Who decides what religious education your child receives: Parents or the government?

The Supreme Court of Canada
Philippe Landreville, Photographer

Supreme Court of Canada Collection

Today, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) will present a verbal argument in the Supreme Court of Canada in regard to the Quebec case dealing with parents’ rights to determine the religious and moral education of their children.

S.L. v. Commission scolaire des Chênes (hereafter, the "Drummondville" case) addresses the issue of whether parents have the right to choose the kind of education their children will receive, particularly in regard to religious instruction.

The case will cut to the core of what freedom of religion and conscience and parental authority mean in Canada.

At issue is the Ethics and Religious Culture (ERC) program, a mandatory course which must be taught to all Québécois children. The course has as its objective the instruction of children in a manner that will promote “the development of attitudes of tolerance, respect and openness,” thus “preparing them to live in a pluralist and democratic society.”

Essentially, the course teaches children that all religions are the same. EFC is taking a stand for all parents in Canada to determine for themselves the religious education of their children.

Please take a moment to pray for Don Hutchison, EFC’s Vice President and General Legal Counsel Director, as he presents the case today. Pray for wisdom, guidance and peace. Pray, too, for those on the Supreme Court.

You can read the full court case here.