Bible Literacy at School

Paper Summary:

In this essay the writer employs logic to assert that Bible literacy should be integrated into public schools for the purposes of ethical and moral instruction. The writer maintains that such courses would expose young people to the Judeo-Christian tradition upon which the nation of America was founded. Finally, the writer maintains that Bible literacy allows for some meaningful discussion about religion and its applicability to different life experiences within a safe and predictable structure. In the final analysis, the writer notes that Bible study classes can open up new vistas of understanding and offer children the sort of moral instruction they might not receive elsewhere.

From the Paper:

"To begin with, moral instruction for America's young people is vitally important; without it, the future becomes a bleak landscape, indeed, and the country's vitality and march forward into progress on a host of social and political issues are both compromised. An ancient article first appearing near the turn of the last century pointed out that the Bible can capably serve as a foundation for moral guidance and instruction - albeit the understandable desire not to give offense to non-Christians, or even Christians who adhere to specific branches of one of the world's great religions has always made the introduction of the "Good Book" into a classroom an extremely controversial matter. Still, with so many of today's children coming from homes wherein one or even both parents are often temporally or emotionally unavailable, having a strict delineation of moral imperatives articulated to them in the relative calm and safety of the "typical" classroom is quite important. Furthermore, it should be added that basic elements such as selflessness, looking after others, living one's life in accordance with high moral virtues, and assiduously avoiding things like sloth, avarice, or lasciviousness are precepts which can be readily adopted by most anyone - regardless of whether one is Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist or affiliated with some other religion."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Isaacson, Walter. "God of Our Fathers." Time 5 Jul. 2004: 62-63.
• Rem, Ethan Allen Cross. "Bible-Study in State Colleges and High Schools: A Way Out." American Journal of Sociology, 20.5 (1915): 700-705.
• Zyskowski, Bob. "Bible Study: It's not just for Protestants anymore." U.S. Catholic, 65.8 (2000): 12-18.

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