ARTIST and religious teacher Anthony Padgett is unrepentant about a controversial workshop presented at St John's with St Augustine's CE Primary School in Accrington.
His bizarre teaching methods, which involve using remote control cars in which pupils race Jesus against rival gods, have hit the headlines in the Times Education Supplement and The Mail On Sunday.
Director of Education for the Diocese of Blackburn, the Rev Peter Ballard, said: "I accept the school tried to be innovative with the curriculum, but it just didn't work. It has caused such a stir nationally that I would just advise other schools to consider just what they are doing.
"I am not blaming the school. It tried to do something exciting, which did not quite come off.
"Church of England schools are very happy to teach respect for other faiths. I cannot say that all faiths are equal because that is not what Christians believe."
But the artist himself denied that he was simply saying that all religions were equal.
He told the Observer: "The idea was about diversity and respect for each other's religion.
"It is about not being over-competitive with each other, but respecting each other. My workshops are not just about religion but are religion and art-based.
"My workshop is about the individual's freedom to decide his own faith.
"Suppression in the past has caused persecution and war."
Headteacher of St John's with St Augustine's, Mr Geoffrey Garlick said: "As a Church of England school we are trying to be innovative with our religious education.
"This was experimental work and parts of the day worked better than others.
"The day concerned one year group, our deputy head and a governor who had been a teacher for 38 years working alongside the children for the day and some excellent work was produced."
Thirty five children at the school took part in activities on the day that included creating their own gods, racing them on remote-controlled cars which were rigged not to allow a winner, dressing as religious leaders and taking part in a quiz.
