ERBE programme violates religious rights

Dear Editor, The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has issued proposals for a curriculum titled ‘Education about Religions & Beliefs & Ethics’ (ERBE), to be made compulsory in all primary schools in the Republic of Ireland.

ERBE claims a pluralist and objective approach to the main theist, non-theist and secular beliefs. Such an approach would require a factual presentation on each belief as it exists and understands itself. However, ERBE does not do this.

ERBE does not recognise that theist beliefs involve the transcendent or supernatural, but treats all religions as no more than human cultural phenomena, even defining ‘spiritual’ as material. Religions see an intimate and inseparable connection between beliefs and behaviour (ethics), a connection in harmony with logic and human experience. However, ERBE does not recognise the ethics approach of any religion, and proposes to teach all children only one system of ethics, that of contemporary liberal secularism.  

Therefore, ERBE is neither objective nor authentically pluralist, but rather treats the non-theist/secular or atheism like a state religion to be imposed on all children of the nation. This is undemocratic, undermines religious freedom and violates the rights of children and their parents.

Yours etc.,

Éanna Johnson,

Killiney,

Co. Dublin.