Subject:  Georgia Bible Courses Bill to Mark First for U.S |
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Date Posted: 08:47:21 05/01/06 Mon
Author Host/IP: adsl-068-157-198-127.sip.tys.bellsouth.net/68.157.198.127
"Georgia Bible Courses Bill to Mark First for U.S.
Friday, Mar. 31, 2006 Posted: 5:00:03PM EST
Georgia is poised to become the first state in the nation to approve the use of the Bible as a textbook in public schools – a move expected to recharge the debate between church and state separation.
The proposed legislation, which would create two courses - History and Literature of the Old Testament Era and History and Literature of the New Testament Era – to be offered as electives, passed the Georgia House of Representatives last week with an overwhelming 151-7 majority before being passed by the state Senate earlier this week. The state’s governor, Sonny Perdue, is expected to sign the bill into law, sanctioning the state-funded elective courses in Georgia public high schools.
"The Bible has had so much influence on Western civilization and culture that it would be silly not to include it in any academic curriculum," said Randy Brinson, founder of Redeem the Vote, a Montgomery, Ala.-based faith organization that has supported similar efforts in Alabama and Florida.
Brinson told the Miami Herald that students that don’t have a rudimentary education of the Bible are “ill prepared” for college.
“We are talking about enhancing public education," he said.
While Patrick Grant told the Herald that he supports offering a forum for all religions to be taught, the father of two school-aged girls added that it should be “teaching, not preaching."
Barry Lynn, executive director of Washington D.C.-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State, further stated, “It (The Bible) can’t be taught as truth.”
Critics such as Lynn are most concerned with how to teach the Bible without promoting religion. They also believe the legislation, as written, is skewed toward the Christian faith.
"This is very unusual," said Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center, a Virginia nonprofit that promotes constitutional freedoms, according to the Miami Herald. “In fact, it is unprecedented to have these kinds of courses offered with this kind of support from the state.”
While other state school systems offer classes in the Bible, Georgia's law would be the first to require that the Bible be the core text as opposed to a textbook. Legislators in Alabama and Missouri are considering similar measures. "
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