Last night, Sydney Anglicans chose to get even more serious about recruiting and training Christian teachers for both public and Church schools.
A motion was debated to establish the Anglican Education Commission (AEC) as an effective base for education advocacy, teacher recruitment and teacher education for the Diocese’s schools.
The proposal gives the AEC " currently part of Anglican Youthworks " its own independent board and ordinance to take on these broader responsibilities.
However, a successful amendment from James Jack from Lugarno parish, who is employed to teach Christian Studies in a public school, widened the focus of the initiative so Sydney Anglicans would "train, recruit and encourage Christian teachers… to minister in public schools as well as church schools."
He spoke of the "dangers of focusing on church schools solely'.
"The majority of students are in public schools," he said. "Very few are getting Christianity taught and modelled at home."
"Christian teachers can be increasingly isolated," he added, explaining that at his high school he was the only permanent Christian teacher on staff.
"This makes it harder to establish Christian Studies units in public schools, especially in the face opposition from the teachers union, it must be said."
In moving the original motion, Dr Bryan Cowling pointed out that non-Christian parents place their children in Anglican Schools "knowing they will receive a Christian education'.
"We owe it to those young people," he said, to get serious about recruiting and training Christian teachers.
Over the last decade Synod has expressed a desire to recruit Christian teachers
The Rev Al Stewart, CEO of Youthworks, said that former English teacher Ian Keast has been employed by the AEC with the aim to recruit "Christians into teaching'
Mr Stewart reports that Mr Keast has spoken to 23,000 young people about becoming a teacher in either a public or Christian school.
Between four and five hundred people have expressed an interest, said Mr Stewart.
"We will begin to see the fruits of that over the next few years.”
Archbishop Peter Jensen especially thanked SHORE school, including former Woolworths CEO and SHORE chairman Roger Corbett, who "helped us get our thinking straight' on the issue.
An amendment proposed by Adrian McComb to direct the AEC to negotiate partnerships with existing Christian teacher training providers such as Wesley Institute was lost.
Dr Cowling argued that Mr McComb's amendment would tie the hands of the AEC.
Feedback on draft education policy
This debate was followed by a group discussion and feedback session on the Diocese's draft education policy.
Dr Bryan Cowling said the policy is "multi-faceted'.
The policy is about education not just schools, he said, so includes issues such as training Bible study leaders.
"It needs to be a living document not just "archived' in St Andrew's House. That's why we are seeking your feedback tonight."
Archbishop Jensen added that the purpose of the exercise was to "test and improve it for next [Synod]'.
Dr Grant Maple, co-author of the policy and head of the AEC, admitted the policy does canvas one particularly controversial issue.
It asks all Board members of Anglican Schools to sign a statement saying they believe the Apostles Creed and that ‘there is only one way to God which is through his Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us the death that everyone deserves; and that God's word, the Bible, is the one final authority in all matters of faith and conduct’.
Some Synod members, including the Rev Mark Tough from Minchinbury, asked why Anglican school teachers were not also being asked to sign the statement.
Archbishop Peter Jensen explained that some school principals believed that a "mixed' teaching faculty provided the best educational outcomes.
