Posted on 04/15/2006 3:02:45 PM PDT by twippo
"A well-known, local Christian pastor is denouncing a controversial new Bible curriculum designed for public schools which he says encourages students to question whether the Bible is the inspired Word of God."
I support the right of school districts to have elective Bible classes.
But if they do, it can't be religious and so the class will of course question the bible.
That's one reason I'm not enthused about forcing non-Christians to teach bible in public schools.
The only solution is anarchism + christian self governance.
bump
Within a comparative religion course that includes Hinduism, Hudaism, Buddhism and native americans and primitive peoples, sure, why not?
Knowing Dr. Kennedy's activism for a long time, he was one who initially advocated for these very types of classes. I'm sure he would only want believing Christians to teach these courses, but that isn't possible to ensure in a secular environment.
It is not surprising in our current cultural environment that a textbook designed for public schools essentially ignores historical-critical problems. However, these could easily have been incorporated within the attribution approach with statements such as, "Many biblical scholars believe..." Moreover, it is not just historical criticism that is absent; synchronic methods and conclusions receive no real attention either, despite several references to the work of Robert Alter, who is also listed as a consultant. None of the actual authors or "content contributors" — Joanne McPortland, Marjorie Haney Schafer, Ph.D., Marc Stern, J.D., and Eve Tushnet — is listed in the SBL directory or appears to be a biblical scholar by profession. On one level, the absence is astonishing. The project as a whole might be likened to a high school textbook on, say, government, in which no recognition is given to the fields or methods of political science or history, and treatment of issues proceeds by attribution: "conservative Republicans say," "moderate Democrats hold, etc."
Since that time, I have looked more deeply into this project.
There used to be a running joke in response to Falwell's Moral Majority that ran "The moral majority is neither.' Well, the same could be said of the Bible Literacy Project: it is neither Biblical nor literary, and whatever it is about, it is certainly not Bible Literacy.
Ah, but that wasn't his intent in promoting these programs. The intent is to promote the Bible as divinely inspired.
Fundamentalists won't be happy with that approach either.
You favor Christians seceeding and creating their own nation, ala the Israelites?
So who decides which words to take literally, symbolically, metaphorically, or spiritually?
We know Catholics and Protestants are divided over literal interpretation of John 6:54-56.
High school and undergrad students questioning and discussing the Bible, history and what not out of position of sheer ignorance is a very 20th century American idea of education, which has lead to many of the cultural and knowledge crises we are experiencing today. We really have a dumbed down populace.
I don't like this proposal. Its fraught with problems and too much mischief. I mean how many Bible studies and Sunday schools can a person attend in a average city. Thats not even getting into the subject of private schools
"So who decides which words to take literally, symbolically, metaphorically, or spiritually?"
Lacking a central authority in Rome, it falls to each Protestant man, woman and/or congregation.
"We know Catholics and Protestants are divided over literal interpretation of John 6:54-56."
Yes, among other things.
"I don't like this proposal. Its fraught with problems and too much mischief. I mean how many Bible studies and Sunday schools can a person attend in a average city. Thats not even getting into the subject of private schools"
And I can guarentee you the curriculum will incorporate local bias. For example there are areas in the South with strong anti-Catholic sentiment. Heck, us Baptists have about 40 splinter groups just among us.
No. I don't want any country. There would be no central leadership. I want Christians to serve one another.
Among many other things. I've yet to meet anyone who went to Catholic school and was taught in the belief of a literal Adam and Eve, six-day creation story. I'm sure Catholics who believe that way exist, but it seems not to be the official position of the church.
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