The Bible, Shakespeare and public schools

The Washington Times ^ | 08.15.05 | Ernest W. Lefever

[Coleus]

When I attended public school in York, Pa., in the 1930s, the teacher began each day by reading 10 verses from the Old or New Testament without comment. We then recited the Lord's Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance -- two decades before the words "under God" were added.

But things have changed. Since the turbulent 1960s, the secularization of American culture has proceeded apace. The "free exercise" of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment has been under increasing pressure by the ACLU, the National Education Association and other liberal voices who insist that "religion" be banned from the public square.

Americans differ on the role of religion in society, but virtually all of them believe that public schools should not be used to proselytize for one religion over another. But they disagree on whether the Bible, sacred to Jews and Christians alike, should have any place at all in the curriculum of tax-supported education.

Some educators insist that the Bible be banned from public schools because its presence would seriously breach the "separation of church and state" -- their words, not the Constitution's. They contend that teaching the Bible would promote sectarian strife and subvert our multicultural society.

But the tide may be turning. A recent survey conducted by the Bible Literacy Project funded by John Templeton found that 90 percent of the top American English teachers consulted agreed that the Bible has had a profound and positive influence on the "laws, morals, politics and other literature" of Western civilization, and that knowledge of the Bible is crucial to a well-rounded high school education. They emphasized that there are no legal barriers to teaching the Bible as literature and that the Supreme Court has not banned the Bible from public schools.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Do you remember my previous exchange with the Marxist troll referenced to on post #20?

[little jeremiah]

It's starting to come back to me, through the mists of time...

[youthgonewild]

Conservatives waste too much time on meaningless issues like "under god" and putting the Ten Commandments in courtrooms. Hello, government is getting bigger and nothing is stopping it! I wish the Goldwater wing of the Republican party were still in charge instead of the "socialist lite Hot-Button isuue do-nothings"

[Born Conservative]

[Coleus]

I wish the Goldwater wing of the Republican party were still in charge instead of the "socialist lite Hot-Button issue do-nothings" >>

Amen! and get rid of the Dept. of Ed. and the No Child Left Behind.

[nickcarraway]

William Shakespeare has likewise had a profound influence on American thought. The Bible and Shakespeare are by far the most quoted sources in the Western world. In Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, the King James Bible rates 53 two-column pages while the Bard gets 85 pages. In contrast, Charles Dickens gets four pages and Herman Melville three.

Both the Bible and Shakespeare deserve an honored place in America's public schools.

Shakespeare Ping (Let me know if you would like on the ping list)

[nickcarraway]

"accused?" I was unaware that there was any policy in placer at FR against quoting the Bible.

[NYer]

When society distances itself from God, He reciprocates.

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[bannie]

In order to be truly "educated"--to be able to understand the allusions of the educated, one must have a knowledge of The Bible.

[KC_for_Freedom]

The professor in my Lit class had to give a summary of Christian (Catholic and Protestant) theology in class so that the students (most of whom had no clue) would have a better understanding of the texts we were reading.

In my high school senior year '63, we studied "The Old Man and the Sea" to get an "A" the final essay had to discuss the main character and his "Christ like" image. Even though Hemmingway said he did not deliberately put a Christ image in the story. We also had a chaplin give grace at our Seniro breakfast. We turned out alright.

I believe schools need to get some courage and realize that part of the reason teachers have tenure is so that they can be a little controversial and not lose their jobs. No one wants to see the schools or local governments begin to "establish a religion", but we would like them to teach.

[Salvation]

**But the tide may be turning.**

I think the pendulum is swinging to the right.

[moog]

I don't want that to happen as a result of Newdow's suit, because his suit is a loser.

I am a teacher and Newdow IS my top 10 list of people to dislike. To be honest, I wish people on both sides would stop the politicing and get back to basics in some things like education.

[moog]

"When I was in grade school in the early 60's in Kentucky we went to Weekday School of Religion every Wednesday. That was the day for our particular class.We walked single file three full city blocks to a Baptist Church where we spent an hour in class, much like a Sunday School Class. This was a regular classtime for public school children from the time I was in first to sixth grade. As I remember now, it was very important to all of us to be able to go to this class each week. One reason was because it enabled us to get out of regular class for an hour to take a walk,lol, but also, to study, sing and hear stories about the Bible. I remember my friend Rhonda Cohen and I used to hold hands as we entered the Church and sat next to each other in class, we had such a good time. For some children it was the only time they were in a church, hopefully it stayed with them as it did me. We need to get back to basics."

This has been going on for my congregation for over 20 years for high school students. The public school supports it. The only opposition has been from other congregations.

[savedbygrace]

Good point.

[moog]

Amen! and get rid of the Dept. of Ed. and the No Child Left Behind.

I actually agree with you:).

[moog]

Thanks. I do think a lot of things can be accomplished without everyone and their dog making it into some kind of political issue.

[moog]

I really can't believe Newdow. It's NOT even about offending him at all. No one's held a gun to his head to say the Pledge with "under God" in it.

[highball]

It's been a number of years since this nation was truly "under God".

Many citizens and residents are still "under God", but the nation isn't.

Which is exactly how it should be. That's precisely how the Founders established this nation in our Constitution.

Men may hold any faith they choose, may practice as they wish, but the nation does not have a faith.

[savedbygrace]

Then please explain how it could have happened that one of the very first acts of Congress was the authorization for the printing of Bibles, Christian Bibles?