A GIANT billboard depicting Jesus with a dinosaur has angered a major Christian group amid a feud over special religious ­instruction in schools.

The 12.5m x 3.5m sign, to be installed in Melbourne’s Bentleigh East as early as today, aims to cast doubt over what volunteer instructors are teaching children — urging parents to opt out of the sessions.

But the main provider of the classes has claimed the billboard “dishonoured” Jesus.

Father of three Rupert Fitzpatrick-Robertson, a member of the Fairness In Religions In School group, which paid thousands of dollars for the billboard, said the spiritual development of children was too vital to be left to SRI volunteers and should be the domain of parents.

He said religious instruction was better placed via programs at places of worship, not at schools during class time.

“Schools are for education — they are not for preaching to five-year-olds,’’ Mr Fitzpatrick-Robertson said.

“We want SRI volunteers out of the classroom.”

The depiction of Jesus Christ with a dinosaur aimed to get a “chuckle” out of parents and prompt them to think about what went on in religious instruction classes, he said.

ACCESS Ministries chief executive officer Rev Canon Dr Evonne Paddison, whose organisation provides most SRI sessions in Victorian schools, said its volunteers were trained, followed Education Department guidelines and stuck to an agreed curriculum.

“We feel that the billboard is dishonouring to Jesus and are sure that many fair-minded people will find it offensive,’’ Dr Paddison said.

“Our curriculum does what it should do; it gives an understanding of the biblical story and explains the basic tenets of the Christianity faith.”

Victorian parents must opt in to SRI classes if they want their children to take part.

A Ministerial Direction is being drafted to clarify how SRI operates.

wes.hosking@news.com.au