Is it Discrimination to Ask for the Catholic Certificate in Religious Education?

Peter Maguire wrote an article in the Irish Time on 31st October, titled: “Only Catholic Need Apply” where he asked if the requirement of a certificate in Catholic religious education was stopping people from becoming teachers. Despite interviewing a number of people affected, including myself, none of us could come up with an answer. How can you possibly discriminate against someone who doesn’t even fill in the application form?

Rather than me telling you that insisting on a religious certificate in a particular faith is discriminatory, I decided I’d ask a non-biased source. Short of finding an alien who has just landed on Earth, I found the next best thing — ChatGPT. Before I put any ideas into its head, I thought it might be a good idea to ask it what the certificate consists of. This is what it offered:

The Certificate in Catholic Religious Education (CCRE) is a qualification that many teachers in Ireland acquire if they want to teach in Catholic primary schools, which form a significant portion of the schools in Ireland. Here’s a summary of what’s typically involved:

1. **Theoretical Foundations**: This delves into the core tenets of Catholic theology, scripture, liturgy, and Church history. It provides educators with a foundational understanding of the Catholic faith.

2. **Pedagogy of Religious Education**: This component equips teachers with effective methods to communicate and impart the Catholic faith to young students, adapting to their cognitive and emotional development levels.

3. **Spiritual and Personal Development**: Here, participants often engage in retreats, spiritual readings, and other activities that deepen their personal relationship with God and understanding of the Catholic faith.

4. **School & Parish Link**: This emphasizes the close relationship between the Catholic school and the local parish. Teachers are trained to foster this link and to ensure that their teaching is in line with the practices and beliefs of the local parish community.

5. **Practical Experience**: Participants usually have to teach or assist in religious classes, often under the guidance or supervision of a mentor. This gives them hands-on experience in teaching Catholic religious education.

6. **Assessment**: Depending on the program, there may be written examinations, coursework, practical assessments, or a combination of these to evaluate the participants’ understanding and capabilities.

It’s important to understand that this certificate emphasises the Catholic ethos and its integration into the broader curriculum and school culture. In Ireland, since the vast majority of primary schools have historically been under Catholic patronage, the CCRE has been seen as an essential qualification for many teaching roles.

I don’t think anyone would argue with that. I decided to ask something I’m interested in, and that’s whether one is required to study Catholic scriptures as part of the course. (You’d think it would be easy to find this information out directly from the source!)

Yes, the study of scriptures is typically a key component of the Certificate in Catholic Religious Education (CCRE). Understanding the Bible — both the Old and New Testaments — is foundational to Catholic religious education.

In the CCRE, participants usually delve into:

1. **Scriptural Foundations**: This introduces participants to major biblical themes, stories, and figures. They explore key events from the Old Testament, like the creation stories, the covenant with Abraham, and the exodus, as well as central teachings and events from the New Testament, including the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the early Christian community.

2. **Interpretation**: Teachers are trained not only to know the scriptures but also to interpret them in a way that aligns with Catholic teaching. This ensures that when they relay biblical stories and teachings to their students, they do so in a manner that’s consistent with the Church’s understanding.

3. **Integration into Curriculum**: Scriptures are not just taught as standalone lessons but are integrated into the broader curriculum. This means participants learn to weave scriptural teachings and values into other subjects and everyday classroom activities.

Given the centrality of the Bible to Catholic faith and teachings, it’s essential for teachers in Catholic schools to have a robust understanding of it. This enables them to pass on the faith to their students in an informed and holistic manner.

And despite not asking a single loaded question, ChatGPT confirms that the purpose of the certificate is to enable teachers to pass on the faith to their students. Some will say that one doesn’t have to believe in it to pass it on but that doesn’t make sense. In order to pass something on to someone, one has to agree with it in some capacity. For example, when I am teaching 2+2=4 in Maths, I pass that information on as fact. I tell the children, unequivocally that 2+2=4. If I didn’t believe 2+2=4, I would teach the children that many people believe that 2+2=4. If I was a teacher in a Catholic school and I said that many people believe that Jesus Christ wasn’t the greatest guy in history and their opinion is equally valid, I could be fired under Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act for undermining the ethos.

To be honest, there really isn’t a need to go on but now that we are knee deep, we may as well dive in further. So, ChatGPT, what issues would an atheist, a Jew and a Muslim have with doing this course? ChatGPT didn’t hesitate:

The Certificate in Catholic Religious Education (CCRE) is inherently rooted in the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church. For individuals who come from other religious backgrounds or hold secular beliefs, there could be several issues or challenges they might face while pursuing this course:

1. **Doctrinal Differences**:
— **Atheist**: Atheists don’t believe in the existence of deities. Engaging with a curriculum that not only affirms the existence of God but also centers around specific religious doctrines and beliefs could be fundamentally at odds with their personal views.
— **Jew**: While Jews and Catholics share the Old Testament scriptures, they have divergent interpretations and beliefs about them. The New Testament, which is fundamental to Catholicism, is not recognized in Judaism.
— **Muslim**: Muslims believe in the Abrahamic tradition, recognizing figures like Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. However, they have significant theological differences with Catholicism, particularly concerning the nature of Jesus and the concept of the Trinity.

