William A McComish

4 May 2005

What is the role of religion in education? [130 kb, PDF]

Abstract

This lecture focuses on the importance and relevance of teaching religion to young people. The speaker discusses the role of religion in secular society and politics, and identifies religion as “the most powerful force in the history of humanity after the basic needs have been met”. He divides his lecture into three parts by asking three questions: Why study religion? What might be studied? What might be our aims?

The lecture explores the important role religion can play in helping young people “make sense of their society and of themselves”. The speaker underlines the importance of inter-faith cooperation and stresses the importance of giving young people an understanding of all the major world religions “as a preparation for tomorrow's world”.

William Adams McComish is a Presbyterian minister in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Eglise Protestante in Geneva. In 1997 he was appointed dean of Geneva's St Pierre Cathedral, where he has organized various interfaith services. He is also the general treasurer of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.
He received a BA degree and an MA in history and political science from Trinity College, Dublin. He also holds a doctorate in divinity from the University of Geneva. He has written two books: his doctoral thesis entitled The Epigones (Pittsburgh, 1989) and Permettez-moi de m'expliquer (Geneva, 2003).
His main interest is in contemporary religious history, and he acted as chairperson of the group who wrote the Geneva spiritual appeal in 1999. His other activities include participating in the World Economic Forum and lecturing in a number of universities.