Madam, - I was dismayed by the uncritical coverage given by the media of the Iona Institute's recent survey on religious knowledge. The institute seems to equate religious "knowledge" with quiz-like questions of little relevance to young people's lives in the 21st century.
What possible interest would a modern teenager have in formulations such as the immaculate conception and transubstantiation, except in the context of a school RE exam?
Does the exact number of sacraments in the Roman church, or even the precise location of Jesus's birth matter?
I would like the survey to have found out whether young people are engaging with the core teachings of Jesus and which stories in the New Testament (if any) are inspiring them to live loving, generous and meaningful lives.
This telephone survey was conducted by land-line only. The exclusion of mobile phones must have disenfranchised the vast majority of students and other young people working away from the family home. The survey formed part of a larger marketing survey, so the respondents were not even asked their nationality or religious affiliation, only their age, sex and social class.
- Yours, etc,
GAY BROCKLESBY, Beechwood Lawn, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.