Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

‘Bible for Every Child’: This Middle-Eastern Nation Allocates More Time to Bible Classes Than Anywhere in World

Image source: Freely Photos
Image source: Freely Photos
Share Tweet
By Will Maule
Author

August 29, 2019

Israeli schools continue to spend more hours teaching students the Bible than almost any other country in the world.

Two Christian Brothers Stabbed to Death in Pakistan Over Car Sticker

According to new data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Middle Eastern nation allocates three times more time to Biblical education in comparison to the United States and the 33 other members of the OECD.

But that might not even be enough for the ancient Biblical land, with Education Minister Rafi Peretz stressing the vital importance of teaching the scriptures to young people.

“The goal is Bible for every child, not just a computer for every child,” he said at a recent seminar held by Herzog Academic College, according to Haaretz.

Peretz argued that when people study the Bible, they have “no questions about our right to the land.”

“These things are clear and known,” he declared. “We are a nation that relies on its spirit, and the Bible is the decisive book in the campaign.”

Currently, Israel allocates some 14 percent of classroom time to religious subjects — the vast majority of this time is used to study the Bible. That compares to just 4 percent across Europe, with the OECD members spending at an average of 5 percent of classroom time on religious studies.

Among state-religious schools in Israel, some 55 weekly hours are allocated solely for Bible and Jewish studies.

While the US falls well behind Israel on the allocation of time and resources to religious education, the Bible is making a resurgence in the education system.

‘Only Theistic Prayer Can Satisfy’: Federal Court Issues Big Victory for Religious Liberty in Prayer Case

In 2017, Kentucky governor Matt Bevin signed a law which makes provisions for the teaching of the Bible in public schools, giving local school boards the power to develop Biblical literacy classes.

“The idea that we would not want this to be an option for people in school, that would be crazy,” Bevin at the signing ceremony, according to CNN. “I don’t know why every state would not embrace this, why we as a nation would not embrace this.”

Indeed, while the GOP has been pushing this agenda for a number of years, in January, the President himself tweeted about his desire to a ramping up of these classes.

“Numerous states introducing Bible Literacy classes, giving students the option of studying the Bible,” he wrote. “Starting to make a turn back? Great!”

Numerous states introducing Bible Literacy classes, giving students the option of studying the Bible. Starting to make a turn back? Great!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2019

And with those words, many who have been championing the open exploration of the Bible in American schools are becoming increasingly excited.

“We’re not too far away from a tipping point,” Chuck Stetson, who publishes a widely-used Bible study textbook, told the Washington Post.

“Instead of having to find a reason to teach the Bible in public schools academically, as part of a good education, you’re going to have to find a reason not to do it.”

Stetson added that when “the president of the United States gives us a shoutout, that’s pretty crazy.”

“It’s got the momentum now,” he added.

Minister Helps Give Out Pre-Paid Gas Cards So Women Can Travel to Get Terminations: ‘Abortion is a Blessing’

One of the politicians at the helm of attempts to introduce the Bible to the schooling system is former Virginia congressman, Randy Forbes, who heads up the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation.

“Doesn’t it just make sense that we should have that book that has been so impactful at least be studied and examined by people who want to study and examine in the place where we go to explore ideas and look at what we are going to do for tomorrow?” Forbes asked in an interview with CBN News.

What is the legal precedent?

Obviously, when comes to the teaching of religious subjects, many issue concern over the separation of Church and State. Indeed, organizations like the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation spend millions of dollars on civil litigation, often with the sole aim of eradicating Biblical recitals and religious symbolism from the public school arena.

And there is good legal precedent for that endeavor — in 1963, the Supreme Court ruled in School District of Abington Township v. Schempp that school-mandated Bible reading is was a fundamentally unconstitutional religious practice. 

It did, however, note that Bible can be studied in schools.

“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,” the ruling read.

Still, those against the initiatives insist that any introduction of the Bible into the public school system is a breach of constitutional values.

The new GOP-pushed classes are “part of an effort to establish this sort of narrow Christian agenda,” Rachel Laser, the president and chief executive  Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told WaPo.

Forbes, however, disagreed.

“We are not trying to get someone or tell someone they have to believe a certain thing,” he said, “we are just saying, ‘Look at the history of this book. Look at the importance of the ideas in this book. Look at how it plays a role in even the policies of the United States of America and you make your own decisions.'”

Latest

  • News

    Actor Mark Wahlberg Reveals Why He Moved Family Out of Hollywood: ‘It’s Really Giving the Kids a Chance to Thrive’

  • News

    Good Samaritan Spots Smoke Coming From Home, Immediately Jumps Into Action to Save Woman and Her Dog

  • News

    Formerly Gay Man Could Go to Jail After Sharing Testimony of Finding God, Embracing Bible: ‘I Don’t Have to Wear That Label Anymore’

  • News

    ‘Doomsday Clock’ Ticks: Elon Musk, Experts Sound Alarm on AI, Potentially ‘Catastrophic Scenario’ Suggest a ‘Pause’

  • News

    ‘Just Pray’: Melissa Joan Hart Describes Helping Kindergarteners Escape Nashville School Shooting


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Actor Mark Wahlberg Reveals Why He Moved Family Out of Hollywood: ‘It’s Really Giving the Kids a Chance to Thrive’
  • Good Samaritan Spots Smoke Coming From Home, Immediately Jumps Into Action to Save Woman and Her Dog
  • Formerly Gay Man Could Go to Jail After Sharing Testimony of Finding God, Embracing Bible: ‘I Don’t Have to Wear That Label Anymore’
  • ‘Doomsday Clock’ Ticks: Elon Musk, Experts Sound Alarm on AI, Potentially ‘Catastrophic Scenario’ Suggest a ‘Pause’
  • ‘Just Pray’: Melissa Joan Hart Describes Helping Kindergarteners Escape Nashville School Shooting

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • culture
  • Culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Roe
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?