The Tennessee Board of Education has approved guidelines on how to teach the Bible in public high schools. The curriculum was created in response to 2008 legislation which authorized the state to create a course for a “nonsectarian, nonreligious academic study of the Bible.”
Beginning in the fall of 2010 high schools that want to teach students from the Bible will be able to do so using this approved cirriculum. Here are a few of the guidelines according to the Tennessean:
• Students will read biblical narratives, identify chief characters and analyze plot, literary form and intended impact on the reader.
• Students will learn and discuss pivotal historical events and geographic locations and compare the religious, social and cultural lives in the ancient world.
• Students will show how the Bible has impacted art, literature, music and thought by reading pieces of work that use biblical allusions and listening to music that relies on biblical text.
State officials have gone to great pains in developing principles for the new class which are safe from court challenges. Yet there are those who believe that the new state-approved Bible course could violate church and state separation. They insist that much of it depends on who is doing the teaching.
The class will be an elective class for credit in Social Studies and not a required course.
There are some districts that already have a Bible course as part of their educational program. They are not required, under law, to teach the new state-approved curriculum and will continue to use the cirriculum that they already have in place.
What are your thoughts on this new state-approved Bible course?
Would you encourage your young person to take the class or not?
Comments
What a load of crap. Teaching fiction as if it's fact.
I wonder if the TBR would go to such an effort to develop a course on world religions or the Koran?
Sam, Your response appears to be more of a commentary on your view of the Bible, rather than the article. I see nothing in this article that leads me to believe the Bible will be taught as fact under these guidelines. The guidelines listed here seem to be quite deliberately neutral on the subject.
I feel they should be able to teach the Bible without guidelines. This country was founded on God. Suddenly people want to rip Him out of the picture. If it continues judgement will fall.
It's so nice to see your "faithful follower" Sam again. As to the article, yes teaching the bible should be an option. If a student wants to form his or her own opinion that can only happen if they get to explore the bible, its teaching and the history involved. A close minded person is one who wont even take a look to see what they are screaming NO about.
I don't feel very good about the limitations, however, God has no limitations. So if they want to have guidelines that is fine. God has no boundaries and he will reach those who are ready to hear the good news!
If you left it up to the people in this backward state, they'd require Bible study, creationist teaching, and try to eliminate any mention of other religions in school. TN is moving backward, not forward. I know from experience. My friend teaches in a local Middle School where all but one of her colleagues that teach science are creationists! Truly pathetic. Intellectualism, science, and art aren't emphasized in this culture. It's football, nascar, and pop idols that rule the day.
I live in this state, and I am appalled that a Bible Studies class approved while a World's Religion course isn't. Please avoid generalizations, as they are insulting and offer nothing positive.
Allowing kids to objectively study the Bible isn't a problem itself. The problem is that kids are not given a chance to study other religions, and that many of the teachers who teach these courses are highly-religious, therefore making the class less about studying and more about worship.
I feel that it's great that they allow the option for students to read the Bible in school. They do it here in West Virginia and parents have to consent to it. But it's a great step in the right direction. As controversial as it may or may not be, we do need the priveledge to allow our children the option. This is great news. I hope that it is received well with participation. Our fundamentals of America are based upon religion whether many want to accept it or not. Thanks for sharing some good news~
If you left it up to the people in this backward state, they'd require Bible study, creationist teaching, and try to eliminate any mention of other religions in school. TN is moving backward, not forward. I know from experience. My friend teaches in a local Middle School where all but one of her colleagues that teach science are creationists! Truly pathetic. Intellectualism, science, and art aren't emphasized in this culture. It's football, nascar, and pop idols that rule the day.
As an atheist, I have to say that if the course is taught exactly how the guidelines should be taught (i.e. teaching the bible as an influential piece of literature) then I have no problems with it. I am, however, skeptical that these guidelines will be followed.
But we know that the Bible has been massively altered by the early Catholic church and we know that there are thousands of errors of translation so learning needs to take place in the light of that. The most well known is in Isaiah 7:14 where the word 'Virgin' has been substituted for 'young woman' and the original is in the present tense and not the future tense and so not a prophecy-so for'Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son etc read 'Behold a young woman has conceived and given birth and called his name Immanuel etc. We also know that the Genesis story of the creation was provably derived from the Epic of Gilgamesh and Enuma Elish. I say provably by hundreds of points of comparison, certainly proof that would stand up in court but these other much earlier Mesopotamian scriptures were about multiple Gods and not Jehovah. There are some 40 written up creation stories but the irony is that the Genesis story may be the only one that we can prove to be a construct and untrue.
@Kim
It just so happens that I live in this backward state and am offended by your remark.
This was government mandated. Tennessee was only following orders. So if you have a problem with it take it up with the idiotic politicans in Washington who'd rather meddle in these types of affairs than do anything to help our country with it's economic recovery & health-care.
How interesting that an atheist has no problem with this program but someone who is obviously over-educated on the Bible does.
I'm all for my teen taking this class. She learns about everything under the sun in her other history and science classes. It's about time they approve cirriculum for a class on the Bible that will allow students to get credit and learn about something they are interested in.
All in all I believe it's a good thing if it stops frivilous lawsuits and allows Christian to come out of hiding to study together.
