The Transferor Representatives’ Council, representing the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian Church, and Methodist Church, has made the following statement on the announcement made by Education Minister Paul Givan MLA to the Northern Ireland Assembly this morning:

The Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC) welcome the Minister’s announcement today that he is to conduct a review of the RE curriculum, for which we have been calling for a number of years. The TRC is fully committed to engaging in the consultative group and we also welcome the Minister’s decision to respond to our request that RE is included as part of the general inspection process in schools. We further welcome clarification on the right of withdrawal from Collective Worship and RE.

Religious Education (RE) is one of the most important subjects on the curriculum, as it considers life’s big questions, provides a roadmap for navigating life’s ups and downs, and presents opportunities to learn about what Christians and others believe. We remain committed to supporting schools in providing high–quality balanced RE and meaningful Collective Worship, which reflects the Christian ethos of all of our schools and is consistent with the rights of all children. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the Christian ethos remains and underpins our education system.

The TRC – which represents the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church, and the Methodist Church in education matters in Northern Ireland – has been working with some of the main Christian organisations which work in schools to prepare the document since May 2025 (and before the Supreme Court ruling in the JR87 case in November).

In the letter to principals, the TRC’s Chair, Bishop Andrew Forster, welcomes the Court’s recognition that Christianity remains the primary faith taught in schools, and that religious education and collective worship continue to have an important and lawful place in the school day.

“This is a valuable affirmation of the long–standing role the Christian faith has played in the ethos of controlled schools,” Bishop Forster states. “The Court acknowledged that religious education is beneficial and legitimate, and that the aim of schools should not be to remove religion from the curriculum but to ensure it is delivered in a way consistent with the rights of all families.”

He affirms the value of the contribution of visiting clergy and Christian organisations – a presence which, in the TRC’s view, “enhances and supports” the Christian ethos of schools whether through the delivery of RE or collective worship, or through supporting other curricular or extra–curricular activity.

The Charter is suggested as a document which principals may wish to use as guests come into schools, and it is up to individual schools as to how and whether to make use of it. For example, the Charter can become the basis of an agreement with visitors and/or could be shared with parents to give them confidence in how churches are working with schools in their local communities.

The letter concludes by stating that the Transferor Churches “remain committed to supporting schools to provide high–quality, religious education and meaningful collective worship”.  The TRC also welcomes the review of the religious education curriculum and “is ready to participate fully in the review on behalf of our Churches.”

The Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC) welcomes the statement from the Department of Education of Northern Ireland that it will issue urgent guidance for schools in respect of today’s judgement from the Supreme Court. Pupils, parents, teachers and governors need immediate certainty regarding the implications of the ruling in respect of the teaching of Religious Education and of collective worship in schools.

Bishop Forster, Chair of the Transferor Representatives’ Council, said: “We have been waiting for a long time for this ruling from the Supreme Court, but we are disappointed with the outcome. Today’s judgement raises many questions for our schools as we now move forward beyond the judgement of the Supreme Court.

“Pupils, parents, teachers and governors all need the guidance promised by the Department of Education as to the standing of the religious education curriculum and the place of collective worship in our schools. The TRC, which is recognised by the Department of Education as the body representing the Transferor Churches in matters relating to education and particularly school governance, will continue to build on the decades of work on behalf of our Churches and school communities.”

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) represents the Church of Ireland in all educational matters affecting Northern Ireland and nominates representatives of the Church to any education body as required, including the Transferor Representatives’ Council, the Education Authority, and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council.

Enquiries can be made through the Church of Ireland’s online contact form at the following link: www.churchofireland.org/contact

Dr Peter Hamill

Secretary, Board of Education (Northern Ireland)

‘The Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC) notes the judgement from the Supreme Court and will take some time to consider the ruling. The judgement brings a long court process to a conclusion and once the ruling is considered, we hope it will provide clarity and direction in respect of both the teaching of religious education and collective worship in schools.’

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) represents the Church of Ireland in all educational matters affecting Northern Ireland and nominates representatives of the Church to any education body as required, including the Transferor Representatives’ Council, the Education Authority, and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council.

Enquiries can be made through the Church of Ireland’s online contact form at the following link: www.churchofireland.org/contact

Dr Peter Hamill

Secretary, Board of Education (Northern Ireland)

A full video recording of this year’s Church of Ireland Theological Lecture at Queen’s, by Professor John Wyatt, on the value of human life and its care is now available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA0sCPz08k0

Please note that the video includes references to death and suicide, in the context of current proposals for changes in law, which may be uncomfortable for viewers.

The 67th Lecture at Queen’s was delivered by Professor Wyatt on Monday (13th October). The event is sponsored by the Church of Ireland Board of Education (Northern Ireland) and organised by The Hub – the Church of Ireland and Methodist chaplaincy serving Belfast’s universities and colleges.

