Scenario 1
You have been invited to take a specifically Christian collective worship / assembly in the local school. You discover that 40% of the children are Muslim. What do you do?
Clues
- Look at school worship policy and talk to the Headteacher about the usual practice in the school.
- Identify your own faith position. You should make this clear to the staff as well as the children. Remember that others may not share your position, but the Muslim children are likely to respect your beliefs.
- How will you deal with prayer? Care needs to be taken in the wording and placing of prayer in the assembly. Consider an alternative, such as silent reflection.
Resources
Further advice on prayer in multi-faith schools:
- The Multi-Faith Church School
Brown, A
1992 (Second impression 1997), The National Society ISBN 0 901 81926 3- Praying Their Faith
Johnson, C (ed)
1999, CEM ISBN 1 851 00132 8
Simple guides to Islam:
- Islam: Beliefs and Teachings
Sarwar, G.
1984, Muslim Educational Trust ISBN 0 907 26103 5- Islam: A Short Introduction
Tayob, A.
1999, Oneworld ISBN 1 851 68192 2- What Muslims Believe
Bowker, J.
1998, Oneworld ISBN 1 851 68169 8