Vocabulary words for students to define:
advocacy, indoctrination, proselytizing,
Three Principles
First, while it is constitutional for public schools to teach children about religion, it is unconstitutional to use public schools to advance particular religious beliefs.
"The school's approach to religion is academic, not devotional."
"The school may strive for student awareness of religions, but should not press for student acceptance of any religion."
"The school may sponsor study about religion, but may not sponsor the practice of religion."
"The school may educate about all religions, but may not promote or denigrate any religion." (all p. 8)
Second, the course should avoid advancing particular religious beliefs.
"The Bible may be used as a primary text, although it probably should not be the only text for a course. Schools should avoid the use of instructional materials and lessons that are of a devotional nature, such as those used in Sunday school." (p. 7)
The curriculum should not show favoritism for one version or religious interpretation of the Bible over another.
Third, if public schools decide to offer religion or Bible courses, teachers should possess the relevant academic training and should teach the course as a proper academic subject. The teacher should have serious academic study of the Bible and other religious texts.
"When selecting teachers to teach Bible electives, school districts should look for teachers who have some background in the academic study of religion. Unless they have already received academic preparation, teachers selected to teach a course about the Bible should receive substantive in-service training from qualified scholars before being permitted to teach such courses." (p. 9)
While teachers are completely free to have deeply felt religious beliefs, it is not appropriate for them to use the classroom to advocate their religious beliefs to public school children.
The above statements come from: A statement by the American Civil Liberties UnionSearch: "examples of religious academic courses in public schools constitutional religion as literature"
EXAMPLE of a set of Guidelines for teachers
Example of training for teachers
-- The Program in Religion and Secondary Education at Harvard University, contact The Divinity School, 45 Francis Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, 617/384-8047. Attention: Diane Moore, Director.
-- The Religion in Public Life Certificate Program at the University of Pennsylvania should be addressed to Christopher Pastore, Director, Master of Liberal Arts Program, College of General Studies, University of Pennsylvania, 3440 Market St., Suite 100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3335, 215/898-7326.
-- The Religion and Public Education Resource Center to Dr. Bruce Grelle, Dept. of Religious Studies, California State University – Chico, CA 95929-0740, bgrelle@csuchico.edu, 530/898-4739, or visit www.csuchico.edu/rs/rperc/.
-- The Council on Islamic Education may be reached by calling 714/839-2929, writing to P.O. Box 20186, Fountain Valley, CA 92728-0186, e-mailing info@cie.org, or visiting www.cie.org.
-- The Oxford University Press series Religion in American Life, call 800/445-9714, e-mail custserv.us@oup.com, or visit http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/series/ReligioninAmericanLife/.
-- The Character Education Partnership is located at 1025 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 1011, Washington, DC 20036. Call 800/988-8081 or visit www.character.org.
-- “Religion in the Public Schools: A Joint Statement of Current Law” may be obtained by writing: “Religion in the Public Schools,” 15 East 84th St., Suite 501, New York, NY 10028, or visiting http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/04-1995/prayer.html.
-- America’s Religions: An Educator’s Guide to Beliefs and Practices by Benjamin J. Hubbard, John T. Hatfield, and James A Santucci. It is available by contacting Teacher Ideas Press at 800/225-5800, P.O. Box 6926, Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926, custserv@teacherideaspress.com, or www.teacherideaspress.com.
Courses
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| See it on Amazon |
Tips about finding an academic textbook
1. Use a critical resource
2. Supplement the readings from various academic sources.
About the book: Religious experience and reflection have always engendered poetry and literature, prompting the imagination and moving beyond speculative thought. In this anthology, the editors address the common origins and various stages in the development of religious expression and literature, as well as the various interpretive methods that have been used to explain these literary texts.
The subject of literature is human experience.
Several qualities make a text literary, and it is easy to overlook the most basic and universal principle of literature. That principle concerns the content of literature. Literature takes human experience as its subject. When we read a work of literature, we share an experience. Literature is truthful to life and experience and is not primarily a delivery system for an idea. A literary approach to the Bible identifies and relives the human experiences that are portrayed and avoids reducing the Bible to a set of ideas. Link to the Source: Leland Ryken (PhD, University of Oregon) served as professor of English at Wheaton College for nearly 50 years. He has authored or edited over fifty books, including The Word of God in English and A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible.
===============================The goal of schools is to encourage reading. BENEFIT: Some students find religion to be an important part of their lives. By allowing the Bible, Koran and other religious texts in the classroom, some students will feel "hey, here's something that I need to read."
Essential to understanding the work of Giotto
Surveys show there’s ignorance about the basics of the Bible, especially among younger Americans. Even religious skeptics would have to admit that’s a serious cultural and educational problem, wholly apart from Scripture’s religious role. Bible knowledge is essential to comprehending the art of Giotto and Chagall, Bach cantatas and African-American spirituals, Shakespeare’s plays, countless allusions in novels and poems, historical events like the Protestant Reformation and the civil rights and anti-apartheid movements, the rhetoric of U.S. presidents, populism and pacifism, and on and on.
CLARIFY WHAT WAS BANNED
The U.S. Supreme Court outlawed mandatory Bible readings in public schools for creating an “establishment of religion” that violated the Constitution’s First Amendment (in Abington v. Schempp,1963). Although the justices barred ceremonial and devotional use of the Bible, they included this key clarification:
“It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected consistently with the First Amendment.”