What harm is there in reading a book? They teach about Socrates and Plato in an historical context with little controversy. Why should this be any different? What is there to fear? Christianity is based on faith, you either have it or you don't.
Sounds like a wonderful course; I'm all for it. They teach everything else in school, why not the Bible?
You KNOW that in this state where we have creationist science teachers that this will be taught as a religion class, not in accordance with the intent. I would only hope that a careful examination of this book be presented that shows it's hundreds of factual inconsistencies and contradictions, so that people may see this book for what it is, a collection of stories and legends that really have questionable credibility when pertaining to historical facts.
The comments I saw on CNN seemed to be more favorable than not. I hear people say it's just a book; if so, why do they get so upset about it being read? I remember saying the Lord's prayer, having homework of memorizing the 23rd Psalm, and seeing the 10 commandments on the wall above our water fountain in first and second grade in public school. Yes, that was in the late 50's-- early 60's. Did not affect me in any adverse way --Did not become a committed Christian until way into my adulthood so it's obvious I wasn't brainwashed in any way.
For example:
John the Baptist was Elias
Matt 11:14
John the Baptist was not Elias
John 1:21
The father of Joseph, Mary's husband was Jacob
Matt 1:1
The father of Mary's husband was Heli
Luke 3:23
There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David
Matt 1:17
There were but thirteen generations from Abraham to David
Matt 1:2-6
The infant Christ was taken into Egypt
Matt 2:14,15,19,21,23
The infant Christ was not taken into Egypt
Luke 2:22, 39
There was but one woman who came to the sepulchre
John 20:1
There were two women who came to the sepulchre
Matt 28:1
There were three women who came to the sepulchre
Mark 16:1
There were more than three women who came to the sepulchre
Luke 24:10
It was at sunrise when they came to the sepulchre
Mark 16:2
It was some time before sunrise when they came.
John 20:1
Would you accept such a story taught i
For example:
John the Baptist was Elias
Matt 11:14
John the Baptist was not Elias
John 1:21
The father of Joseph, Mary's husband was Jacob
Matt 1:1
The father of Mary's husband was Heli
Luke 3:23
There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David
Matt 1:17
There were but thirteen generations from Abraham to David
Matt 1:2-6
The infant Christ was taken into Egypt
Matt 2:14,15,19,21,23
The infant Christ was not taken into Egypt
Luke 2:22, 39
There was but one woman who came to the sepulchre
John 20:1
There were two women who came to the sepulchre
Matt 28:1
There were three women who came to the sepulchre
Mark 16:1
There were more than three women who came to the sepulchre
Luke 24:10
It was at sunrise when they came to the sepulchre
Mark 16:2
It was some time before sunrise when they came.
John 20:1
Would you accept such a story taught i
Kim:
I can't help but wonder what website your information came from. It appears you've just copied it and pasted it in.
It's interesting to see the extent that some will go to in an effort to prove their point even if they are wrong.
You are obviously threatened by the Bible. There are far more truthes that can be proved than there are falsehoods to be exposed.
Young people have every right to being allowed the option of a Bible class during high school. God only knows what they are already being taught--if only on a daily bus ride.
Your comments about the state of Tennessee paint a very inaccurate picture. But then again so do your comments about the Bible.
Melinda, I think this is a good idea. I'd let my kids take the class and even encourage them to do so.
People have a right to take a class on the Bible. It is an elective which means those who take it will have an interest in the contents of the course.
In the end people believe what they want to believe. It is a matter of the heart not the head.
I'm for this class although I wish big government never had been forced to step into this issue at all.
This is another attempt my Christians to push their agenda. They probably paid people off on the board of education. The Bible has no place in school.
Why just a Bible class? If the intentions are entirely secular in nature, why not a "Religions of The World" class, or a class on the history of religion? I read in another article that classes will be required to make literature regarding other religions available upon request, but that seems like hardly the same thing as devoting an entire class to the Bible. This alone makes me suspicious of the intentions of it all.
This is another way to brainwash children in my opinion.
My point is made by the contradictions of the Bible itself and they documented below. If this is to be taught as historical fact, then it is obviously poorly documented and unreliable as a source of historical reality. I could have given 200 more examples of contradictions in the Bible, not only regarding historic facts, but doctrine as well.
Ask yourself, how would any witness with so many contradictions hold up in court? It's a joke to think the Bible is a historical document. As Founding Father Thomas Jefferson said, "A professorship of theology should have no place in our institution."
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Thomas Cooper, October 7, 1814, referring to the University of Virginia
"The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter." -- Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, April 11, 1823
Kim:
Your point has been clearly stated. However, I disagree. Perhaps the Bible contains a few hundred translation errors but overall when you look at the 66 books it has no trouble proving it's own validity.
Are you a follower of Thomas Jefferson? He was an adulterer who fathered many children with his slaves. Why would he embrace Jesus Christ? He'd have had to repent and change his ways.
The Bible says on Romans that "for since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."
That means when you stand before God you will be without excuse. Every knee will bow & tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. That includes you whether you currently believe it or not.
Perhaps you should direct your passion towards exploring the Bible as a whole. Your eternal destiny depends on it.
I say this as one who is concerned for your soul.
This is a ridiculous waste of our tax dollars.
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