Every year, for the past quarter of a century, a Christian charity with which I am involved has run a nationwide Schools Bible Project. Its aim is to give schoolchildren an opportunity to study the Gospels and encounter Christ. They are invited to reflect on various incidents in the Gospels – chapter and verse given, plus some background info – and then choose one and write it up as if they had actually been present. It’s essentially an Ignatian exercise.
We get many really good essays (as well as some utterly hopeless ones). This year, pleasingly, a number of Catholic schools produced prizewinners. No, I’m not telling you who they are – the schools have to hear first. The main winners come to London and get their prizes from the splendid Baroness Cox at the House of Lords, are shown round Parliament, have tea, etc. You will often be told that Christianity is banned from Britain’s schools. It isn’t. It’s part of the RE curriculum.