Professor Wyatt worked as a paediatrician specialising in the care of newborn children in neonatal intensive care for more than 25 years, and as an academic researcher.  He is Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics and Perinatology at University College London, and a senior researcher at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Cambridge.

A summary of the lecture is also available in an article at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/church-of-ireland-lecture-2025

With thanks to James Poston for videography.

A clear and sensitive approach to the value of human life and care in situations of suffering was shared by Professor John Wyatt on Monday evening (13th October) as he delivered the 67th Annual Church of Ireland Theological Lecture at Queen’s University Belfast.

Professor Wyatt worked as a paediatrician specialising in the care of newborn children in neonatal intensive care for more than 25 years, and as an academic researcher.  He is Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics and Perinatology at University College London, and a senior researcher at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, Cambridge.

The annual lecture is sponsored by the Church of Ireland Board of Education (Northern Ireland) and organised by The Hub – the Church of Ireland and Methodist chaplaincy serving Belfast’s universities and colleges. The lecture was introduced by the Bishop of Connor, Bishop George Davison, and the Provost and Deputy Vice–Chancellor at Queen’s, Professor Richard Miles.

A video of the lecture is available below and the lecture is summarised in the article following the video – please note that the video includes references to death, suicide, and assisted suicide which may be uncomfortable for viewers:

Professor Wyatt noted that the proposed legislation for assisted suicide in England and Wales would – if enacted – result in the lives of a large and increasing number of people being intentionally ended within the law.  In Canada, for example, the number of people receiving medical assistance in dying increased year–on–year from 1,018 in 2016, when it was legalised, to 15,343 in 2023.

While advocacy for a change in the law has mentioned cases of extreme pain, there is a “very large mismatch” between this assertion and how people whose lives have been ended in Canada describe their suffering – most frequently as a loss of ability to engage in meaningful activities, or to perform the activities of daily living, or a loss of dignity.  The experience of depending on the care of others is, though, “part of the narrative of human life” and especially at the beginning or the end of our lives.

He continued by exploring two interpretations of dignity.

Intrinsic dignity is a value that every human life carries and can never be taken away.  This is “radically egalitarian” as everyone has the same dignity, from a pre–term infant to an elderly person living with dementia.  In this understanding, there are no differing degrees of dignity as “every human being is a full member of the human community.”

Attributed dignity is “a value that we confer on others or on our own lives” which can vary, and therefore rise or fall, depending on how others treat us or how we view ourselves.  The Christian ethical tradition holds that we cannot alter or diminish our intrinsic dignity; this leads to an attitude of compassion, gentleness and respect and seeks to enhance the attributed dignity of people who are dying.

Professor Wyatt addressed several grounds on which advocacy for assisted suicide is often based.

In terms of autonomy, patient choice is “at the heart of modern medicine” but patients do not have “unfettered” autonomy about medical treatment.  Medical professionals need to discern whether the treatment is in the best interests of the patient, including whether it is evidence–based and approved for use.

Assisted suicide legislation sets out rational grounds – in the view of its advocates – to describe circumstances in which a life may be ended e.g. a terminal illness, a diagnosis that a person has six months to live, intact mental or legal capacity, and a well–founded and settled will to make that decision.  Each of these criteria, Professor Wyatt suggested, was “contestable” – why should a limit be set at six months, for example? – and there was always the potential for coercion or manipulation.

Compassion is also cited in favour of assisted suicide, as a ‘moral duty’ to respond to a cry for help to end a life.  However, if this interpretation of compassion were to be applied in relation to terminal illness, it could be applied in situations where dementia or a similar condition was present.  A false understanding of compassion could lead to professionals deciding that some lives are “not worth living.”

Professor Wyatt quoted the Elizabethan poet and clergyman John Donne, writing that “any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind”, and highlighted how Dame Cicely Saunders founded the hospice movement on the principle of helping people to live before they died.  The Catholic philosopher Joseph Pieper wrote that love is a way of saying to another person: “It’s good that you exist.  It’s good that you are in the world.”

Concluding the question and response time which followed the lecture, he described modelling dignity as being on the same level as a person in need, sitting in silence with them, listening, and showing them that they are as important as the person giving that care.  “There’s always more to learn,” he remarked, “but it’s the greatest gift you can give anyone.”

With thanks to James Poston for videography.

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) represents the Church of Ireland in all educational matters affecting Northern Ireland and nominates representatives of the Church to any education body as required, including the Transferor Representatives’ Council, the Education Authority, and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council.

Enquiries can be made through the Church of Ireland’s online contact form at the following link: www.churchofireland.org/contact

Dr Peter Hamill

Secretary, Board of Education (Northern Ireland)

How should we respond to questions of suffering, dignity, autonomy and the end of life?

