The Two Cultures?

In the parish there are three secular, non-Church schools in addition to our Church infants school. On Monday the all-through primary school sent a class to the church to look at art, which inevitably involved some discussion of the purpose of that art (because it's a church); on Thursday I was in the other primary school doing an assembly on their value of the term, 'Forgiveness', which was of course Christian in content; and this Wednesday I'll be in the secondary school delivering a seasonal assembly on Christmas. I know that secular-minded people would prefer there was no contact between State schools and religion at all, but what I can say is that, certainly in sunny Surrey, there is no marginalisation of Christian thinking or institutions in the way the new Christian Nationalist right would have you believe. Oh, and last week I did a reflection at the turning-on of the Swanvale Halt Christmas lights. All of these are secular settings and occasions and to be asked to participate in them is nothing other than a privilege.