New Foundations, 1921, page 21

 

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to combat; but one of unconscious cant, of jejune sentiment, of Sunday School cliches. “ I don’t alf love Jesus,” suddenly exclaimed Rose one day, apropos of nothing in particular. Consequently the teaching in the Community Chapel has heen of the simplest. Madame Montessori s axiom holds good in this case, as in every other phase of education, that given freedom and the right environment, a child will tend to develop along the right lines. The Community endeavours to provide such an environment, and stands for the conviction that Religion— that is the relation between a man and his God—must be the guiding principle of his life. As the child is expected to be honest with himself, with his fellow creatures, and in his work, so he is expected to be honest with his God. The fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of Christ, and the presence of the indwelling Spirit, are the only dogmas taught in the school chapel ; while the Christian virtues of love, joy, peace, long- suffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance, are the ideals which the Community sets before all its members, grown-up and children alike, during the week. “ For what is religious knowledge hut knowledge of God,’ says Edmond Holmes, in his “ Secret of the Cross.” 44 And what is knowledge of God, but the realisation of God’s presence in the heart and soul. .... To know God is to love Him, and to love God is to love His children, one’s fellow men. It follows that disinterested devotion, unselfish love, is the germ of religion. To foster the growth of that germ, to give it fair play, to set it free to energise, to make the conditions of the child’s life favourable to its development, is the chief duty of the teacher.” Religious problems are discussed freely and openly, for there are religious problems even at the age of eight and ten. “ If God is power, and God is love, why are people ill and poor ? ’ 44 Can God break His own laws ? ” and, above all, 44 How do we know ? are age-long difficulties, and not to be solved by dogmatic assertion, which serves only to repress. The grown-up can suggest, the child can draw his own conclusions, and from an atmosphere of mutual trust and tolerance, will emerge with a religion of his own.