The Lutherans of New York, Their Story and Their ProblemsWenner, George Unangst
History
The Lutherans of New York, Their Story and Their Problems
Wenner, George Unangst
Lutherans -- New York (State) -- New York
The Jewish Community (Kehillah) is doing work far exceeding anything
that Christians have done in the way of religious education. It has
established 181 schools of religion, for children in attendance at the
public schools, in which 40,000 children are enrolled. In other forms
instruction in religion is given to 25,000 children. Thus out of 275,000
Jewish children in the public schools 23.5 per cent. receive week-day
instruction in religion. Energetic efforts are made to reach the
remaining 210,000. The pupils have from one to four periods each week,
after school hours, each period lasting from one to two hours. The total
sum annually expended by the Jews for week-day instruction in religion
is approximately $1,400,000.
From "The Jewish Communal Register of New York City, 1917-1918, [tr.
note: no close quote for title in original] we quote as follows:
"In the typical week day school, the number of hours of instruction
given to each child varies from 6 1/2 hours in the lowest grade to 9
1/2 hours in the seventh or highest grade. . . . The total teaching
staff consists of 615 teachers, of whom about 23 per cent. are women.
The salary of teachers ranges from $300 to $1,200 per year. The average
salary is $780 annually for 22 hours' work during the week."
The Jews ask for no concession of time from the public school. They seem
to have physical and intellectual vigor enabling them to utilize, for
the study of religion, hours which Christian children require for rest
and recreation.
Lutherans hold that it is the function of the church to provide
instruction in religion for its children. What are the Lutherans of New
York doing to maintain this thesis? Over 40,000 children of enrolled
Lutheran families obtain no instruction in religion except that which is
given in the Sunday School and in the belated and abbreviated hours of
catechetical instruction.
A movement is now going on in this city and throughout the United States
aiming at a restoration of religious education to the functions of the
church. For the sake of our children ought we not heartily to cooperate
with a movement which so truly represents the principles for which we
stand? It will require a considerable addition to the teaching force of
our churches. It will mean an expensive reconstruction of our
schoolrooms. It will cost money. But it will be worth while.
The Problem of Lapsed Lutherans
There are four hundred thousand lapsed Lutherans in New York, nearly
three times as many as enrolled members of the churches.
A lapsed Lutheran is one who was once a member, but for some reason has
slipped the cable that connected him with the church. He still claims to
be a Lutheran but he is not enrolled as a member of a particular
congregation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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