In the 67th Annual Theological Lecture at Queen’s University Belfast, Professor John Wyatt – a respected Christian voice in medical ethics – will draw on his clinical experience, medical expertise, and theological insight to examine these issues.  He will explore the meaning of human life, autonomy, the ethical and spiritual weight of suffering, and the complex moral challenges faced by patients, families, and healthcare professionals navigating end–of–life decisions.

John Wyatt is Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics and Perinatology at University College London. He was Co–Principal Investigator for a research project based at The Faraday Institute investigating the implications for human self–understanding of recent advances in artificial intelligence and robotic technology.  Having spent his working life both caring for babies and researching the mechanisms, treatment and prevention of brain damage in newborn infants, in his retirement he is focussing on the ethical, philosophical and theological issues raised by rapidly advancing technology.

Places can be booked at www.thehubbelfast.org/annuallecture

This public lecture will be followed by a Q&A, encouraging academics, students, clinicians, clergy and interested members of the public to engage with these pressing ethical and theological questions.  The lecture is sponsored by the Church of Ireland Board of Education (Northern Ireland).

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) represents the Church of Ireland in all educational matters affecting Northern Ireland and nominates representatives of the Church to any education body as required, including the Transferor Representatives’ Council, the Education Authority, and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council.

Enquiries can be made through the Church of Ireland’s online contact form at the following link: www.churchofireland.org/contact

Dr Peter Hamill

Secretary, Board of Education (Northern Ireland)

John brought with him over 40 years of experience in the field of education, during which he excelled as a teacher, principal, governor and consultant. His passion for educating young people and his passion for his Saviour were brought together in many of his roles, not least as a member of TRC, on which he represented the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and then on the Board of the Education Authority as a voice for the denomination.

He was a man of great integrity, with an incisive mind and wonderful sense of humour. He was diplomatic and respectful, yet passionate in his pursuit of an effective education system and eager to put his experience to good use in dealing with areas which he saw as needing addressing.

The TRC’s Chair, Dr Andy Brown said: “It was a privilege to know and work with John in the area of faith in education, which was such a passion of his. We are deeply shocked and saddened at his loss and offer our sympathies to his wife Hazel, their children Jonathan and Joanna, and the wider family circle at this distressing time, and wish to assure them that they are very much in our thoughts and prayers.

“John has left an incalculable legacy in the work that he has done – for his Lord and for the cause of education – which will be remembered for many, many years to come. In calling him home, we are sure that God received him with a cry of ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share My joy’.”

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) represents the Church of Ireland in all educational matters affecting Northern Ireland and nominates representatives of the Church to any education body as required, including the Transferor Representatives’ Council, the Education Authority, and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council.

Enquiries can be made through the Church of Ireland’s online contact form at the following link: www.churchofireland.org/contact

Dr Peter Hamill

Secretary, Board of Education (Northern Ireland)

Archbishop John McDowell, as Chair of the Church of Ireland’s Board of Education (Northern Ireland), has issued the following message of thanks to principals of controlled schools as the school year concludes:

Dear Principal,

The Church of Ireland Board of Education (NI) would like to wish you, your staff and governors a quiet and restful summer.

We appreciate all the work you undertake for children and young people in your care. In this ever–changing world, consistency and support for our young people is vital. The need for ensuring the well–being of both staff and young people is paramount.

I recently made a statement regarding the civil unrest and the impact on the learning for our children has been largely overlooked. We hope and pray that children will see our schools as safe places where they can flourish and learn.

The Church of Ireland Board of Education (NI) is delighted that so many parishes link in with their local school and provide support through a range of projects such as reading support and practical workshops. If you need any support that the local church could give, please reach out to the local parish and see if they can help.

We pray you will have a good break and come back refreshed for the autumn term.

Yours faithfully,

The Most Revd John McDowell
Archbishop of Armagh

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) represents the Church of Ireland in all educational matters affecting Northern Ireland and nominates representatives of the Church to any education body as required, including the Transferor Representatives’ Council, the Education Authority, and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council.

Enquiries can be made through the Church of Ireland’s online contact form at the following link: www.churchofireland.org/contact

Dr Peter Hamill

Secretary, Board of Education (Northern Ireland)

This project is featured in a new video in the Inspiring angles series.  With funding from the Board of Education (Northern Ireland) and St Columba’s, Derryvolgie, a repurposed classroom includes a sensory room and a calm area for counselling, listening and mentoring.

As interviewees explain, the partnership between the school and church provides light and hope in the local community through a real sense of teamwork.

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) represents the Church of Ireland in all educational matters affecting Northern Ireland and nominates representatives of the Church to any education body as required, including the Transferor Representatives’ Council, the Education Authority, and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council.

Enquiries can be made through the Church of Ireland’s online contact form at the following link: www.churchofireland.org/contact

Dr Peter Hamill

Secretary, Board of Education (Northern Ireland)