20 July 2012 Last updated at 07:23 ET

Politician wants Lord's Prayer taught in schools

Constable Gallichan said she was surprised to find children did not know the Lord's Prayer

A Jersey politician wants all children in the island to be taught the Lord's Prayer at school.

St Mary Constable Juliette Gallichan said she was worried pupils spent so long studying world religions they did not learn enough about Christianity.

She said it was disappointing many children in the island could not recite the Lord's Prayer.

Dr Reginald Le Sueur, from the Humanist Society, said Christianity should not be taught as "an unalterable truth".

Constable Gallichan said: "I am sure if I went to live in Israel I would expect to learn more about the Jewish faith than I already know so I would be sure not to offend.

"I think over here, as we are broadly a Christian society still, that would have some weight in their education."

Former Le Rocquier school head teacher, Richard Rolfe, said it was important children were taught the Lord's Prayer in school but not at the expense of other religious education.

The Very Reverend Bob Key, Jersey's Dean, said there was a strong Christian community in the island and children should know the traditional verse.

Dr Le Sueur said: "In order to educate people about world religions, including of course the most dominant one, they have to know the basic belief system.

"This should not be taught as an unalterable truth, it is one belief system out of many."