2. **Pedagogical Challenges**:
— Teaching from a Catholic perspective might feel inauthentic or challenging for someone who doesn’t personally believe in or align with its teachings.

3. **Spiritual and Personal Development**:
— A significant aspect of the CCRE is personal spiritual growth within the Catholic tradition. This could be uncomfortable or feel irrelevant for those from different religious or secular backgrounds.

4. **Cultural and Ritualistic Elements**:
— Catholic rituals, practices, and traditions may be foreign or uncomfortable for some. While Jews and Muslims have their own rich traditions of worship and ritual, these differ significantly from Catholic practices. Atheists might not resonate with religious rituals in general.

5. **Moral and Ethical Stances**:
— The Catholic Church has specific positions on moral and ethical issues (e.g., abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, contraception). Those from different backgrounds might disagree with some of these positions based on their personal or cultural beliefs.

6. **Experiences of Exclusion or Misunderstanding**:
— Participants from non-Catholic backgrounds might occasionally feel left out or misunderstood, especially if the course assumes a shared Catholic background among attendees.

7. **Personal Reconciliation**:
— Engaging deeply with Catholic teachings might bring up personal challenges for some as they reconcile the course content with their own beliefs. This could be an introspective journey, leading to a deepened understanding of one’s own beliefs or, in some cases, internal conflict.

These are all individual issues for individual people but many of them will resonate. I guess the final question was the bite the bullet and ask whether the practice of insisting on the certificate was discriminatory. ChatGPT does everything it can to be balanced and, to be fair, it gave both sides:

The question of whether insisting on having the Catholic Certificate in Religious Education (CCRE) for teaching positions is discriminatory is a nuanced one. Here’s a balanced analysis:

### Arguments suggesting that insisting on the CCRE is discriminatory:

1. **Barrier to Employment**: If the majority of schools in a region (e.g., Ireland) require the CCRE for teaching positions, then individuals who don’t have it — especially those who aren’t Catholic or do not wish to undergo Catholic religious education — may face significant barriers to employment.

2. **Potential Bias Against Non-Catholics**: By insisting on the CCRE, schools might be implicitly (or explicitly) favoring Catholic applicants over others, limiting the opportunities for non-Catholics or those who don’t have the certificate.

3. **Lack of Religious Neutrality**: Insisting on a certificate that aligns with the teachings of one specific religion in public or state-funded schools may be seen as a lack of religious neutrality, potentially leading to feelings of exclusion among those of other faiths or none.

4. **Homogeneity**: If all teachers are required to have the CCRE, it might lead to a homogenous teaching environment in terms of religious beliefs, which could limit diverse perspectives in the educational setting.

### Arguments suggesting that insisting on the CCRE is not discriminatory:

1. **Specialized Role**: The primary purpose of the CCRE is to equip teachers to effectively teach Catholic religious education. If a school’s curriculum includes Catholic teachings, it’s reasonable for them to want teachers who are trained in that specific area.

2. **Freedom of Religious Institutions**: Religious schools argue they should have the freedom to uphold and pass on their traditions. If a school’s mission is to provide a Catholic education, requiring teachers to be familiar with Catholic teachings might be seen as essential to fulfilling that mission.

3. **Voluntary Participation**: Schools that insist on the CCRE typically have a Catholic ethos. Teachers who apply to these institutions are generally aware of this requirement. If they choose to apply, they’re opting into an environment with known expectations.

4. **Alternative Opportunities**: While many Catholic schools might require the CCRE, there are also schools that don’t. In places with a diversified educational system, teachers have other options where the CCRE is not a prerequisite.

### On Balance:

The insistence on the CCRE could be viewed as discriminatory, especially in areas where a large percentage of schools require it, thereby limiting employment opportunities for those without the certificate. It becomes particularly contentious if state-funded schools insist on it, as this might be seen as a lack of state neutrality in religious matters.

However, from the perspective of preserving the religious ethos of Catholic institutions, the requirement makes sense. It ensures that teachers are well-equipped to deliver the specific religious curriculum the school offers.

The debate hinges on the tension between individual rights (in this case, the right to employment without religious prerequisites) and the rights of religious institutions to maintain their identity. The answer might vary based on societal context, legal frameworks, and personal perspectives.

I imagine my conclusion will be different to those who are happy with the status quo. I know there are many in the status quo who won’t disagree with ChatGPT either and they will loudly exalt that it is wrong that there are so many Catholic schools and then promptly do absolutely nothing to counter the problem, which says more. However, any analysis of the closest we’ll get to an alien’s interpretation of our education system, would suggest that the insistence of a certificate in Catholic Religious Education is problematic at best.