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MAC LEONARD, Reader at St Paul's Church, Woodford Bridge, writes about his life and ministry as Head of Religious Education at multi-cultural Beal high school in Iiford

I WAS brought up as the adopted son of a working class family. I learned I was adopted the night after I saw the lady I knew as mother die, at the age of 17. My father was a labourer for British Railways as it was then, and my mother a school dinner lady.

I passed the 11-plus and went to the local state grammar school. At the end of my schooling the Head gave me careers advice - "You could join a Bank, or you could teach." I had wanted to be a train driver which gave way to aspirations to join the Police. On the way I felt strongly drawn to becoming an officer in the Salvation Army - some years before that night when my father told me I had been born in the Cardiff Salvation Army home for unmarried mothers. At the time of my careers advice, I was seriously thinking about the priesthood so teaching seemed the obvious path. It took 35 years to realise it was teaching that God wanted me to do!

I trained at St Luke's College (Church of England) in Exeter. At the end of the summer term, I completed 38 years teaching. During this time I have been a practising Christian, and since 1973 a Reader in the Church of England. Until 12 years ago my teaching was in a largely white ‘Christian' environment, including a cathedral school, British Forces overseas schools, PGCE students at a Methodist college in Oxford University, and a state school with a 400-year Christian tradition. In some of these I was senior resident housemaster and lay chaplain, living and working with students 24/7 during term time.

My arrival at Beal High School was something of a change!I often think of the question I was asked at my interview:

Governor: "How do you like your coffee?"

Me (naively): "Black."

Governor: "Don't you think some people would find that offensive?"

Me: "If they find it a problem, the problem is theirs, not mine."

I still got the job and started climbing a very rapid learning curve! My first problem was pronouncing strange names, quickly followed by questions such as: "Do Sikhs go to thesame heaven as Christians?" Not only was I teaching multi-cultural students but I was also working with multicultural colleagues. I had to learn the differences - now I was part of the ethnic minority in a missionary situation. It suits me - I've always had a healthy disrespect for ‘Churchianity' and been something of a ‘commando Christian'. I soon learned that there is a difference between culture and religious belief. Just as many ‘Christians' celebrate Christmas at home without going near a church or saying a prayer, so many Jews celebrate Passover without going to a synagogue and many Sikhs happily cut their hair and never attend the Gurdwara.

Just as many people are ‘Christian' because their parents, grandparents and ancestors far into the distant past were ‘Christians', so it is with followers of other religions who owe a cultural rather than spiritual allegiance to their religious label.

But there was another, far more exhilarating difference - multi-cultural students are interested in religion. In ‘white Christian' schools, teaching RE had been hard work - religion happened when someone was born, someone got married or someone died - ‘the four-wheel brigade' - the pram, the limo and the hearse when perhaps only once, depending on the quality of stag and hen nights, were the participants aware of what was happening anyway! The hatch 'em, match 'em and despatch 'em relevance. Students were disinterested in Christianity and largely hostile to learning about other religious traditions.

At Beal it was different - we had to persuade students not to draw their religious symbol on their blazer lapels! Religious allegiance is eagerly claimed - except by ‘Christians' who own up eventually for fear of having a part of their identity missing. At Beal, teaching RE is like turning on a revolving mirror ball with different coloured lights bouncing off at all angles - I never know which religious viewpoint will come next, nor how strongly it will be phrased and held. My students learn about each other's beliefs - as much from each other as from me. The amazing thing is the tolerance which exists, and the positive respect for each other's belief held by virtually every student - I can only pray they will carry this into our divided society.

The Redbridge Agreed Syllabus follows the Education Act, and specifies that Christianity be taught, along with at least two other religions. I was part of the group which developed the current syllabus and found this a very positive process as far as Christianity was concerned. This is reflected in the classroom - there is a positive approach by the students. Even our Jehovah Witnesses, who are usually withdrawn by parents in most schools, take a full part, even opting for the subject at GCSE and A-level. We teach about the incarnation and resurrection of Jesus, and what Christians believe by salvation. It's a great joy to teach the ground of our faith to young people from all religions and none who are open, prepared to listen and to think about what they are studying. Baptism, marriage and funerals are taught with the Christian teaching about the meanings of these ceremonies.

Both short and full course GCSE are taught: the syllabus covers the teaching of Christianity and one other religion on various personal and social issues. Unusually for a state school, we enter large numbers of A-level candidates all of whom chose the subject as one of three or four A-levels. Of these, few are "practising" Christians and the vast majority come from Muslim, Sikh or Hindu traditions. Our keenest students are often Atheists! The syllabus covers the philosophy of religion and religious ethics, both taught from a Christian viewpoint.

As a Christian, all this is a wonderful opportunity to share Christian belief. As a teacher I teach it as "what Christians believe" highlighting the different opinions within Christianity as appropriate - by law I am not allowed to evangelise. But if I am asked what I believe, then I can and do answer as "a Christian minister in the classroom" - I am encouraged to invite representatives of religion to share their beliefs so there is nothing to stop my sharing mine.

I have the wonderful opportunity to let the gospel speak for itself through the Holy Spirit - the situation takes the ‘me' out of the equation which probably makes the gospel more effective even if the temptation for the "me" to evangelise is always there!

As a Christian there is a wonderful opportunity to evangelise through living the gospel in a multi-cultural
situation - nobody but the evil one can stop what God has worked in me showing through! Students and staff often discuss problems with me, and where I know there is a Christian faith I can and do pray with them. I have been known to pray with Muslims, and I join in their annual end of Ramadan ceremonies.

When I lead assemblies to highlight Christian belief, I can assume the role of Christian minister and have led prayer and reflection for students and staff of all traditions. As I walk about school or do duties, comments like "Put the make-up mirror away - God made you so beautiful you can't improve it" and "We ought to have a prayer meeting about that" reinforce Christian belief with humour. When a student says "Oh God!" or "Jesus Christ", I reply: "No, just his sales representative!"

As a Head of RE in a multi-cultural school I have a wonderful opportunity to teach and live the gospel in a community which is vibrant with belief in a way I have never found before. RE has come to life again -
and my beliefs are challenged and strengthened by comparing them to those held by those with whom I live at work. I have become more tolerant - we are, after all, trying to serve the one and only Supreme Being whatever we may call him. We are all searching for meaning and purpose in our lives - and the more I learn of the other lights flashing on the mirror ball the more thankful I am that I understand the mission of Jesus - the factor which makes sense of that search and gives purpose.

Teaching is indeed a vocation - and not just according to the usual definition of ‘overworked and underpaid worthwhile job'. Our Lord needs Christian teachers in the largest mission field there is - the classroom, corridor and canteen!

If the children don't come to Church we need to go to them. And it's not all doom, gloom and atheism in our schools - those of us working there live the gospel whatever subject we teach. But a few more reinforcements would be more than welcome!

Pray God the Holy Spirit will work through me and all Christian teachers to bring the love of Jesus to the minds, hearts and lives of those of all ages with whom we work.

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