tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15453937.post1811078813279768313..comments2024-01-10T17:36:15.040-07:00Comments on The Lippard Blog: Teaching the Bible in public schoolsLippardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16826768452963498005noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15453937.post-20260170366946078752009-10-30T08:44:32.261-07:002009-10-30T08:44:32.261-07:00OneCrazyMama: Unfortunately, there is no incentive...OneCrazyMama: Unfortunately, there is no incentive for teaching the entire Bible in churches--it is only taught selectively because the doctrines taught by most churches have evolved independently of what the Bible says, and present problems. See <a href="http://lippard.blogspot.com/2009/10/atheist-alliance-international.html" rel="nofollow">my report on Daniel Dennett's talk about clergy who have become closet atheists as a result of seminary at the Atheist Alliance International convention</a>.<br /><br />I agree with you that the Bible shouldn't be taught *exclusively*, though there's no reason it couldn't be taught *specifically* without a church/state violation, so long as that was teaching about its contents and history, rather than advocating it to be inerrantly true. Given the time constraint Neural Gourmet mentions, perhaps the World Religions component route is the most realistic.<br /><br />My high school U.S. History class (I graduated in 1983) got up much closer to the present, but it was a pretty rapid glide. I had a separate World History class, as well as a World Religions class, *and* a Christianity/Bible-specific class, but that was at a Jesuit college prep.Lippardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16826768452963498005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15453937.post-79973346017553047472009-10-29T23:37:53.553-07:002009-10-29T23:37:53.553-07:00We should have world religions and world history t...We should have world religions and world history taught in US public schools beginning in the lower grades. It is vital to understanding the world.<br /><br />As to the teaching of the Bible, specifically and exclusively: NO. Church and state must remain separate for the health of both. <br /><br />To be honest, I wish more of the churches would worry more about actually increasing their own epistemology, origins, and scriptures on their own turf in an open, studied and loving manner.<br /><br />Sadly, the last church I attended was filled with lay people who were completely ignorant of their own history and texts. Well versed on superstitions/generalities, but lacking in any meaningful understanding (or interest in understanding) their own faith.<br /><br />Bibe literacy in public schools, grrr, how about some literacy in the churches?<br /> <br />My nightly prayer anymore is something along the lines of: God, please save me from your other followers.OneCrazyMamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09717482286850065968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15453937.post-11654661525960759112009-10-28T11:45:42.150-07:002009-10-28T11:45:42.150-07:00Jim,
I greatly appreciate your objectiveness in t...Jim,<br /><br />I greatly appreciate your objectiveness in this matter, and I find it amusing (although not surprising) that you and I think identically on this subject.<br /><br />Without a comprehensive knowledge of the Bible, much of our cultural history would be met, in our present day, with that "deer in the headlights" gaze, as our students miss the import of many great works of literature, turns of phrase, etc. Context, context, context.<br /><br />Good job!Mike Beidlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10404666980227401390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15453937.post-14800547940223576772009-10-28T11:19:00.277-07:002009-10-28T11:19:00.277-07:00You know, I wouldn't mind seeing a World Relig...You know, I wouldn't mind seeing a World Religions component to the standard Social Studies curriculum. After all, if students are studying world and American history they're going to bump up against the major religions anyway so why not given them some context to understand the impact of religion on history?<br /><br />The problem as I see it, is where to fit it into the curriculum. There's so much content to fit into the curriculum already. I don't know how it is today, but when I was in high school in NYS (I graduated in 1986), the Regents college-bound curriculum pretty much stopped with the conclusion of World War II after four years of studies.Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09230447874923339087noreply@blogger.com