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Trump wants Bible classes in schools

Shoostie

Active Member
The class have to be taught from a neutral academic position, but considering that most churches do a poor job when it comes to teaching the Bible, this is better than nothing. Safeguards need to be in place to prevent the classes from being used to bash the Bible.
 

agedman

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
The class have to be taught from a neutral academic position, but considering that most churches do a poor job when it comes to teaching the Bible, this is better than nothing. Safeguards need to be in place to prevent the classes from being used to bash the Bible.
Why?
 

StefanM

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Have you ever seen a secular college NT Studies class?

Exactly. They are typically exercises in liberalism.

I oppose having Bible classes in public schools because teachers will not be able to teach from the perspective of faith, and if you can't teach from the perspective of faith, you can't teach the Bible properly.

I don't mind having occasional excerpts used in literature courses, for instance, but any full course on the Bible will involve dealing with the truth claims of scripture. If you can't affirm the truth claims of the Bible while you are teaching it, what is the point?

I think most people really understand what is going on---calling for Bible courses is an attempt to have a backdoor way of promoting Christianity in public schools. The problem is that, at least to me, it seems disingenuous, and I don't think that is a God-honoring way of achieving the goal of spreading the truth of God's word.
 
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agedman

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Exactly. They are typically exercises in liberalism.

I oppose having Bible classes in public schools because teachers will not be able to teach from the perspective of faith, and if you can't teach from the perspective of faith, you can't teach the Bible properly.

I don't mind having occasional excerpts used in literature courses, for instance, but any full course on the Bible will involve dealing with the truth claims of scripture. If you can't affirm the truth claims of the Bible while you are teaching it, what is the point?

I think most people really understand what is going on---calling for Bible courses is an attempt to have a backdoor way of promoting Christianity in public schools. The problem is that, at least to me, it seems disingenuous, and I don't think that is a God-honoring way of achieving the goal of spreading the truth of God's word.

Are you afraid of the authority and power of the Scriptures?

If believers REALY take the literalness of Isaiah 55, what is the worry?
10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

I am ancient. I was raised in public schools that every day had Bible reading and prayer.

Didn’t harm anyone then, what harm could it do, now?
 

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
Now - will that pertain just to the Bible - how about the Koran? Book of Mormon? Hindu - Wicca....................

Just saying????
 

StefanM

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Are you afraid of the authority and power of the Scriptures?

If believers REALY take the literalness of Isaiah 55, what is the worry?
10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

I am ancient. I was raised in public schools that every day had Bible reading and prayer.

Didn’t harm anyone then, what harm could it do, now?

What harm could it do now? The curriculum could very easily be shaped by liberal educators, for one.

Am I afraid of the authority and power of Scripture? Certainly not.

Context does matter, though. God, in his sovereign power, can render anything certain, but that doesn't imply that we should be cavalier in any way. God's Word is worthy of a proper presentation. Certainly God can use Scripture to reach someone, even in the midst of poor instruction. That being said, I think it should our goal to make those situations the exceptions and not the rule. Putting Bible classes in public school feels like voluntarily placing God's truth under the restrictions of secular government.

But to circle back to the issue of harm...

I'm not ancient--I'm a millennial, and I can say confidently that the culture of contemporary American schooling is not even close to the same culture you experienced. My generation and the generation after me are far more liberal on the whole. I don't want theological liberals (or worse) writing the curriculum or teaching courses about the Bible, period.
 

agedman

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
What harm could it do now? The curriculum could very easily be shaped by liberal educators, for one.

Am I afraid of the authority and power of Scripture? Certainly not.

Context does matter, though. God, in his sovereign power, can render anything certain, but that doesn't imply that we should be cavalier in any way. God's Word is worthy of a proper presentation. Certainly God can use Scripture to reach someone, even in the midst of poor instruction. That being said, I think it should our goal to make those situations the exceptions and not the rule. Putting Bible classes in public school feels like voluntarily placing God's truth under the restrictions of secular government.

But to circle back to the issue of harm...

I'm not ancient--I'm a millennial, and I can say confidently that the culture of contemporary American schooling is not even close to the same culture you experienced. My generation and the generation after me are far more liberal on the whole. I don't want theological liberals (or worse) writing the curriculum or teaching courses about the Bible, period.
I understand your trepidation.

But, the Scriptures are light and life.

Even when deceitful hands and mouths do the communication (as in all assemblies), God’s Word prevails.
 

StefanM

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I understand your trepidation.

But, the Scriptures are light and life.

Even when deceitful hands and mouths do the communication (as in all assemblies), God’s Word prevails.

I see your point. My preference would simply be to find another method of accomplishing the same goal. God can speak through a donkey, of course, but I wouldn't opt for the donkey if I had a reasonable alternative.
 

Reformed1689

Well-Known Member
Are you afraid of the authority and power of the Scriptures?

If believers REALY take the literalness of Isaiah 55, what is the worry?
10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

I am ancient. I was raised in public schools that every day had Bible reading and prayer.

Didn’t harm anyone then, what harm could it do, now?
Times were a bit different then...
 
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