The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-03-22
The Bible Question in Germany.

Fhe Cincinnati Commercial remarks upon this
subject - follows
The subject Of religious instruction in schools
il exciting a considerable degree Of attention in
Germany just now, and especially among pro-
fessIOnal educators. liz - not the mere question,
a with Is, whether q few passages shall be read
from the Bible daily. IN connection with the
singing OF a hymn for the religious instruction
given in the public schools Of Germany Is Of an
entirely different character from this. II l. not
a mere ceremony or form Of worship at the open
ing Of the DAYS exercises. but regular teaching,
on the Bible and the catcchism- Biblical history
i generally taught from manual. prepared for the
purpose, from which the more Objectionable mat
ter, such as Is not . profitable for OBLIGATION, -
is omitted. The evangelical system OF doctrine,
Oh the other hand. l. taught with eurtailment, or
Il, at least, supposed TO be. As may be supposed,
the objections TO this method do not come from
the side of the clergy, or those whose faith in
clerical teaching hes never been shaken. Ii IS
no extravaglnt statement Of the case 10 say that
the great majority Of the school teachers in the
Protestant countries of Germany are not exactly
- evangelical " in their theological opinions.
The old system Of school inspection, which has
recently been abolished in Prussia. and which
had previously been modified IN some OF the other
States, WIS not calculated to cndear the clergy to
the teachers, but rather to foster IN the latter a
feeling of aversion 70 the clerical Office, and to
clerical doctrines generally. There has been II
EAV liz tNNAAAZ ~ AAfa,N IN~AE N~~~ NN ~CaNA
of the church was interfering too much with the
special province Of the school, and especially has
the conviction been gaining ground that the pres
ent method of religious instruction hampers the
progress of the pupils In real knowledge, and
prevents the harmonious cultivation and develop
ment of their faculties. Hence the lively contro-
versy which has sprung up In educational peri
Odicals, pamphlets and Teachers Conventions.
There seems to be very great unanimity in the
desire for reform, but considerable diversity of
opinion as 10 the precise nature OF the reform To
be inaugurated. Comparatively few voices have
been raised thus far in favor of the total exClu-
sion OF religious instruction from the public
school. Inc educational writers arc all but
unanimous in the opinion that without special
religious training the school would fail of fulfill
ing It's mission. They demand, however, that
the whole subject shall be relocated to the school
that the church as such shall have nothing TO do
with it that the school shall not only iInpart the
Instruction., but determine It's character. The
question as to how far the religious teaching of
the school shall be accommodated to the evangel-
zeal system Is the point at which the opinions
begin seriously to dIveTge. Some are willing TO
90 to considerable length in the direction Of COM
promise others are reluctant to make any con-
ccssiOns at all. Director Lueben, OF Bremen, a
veteran teacher and an acknowledged authority
ON educational subjects, has published n pamphlet
on Religious instruction in the Elementary
Schools, . IN which not so much a departure from
the present method is advocated as the saturation
of it with rational ideas. In his view religious
instruction comprises d" the cultivation of the re.
ligious and moral sentiments, the knowledge
and comprehension Of Christian doctrine, i. c.,
of the Christianity of Christ, aud a knowledge OF
the gradual development of religion, especially oil
the Jewish and Christian" His fundamental
position is that the child shall not itself be COM
PEELED to go through the different historical phases
of religious development. 1t shall be taught
only that which will stand the test of it's later
culture. Christianity, for instance. is to be sep
arated from those accretions which do not really
belong to it " the whole ballast Of miracles " lie
to be thrown overheard. Nothing is to be taught
which reason has not shown to be true, and
which has not proved it's value in the various sit
nations of life. The Bible is to be used, not at
% the word Of God, and therefore infallible in
all it's parts, but as a book similar in it's origin
TO the books of our own times, containing, besides
much that is erroneous, religious truths that are
universally valid.