The Legislature sparked national debate two years ago when it passed a law allowing all Georgia high schools to teach about the Bible.
But few schools are teaching state-approved Bible elective classes, because leaders say students aren’t interested in the nondevotional course and school districts fear lawsuits if it is taught wrong.
The 2006 bill ignited a loud debate over the difference between preaching and teaching. Many questioned whether schools could teach the history and literature of the Old and New Testaments without proselytizing.
The rollout of the program has been quiet.
I don’t know. Maybe I’m getting more conservative as I get older, but I actually think classes about the Bible (as literature, cultural base, etc.) in high school are a good idea. It’s sad to see large parts of our cultural that a number of people just don’t get because they have little, if any, knowledge of the Bible. One can be an atheist yet still appreciate at the very least the influence the King James Bible has had on the English language and literatures. I’d also say that in this world where religion seems to be playing an ever larger and more outspoken role, the amount of religious illiteracy in this country is worrisome. (Mind you, I’d also advocate the reading of the Quran or other world religious texts simply for the cultural value of such knowledge.)
Kevin
[i]Many questioned whether schools could teach the history and literature of the Old and New Testaments without proselytizing.[/i]
That would be easy. Just put Bart Ehrman in charge of the curriculum. (Of course, one might argue that would still be ‘prosyletyzing.’)
The truth is that a debate over Bible curriculum probably would be very similar to a debate over evolution/intelligent design curriculum, with each side trying to make sure the other doesn’t get critical info and POV out to those young ‘skulls full of mush.’
Bible Class is fine if you are at a religious school.
How many of the commenters here would support public schools teaching the Bhagavad Gita or Koran as literature?
Not many, I suspect.
We were required to read Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. I consider that to have been religious indoctrination by the state. We were not given a choice. It was the pro Buddhist novel or a failing grade. We did not have the option to read the Bible as a course. I wish I could have chosen to study the Bible instead of reading Siddartha. Anything and everything goes as long as it isn’t Christian.
If I had kids I am not sure that I would want them taught the Bible at public school, where undoubtedly the take would be similar to the pseudo-scholarship from the likes of much of the ECUSA clergy.
Sick & Tired,
Well, when I was in school, we had to read a number of novels I didn’t care about. I’m sorry you’re still traumatized, but if I can get over [i]Silas Marner[/i], I’m confident you can can get over [b]Siddhartha[/b]. I seriously doubt it was any kind of “religious indoctrination” or state-sponsored assault on Christianity. Let’s see, considering how many authors and poets have written from a Christian context and comparing all of those ones read in English classes with those of a decidedly non-Christian or anti-Christian context, I think you’ll find it a little heavy on the end of the former. I’m sure John Donne is still taught; he’s definitely a religious Christian type. (Of course, you probably consider him totally heretical.) Basically, your contention falls flat. You really should get over this whole paranoia/persecution-complex.
physician,
“pseudo-scholarship”? Care to explain?
P.S. Are you people even capable of commenting without some snarky reference to the Episcopal Church? Sheesh, shake the dust off your feet, will you?
“I’m sure John Donne is still taught…” I wouldn’t be so sure about that.
[blockquote]Many questioned whether schools could teach the history and literature of the Old and New Testaments without proselytizing.[/blockquote]
Seminaries seem to manage.
But seriously: sociology has ruined education. Its probably better not to teach the Bible than to try and teach it “dispassionately” (i.e. with atheistical assumptions).
I’m confident you can can get over Siddhartha. I seriously doubt it was any kind of “religious indoctrination†or state-sponsored assault on Christianity.
Nah. Just bad writing. I wouldn’t be so sure Donne remains in the curriculum and if he does it is likely not for his Holy Sonnets. High school eachers shy away from teaching 17th C. English … unless it’s bawdy. On the whole, I agree with Father Will Brown. I’m not sure I would want my child to be taught the Bible in a classroom today.
When I was a student at Baylor University, I was required to take either a New Testament class or an Old Testament class (or both, I don’t remember). I took the New Testament class. In the middle of my sophomore year I transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington where I had the opportunity to take “Understanding the Bible” as an elective course. I much prefer the course at the public university compared to the private. At Baylor a specific interpretation (Baptist, and not one I agreed with) was taught and a passing grade rested on agreement with that interpretation in regards to assignments. At UTA I was treated with an unbiased (as it could be) history, explanations of cultures at the time when the books were written, several possible interpretations of Bible stories, and was tested on historical facts rather than interpretations.
The UTA Bible course was probably one of the best courses I took in college. I do believe the Bible can be taught in a public school without indoctrination or proselytizing although it does depend on a good teacher who knows exactly what they are doing. I would definitely consider allowing my child to attend such a class but only if I also had the chance to review the material and assist him in his education at home (which I plan on doing anyway since I believe that is what a good parent does anyway). At least I have a few more years before he starts school. 😀
Well Kevin, I guess I never did get over it. In fact, we home school our children so that faceless bureaucrats with an anti-Christian bias don’t have the final say in what goes into our children’s minds. My kids started learning cursive in Kindergarten and can both read above grade level. They also memorize Scripture and can also recite poems by Robert Louis Stevenson and Emily Dickinson. They are performing mathematics above grade level. They have a better knowledge of basic geography than many in high school. Etc.
Far from being a victim, I have determined never to let others dictate to us in educational matters. I refuse to be a victim. I refuse to accept substandard academics from the public school self-esteem mills. When I see high school kids working at McDonalds pressing the hieroglyphics keys to place a meal order and see their inability to make simple change, I know that our decision was the right one. When I read about elementary school children having sex in the classroom in front of their peers when their teacher is called away, I know that we made the right decision. When I read about teachers abusing children, I know we made the right decision. When I read about nearly 50% drop out rates, I know that we made the right decision. When I read about a greater than 70% functional illiteracy rate in our county, I know that we made the right decision.
I hope a lot of people stop “getting over itâ€, stop being victims, and start taking control back from the “professionals†in Education.
Have a nice day.