Will British Schools Teach Paganism?

The Lincolnshire Echo reports that the issue of adding Paganism to religious education in Lincolnshire schools was brought up at the Lincolnshire County Council’s body for religious education. The Daily Mail, covering the story in its sensationalist fashion, says that schools have been given the “go-ahead” to teach Paganism, though that isn’t exactly the ringing endorsement the paper is trying to imply in its headline.

Debbie Barnes, Assistant Director of Children’s Services for Lincolnshire County Council, said individual schools can decide whether or not to teach Paganism. She said: ‘Currently the county council’s RE curriculum for schools does not include Paganism, which is determined as covering a broad range of beliefs and practices. ‘There is no direct guidance about whether it should be included in the school curriculum and it is left to individual schools to make a decision about whether to include it. ‘Our RE Adviser has agreed to monitor national guidance on this and any changes that occur.’

So, in essence, individual schools could, if they wanted to, teach Paganism alongside other faiths. But it isn’t a mandate from on high, nor are there any concrete plans reported from any school to start including Paganism. It’s a story about a possibility, one that seems inspired by the recent Charity Commission approval of The Druid Network‘s application for religious charity status (both articles mention it).

There’s been a bit of increased Pagan paranoia from certain corners in Britain since that decision. As though it signals the looming takeover of modern Pagan faiths in England. You have the BBC being accused of being too Pagan-friendly, and groups like the The Christian Institute complaining about the “marginalization” of their faith, but is the hand-wringing over police guidelines and influence over museum policy distorting the reality? Christianity Today claims that, according to recent survey findings, the Christian demographic free-fall has leveled off.

“The numbers showed Church of England attendance holding fairly steady since 2001 at just under 1.2 million. Catholic attendance leveled off in 2005 at a little more than 900,000, while Baptist Union attendance increased modestly since 2002 to nearly 154,000. The findings contradicted recent forecasts. Retired Christian Research director Peter Brierley earlier this year projected further decline, including an alarming drop-off among young adults. ”He may well prove to be right, but in the short term there’s a pickup we thought might encourage the churches,” Hudson said.”

So Christianity isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, though their largely static (but sizable) numbers still have to deal with a growing Pagan population. It is hoped that with the 2011 Census modern Pagans will be able to coordinate enough to get a better picture of their numbers, and if the increase is large enough, the question of Paganism being taught in religious education at schools will become a more serious one. In the meantime, if any local schools in the UK do start teaching Paganism, please let me know right away!