Baptists turn from public schools [NC]

News & Observer ^ | Aug 26, 2007 | Yonat Shimron

[jern]

Convinced that God has been erased from public schools, Southern Baptists are now working to open their own schools, where Jesus is writ large and Bible study is part of the daily curriculum.

Church leaders are not calling for a wholesale exodus from public schools, which would be a monumental hit, considering that Southern Baptists make up the nation's largest Protestant denomination with 16 million members.

Rather, they talk about alternatives to public schools capable of educating a new generation ready and willing to advocate for biblical principles rather than popular culture.

"In the public schools, you don't just have neutrality, you have hostility toward organized religion," said Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest. "A lot of parents are fed up."

Southeastern is leading the push, sponsoring a Christian School 101 workshop Monday and Tuesday. The program is designed to train church leaders to open private schools.

At Southeastern and elsewhere, Southern Baptists have become convinced that fighting to change the system is futile. They say public schools have long demonstrated a commitment to teaching evolution over creationism, world faiths over Christianity, sex education over abstinence, moral relativism over Christian claims of truth.

A history of alienation

The denomination's disenchantment with public schools is not new. It dates to the 1920s, when states debated the teaching of creationism vs. evolution. Evolution increasingly won, despite the famous Scopes Monkey Trial in Tennessee, which gave the victory to creationists. The 1962 and 1963 U.S. Supreme Court decisions banning prayer and devotional readings from public schools only increased Southern Baptists' ire.

Since then, alienation with public schools has grown alongside the nation's culture wars, pitting evangelical Christians against secularists.

"Southern Baptists see the new religious establishment in this country as secularism,"

[achilles2000]

You are right - they are government schools. But the homeschool kids who are taking dual credit courses are typically mature and are only taking courses that have substance (e.g. math, lab science). The result is that they usually enter 4 year schools at 18 as sophomores and juniors, which, today, is a huge cost savings.

[beezdotcom]

I have a beef with the schools taking my tax money, when I don’t, never have, and never will use them. I also have a beef with the government requiring that I pay for them and that any child who cannot afford an alternative use them.

Common ground.

[wintertime]

By implication.

·····················

So? Every time someone criticizes government schooling, by ïimplication¨ they are speaking ïll¨ of your particular children? Any criticism of government schooling in general is taken as a personal insult because you are using the government schools?

What a great way to shut down all discussion regarding government schooling!

[beezdotcom]

So? Every time someone criticizes government schooling, by ïimplication¨ they are speaking ïll¨ of your particular children?

Not at all, and you know better (or darn well ought to). Timing and context are everything - I had been talking very specifically about my situation.

What a great way to shut down all discussion regarding government schooling!

Hardly.

[beezdotcom]

The result is that they usually enter 4 year schools at 18 as sophomores and juniors

As will my children.

[swmobuffalo]

“I’m sorry to hear about your experiences - but our youth pastor is incredible, and our church would not settle for what you seem to think is the norm. Nor does our pastor care about his “evangelist” reputation, he cares about the lives and the souls of his church members and the community.”

But see, they depend on blanket statements such as those made to bolster their “we’re right and you’re wrong” arguments.

Just like the blanket statements on all government schools are bad, all teachers are evil and anyone who doesn’t homeschool is abusing their children!

And just in case, this time my post is only half sarcasm.

[achilles2000]

Congratulations!

[beezdotcom]

Thanks. The family loves to rib my son about the fact that, even if he were so inclined, he would be in grad school before he could take a legal drink. He just replies that his grades should benefit...

[StarCMC]

I really am truly sorry that you believe that about churches. Maybe others are like that - mine isn’t. I am very involved and I just don’t see that AT ALL.

[unspun]

That may be tough to create, based on some of the responses I read here. I'm gathering that no true Christians could send their child to ANY public school, so obviously you'd have to exclude any who do.

Doncha love it when people make up doctrines?

[swmobuffalo]

Read my post again. I was referring to the posters that made those types of comments. Not the types of churches they were denigrating.

[beezdotcom]

Doncha love it when people make up doctrines?

Indeed - and I love it more when they become hostile in promoting them...

[StarCMC]

GOTCHA! Sorry - I misunderstood! :-)