As the UK government continues to float the "Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill" through parliament, it could have a significant impact on the freedom of Christians to homeschool their children in future. While some aspects of the bill will seem like common sense, others raise red flags over government intrusiveness into families, signalling the thin end of the wedge towards effective state control over home education.

In this episode Andy and Aaron discuss numerous questions surrounding this. What right does the government have to speak into the education of your children? What is statism, and why is it especially dangerous in a secular climate? Why is bureaucracy a particular danger in education legislation? What strategies can Christians employ to challenge state incursions with both winsomeness and integrity?

** ENJOY POD OF THE GAPS? Why support the podcast; just a small donation helps us keep making these episodes: https://soundcloud.com/wkop-podcast **

RESOURCES:

- https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3909

- https://www.homeschoolnetwork.org.uk

- Christian Home Education Support Service (CHESS) ... https://chessuk.org

- https://education.christianconcern.com/home-education/

- Anthony Forsyth, Caesar and the Church (2022). https://www.amazon.co.uk/Caesar-Church-Biblical-Study-Government/dp/1934952729

- Aaron Edwards, "The Violence of Bureaucracy and the Gospel of Peace" https://brill.com/view/journals/ijpt/12/2/article-p195_4.xml

Episode 91 - Can the government tell you how to educate your children?

In this first pilot episode, Aaron, Andy, and Michael explore one of the big questions raised by the COVID lockdown — what *is* church? Is it the kind of thing that can happen online, or is there an essential "in person" element? And what have been the challenges (and opportunities) for the Church in the pandemic?

This is a listener-supported podcast. If you enjoy the show and would like us to keep making these episodes, please consider supporting us @ www.patreon.com/wkop

Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps

Episode 1 — Is Online Church Really Church?

In this second episode, Aaron, Andy, and Michael explore another massive  question raised by the COVID lockdown — how do the Church and State relate? Can the State tell the Church what to do? Is Romans 13 the sum total of what the Bible has to say about how Christians should relate to their government? How do we know when the State has crossed a line and the Church should say "this far and no further?"

This is a listener-supported podcast. If you enjoy the show and would like us to keep making these episodes, please consider supporting us @ www.patreon.com/wkop

Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps

Episode 2 - Can the Church Resist the State?

In this third episode we discuss the relationship between church and culture. How can we avoid the two opposite pitfalls of simply being shaped by the culture around us or, on the other hand, ignoring it all together? How can the Church be truth and light in our culture and offer a unique and distinct voice into some of today’s culture wars? 

Aaron, Andy, and Michael dig into these questions with the usual mix of theology, apologetics, banter, and bad jokes.

This is a listener-supported podcast: if you'd like to help us to continue recording these shows, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/wkop.

Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps

Episode 3 - Has the Church Sold Out to the Culture?

An occasional podcast featuring Aaron Edwards and Andy Bannister. Each episode sees the two friends take a contemporary issue in culture and explore it from a Christian perspective.

Featuring banter, philosophy, culture, theology, bad jokes, apologetics, and more — the podcast aims to help Christians think wisely about the challenges of living in the 21st century.

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Theological and Political Disclaimer 

The content of this podcast does not represent the views of any institutions, colleges, networks, churches, or secret government organisations with which we are affiliated or employed."

Episode 91 - Can the government tell you how to educate your children?

Pod of the Gaps

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