So the Supreme Court itself has explained the “why,” but the “how” has proven difficult during the ensuing half-century. School districts have been reluctant to apply the Court’s admonition, fearful of legal threats, wary of maneuvering through America’s growing religious diversity, and unsure how to obtain appropriate teachers and curricula.
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Below are some key excerpts for “The Bible & Public Schools: A First Amendment Guide” about teaching the Bible and Literature and the Bible in History in America in a constitutionally acceptable way:
When teaching about the Bible in a public school, teachers must understand the important distinction between advocacy, indoctrination, proselytizing, and the practice of religion which is unconstitutional and teaching about religion that is objective, nonjudgmental, academic, neutral, balanced, and fair which is constitutional.
The Bible and Literature
Academic study of the Bible in a public secondary school may appropriately take place in literature courses. Students might study the Bible as literature. They would examine the Bible as they would other literature in terms of aesthetic categories, as an anthology of narratives and poetry, exploring its language, symbolism, and motifs. Students might also study the Bible in literature, the ways in which later writers have used Bible literature, language, and symbols. Much drama, poetry, and fiction contains material from the Bible.
Bible Electives in Literature
A literature elective in the Bible would focus on the Bible as a literary text. This might include the Bible as literature and the Bible in literature. A primary goal of the course would be basic biblical literacy a grasp of the language, major narratives, symbols, and characters of the Bible. The course might also explore the influence of the Bible in classic and contemporary poems, plays, and novels.
From the Washington Times=================
Comments by a teacher about the benefits to students from studying religious texts as "literature."
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When does using the Bible in a classroom become "oppressive" so that studnets feel uncomfortable? (Is that the prime reason for the "separation of Church and State and taking the Bible out of the classroom?)
Can the Bible be offered as a choice? Yes: as a study of literature.
Why?
1. The Bible is printed in many versions. There are free websites that have different versions of the bible. BENEFIT: Students learn about synonyms.
2. The Bible is a common book. BENEFIT: Copies of the book can be found cheaply. However, the TEXTBOOK is also needed.
3. The book is LONG. Benefit: With over 11,000 chapters, there is a lot for students to read. Students can't complain that they have "run out of something to read."
4. The Bible is about HISTORY. BENEFIT: Students can practice creating timelines. Students can learn about "chronology" and "why it's important to know what came first so you can decipher and analyze a plot."
5. The Bible has entered the common language. BENEFIT: Students will be able to accurately quote and interpret the Bible. "Money is the root of all evil." Oh? What is the complete quote? Answer below.***
Other religious texts should be included in the course "Religious Texts as Literature."
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An extended quote from the ACLU statement
Those seeking to introduce Bible courses in public schools should particularly take into account the following three key principles that emerge from The Bible in Public Schools:
First, while it is constitutional for public schools to teach children about religion, it is unconstitutional to use public schools to advance particular religious beliefs. Among the important statements made in the guidelines are:"The school's approach to religion is academic, not devotional."
"The school may strive for student awareness of religions, but should not press for student acceptanceof any religion."
"The school may sponsor study about religion, but may not sponsor the practice of religion."
"The school may educate about all religions, but may not promote or denigrate any religion." (all p. 8)
Unfortunately, some people promote "Bible education" as a disguised way of advancing their particular religious beliefs in public schools. One way for public schools to avoid being used to promote particular religious beliefs is to offer courses that teach about a broad range of the world's religions rather than courses that focus on a single religious text. While this approach is not constitutionally required, it certainly can help alleviate legitimate concerns about there being a hidden agenda to promote a particular religious tradition.
Second, the structure of the specific course curriculum, including the choice of textbooks, supporting materials, and teacher outlines, should be developed with a conscientious effort to avoid advancing particular religious beliefs.
"The Bible may be used as a primary text, although it probably should not be the only text for a course. Schools should avoid the use of instructional materials and lessons that are of a devotional nature, such as those used in Sunday school." (p. 7)
If public schools decide to teach about the Bible, the curriculum should be scrupulous in not showing favoritism for one version or religious interpretation of the Bible over another, whether Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, or other.
Third, if public schools decide to offer religion or Bible courses, teachers should possess the relevant academic training and should teach the course as a proper academic subject. The teacher's educational background should not be limited to that of a particular religious tradition, but should include serious academic study of the Bible.
"When selecting teachers to teach Bible electives, school districts should look for teachers who have some background in the academic study of religion. Unless they have already received academic preparation, teachers selected to teach a course about the Bible should receive substantive in-service training from qualified scholars before being permitted to teach such courses." (p. 9)
While teachers are completely free to have deeply felt religious beliefs, it is not appropriate for them to use the classroom to advocate their religious beliefs to public school children.
* * * *
Some who promote religion and Bible courses in public schools wish to help students better understand the world in which they live and of the role that religion plays in peoples' lives. This can be done in accordance with sound constitutional values. Others promote such courses with the obvious intention of enlisting public schools to advance their particular religious beliefs. Ultimately, it should be remembered that the promotion of religious faith is the fundamental responsibility of parents, families, and religious communities — not legislatures, government offices, or public schools.
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***
"The LOVE OF money is the root of all evil."
1 Timothy 6:10
There is a gate into Jerusalem called the "Eye of the Needle." It is a narrow gate and camels had to be unloaded to get the load through the gate. How do you get a camel through the eye of a needle? By unloading
This is an example of an analogy. BENEFIT: Students learn how to interpret a metaphor.
