clearly not all the stories would be positive. Which would mean that honesty and a non-defensive attitude would be needed. As Tom Stannage said, we’d need to re-inject religion back into the state schools in “a non-controversial, open, inclusive sort of way”.
Religious topics could include the Catholic/Protestant divide and its impact on pre-war Australian society, with particular reference to the conscription referendum of 1916-1917. The examination of religion would not be confined to Western Christianity. Historians in Canberra raised the influence of Aboriginal spiritual beliefs, Muslim and Jewish religions.
Yossi Aron asks if it’s time to hold a Jewish history summit. He asks how much we know about the Jews included in the First Fleet, during the gold rushes, and after the 20th Century Holocaust, as well as the significance of Australian troops in the British fight for Palestine in both world wars.
Last Monday I worked with a Jewish Rabbi and Muslim Imam to introduce two Year 11 classes to the cultures and beliefs of the three main Abrahamic faiths. It was refreshing to engage in comparative religion together. The highlight for me was when we took a group of four students each, providing a tour of the exhibition of religious artifacts and photographs. The beauty was that we had the privilege of explaining all three religions to the students. Such collaboration could be useful in the local exploration of Australian identity and its connection with the story of religion.