HUMANISTS have unveiled a study that claims religion has an influence in schools that does not reflect its wider role in society.

The Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) commissioned the research by Glasgow University to examine the place of religion in Scots law which it is hoped will stimulate debate over religious education in schools and its position in wider society.

The researchers found "in general, there has been a strong drift towards the diminution of statutory support for religion and religious influence".

"The major exception to this is education," they said. "Education is an area in which the influence of religion has changed its form, but has in many ways been increasing.

"There is no question that education in the school classroom and the university lecture theatre has been secularising for some considerable time, and is continuing to do so.

"But this is in contrast to changes in curricular and governance structures which have not diminished, but rather strengthened, the place of religion."

Gordon MacRae, HSS chief executive, said: "This landmark report offers the first comprehensive review of the legal framework for religion in Scotland.

"This chapter comes a few weeks after the latest Scottish Household Survey found that 47 per cent, nearly one in two people, in Scotland identify with no religion.

“By presenting the cold hard facts we hope to generate a debate of how we create a modern society that reflects the diversity of beliefs in 21st century Scotland."

History professor Callum Brown - who the HSS said was a member of the society - conducted the research along with law professor Jane Mair and research assistant Dr Thomas Green, neither of whom are members.

Father Thomas Boyle, assistant general secretary of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, said churches and other religious bodies had ceded much of their day-to-day control of Scottish schools to the state in modern times.

He said: “Since the reign of James IV and the passing of the very first Education Act in the world in 1496, schools in Scotland have been a partnership between church and state.

“Modern legislation reflects this historical partnership.”

The £40,000 project was earlier criticised by the Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland as "propaganda dressed up as research".