Here's a survey that I hope David Cameron and George Osborne will digest, before going into battle to force the gay marriage law through. Oxford University has asked 1,800 people whether they want the majority religion taught in schools. Two thirds said it was vital to include the subject in the curriculum; two thirds also felt Christianity was key to an understanding of British culture. And a minority (one third) even thought there was a place for (gulp) Bible studies in RE classes.
In other words, Britons feel comfortable with Christianity. It's teachers, who aren't. Had Oxford conducted the survey on teachers and heads, the result would have looked very very different – even in the case of RE teachers. Look at the way the bible of the educational establishment, the TES, covers faith schools and you'll be left in no doubt about the hostility religion sparks in teachers, heads and TAs. Somewhere along the way, schools decided that religion, especially Christianity, was to be avoided, its teaching curtailed, and its message muzzled.
This rejection of a huge part of Britain's legacy was blessed by successive governments – incredibly, even this Government. In pursuit of its multi-faith agenda, the Coalition fears anything remotely connected with Christianity, lest it be misinterpreted as cultural imperialism. No wonder teachers follow suit, they don't want to appear "evangelising". What would the Muslims and Jews in class say?
More powerful than the fear of appearing superior to members of minority faiths is the fear of appearing religious, or pro-religion, to the secular bien pensants who fill key education posts. RE must be demoted to bottom of the syllabus pile. Christian stories and values must be glided over as anachronistic quirks in the otherwise modern and monochrome curriculum. In other words, teach Christianity at your peril.
The result is that Christians and others in this country, are slowly but surely losing their sense of identity. It's enough to shake one's faith in the educational establishment.