God in school: The roles of church and state in the provision of religious education in Western Australian government schools from 1829-1876

This thesis examines the roles of the church and state in the presentation of special and general religious instruction in Western Australian government schools between 1829 and 1976. Two distinct themes emerge from this examination. Firstly, there has been a definite movement away from a subject called "religious (Christian) instruction" to an approach called "religious education" or "religious studies". The second main theme deals with the struggle to find solutions to the problem of the place of religion in government schools during the nineteenth century; the growing inadequacy of such solutions during the twentieth century; and the continuing quest to provide more viable options at the present time. Throughout much of the period under review, the available evidence indicates that the teachers of religious instruction did not always achieve satisfactory results in either passing on sufficient knowledge or modifying the behaviour patterns of their pupils. Special attention has been paid to the following features which significantly influenced development in the western state - the social and educational background in England, especially in the early nineteenth century; and educational policy and administration in the other Australian states. In addition, most of the important curricula provided for religious instruction in Western Australia have been evaluated in the text and have been cited also in full, usually in the appendices. Special attention has been paid to the following features which significantly influenced development in the western state - the social and educational background in England, especially in the early nineteenth century; and educational policy and administration in the other Australian states. In addition, most of the important curricula provided for religious instruction in Western Australia have been evaluated in the text and have been cited also in full, usually in the appendices. The second volume of appendices has been attached to incorporate certain key documents. inform the text as well as to ensure that certain extremely rare This has been done to illustrate and papers are not lost to future historians