Christianity and Public Education: Do they Go Together

CHUCK COLSON

In his article, "Integrating Faith and Public Schools Without Mixing Church and State", Eric Buehrer says that teaching students about Christianity and its positive influence on American culture is not only possible, it's legal, and a legitimate academic pursuit for public schools.

Many educators assume that because our society has become so diverse in recent years, it's inappropriate to give Christianity any greater attention than other religions in today's public school curriculum. In their minds, it's insensitive to give more emphasis to Christianity that to, say, Islam or Buddhism. It's like being a cultural bully.

A good education not only means that students can learn about Christianity, it means they can learn how the Christian religion has had a positive impact on the world. But is education like that really possible in today's public schools?

The handbook continues, "Study about religion in America is fundamental to understanding and appreciating the American heritage. America is a land of many races, cultures, languages, and religions. Students should learn about the contributions of religion to America."

You see, history is not merely the recording of events; it is the understanding of what motivated the people behind those events. Even a liberal state like Massachusetts recognizes the academic legitimacy of teaching students about Christianity. In their social studies standards for grades 5 through 8, students are encouraged to "understand the power of ideas behind important events." And, as an example, the Department of Education suggests they discuss how the ideas of Moses and Jesus could motivate entire nations to action. What an open door for helping students understand the impact of biblical truth on the lives of people and their cultures! But this is only one small example.

Contrary to what most people think, it is lawful for students to learn about the Christian beliefs that motivated people like Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, and George Washington. They can learn about the faith that motivates the men in the Promise Keepers movement; and they can learn why Prison Fellowship's faith-based approaches to prison reform have been so successful. They can read the speeches of presidents as, each year, they proclaim a National Day of Prayer, and Thanksgiving Day. In other words, they don't have to pretend that we're an atheist country.

In his article, Eric Buehrer offers this rule of thumb: "When there is a legitimate academic reason and it can be done without admonishing students to accept a religious belief, educators can teach students about Christianity.

"The law does not require teachers to mislead or misinform students about the significant impact Christianity has on our nation and the world. But you and I need to educate the educators. Give the teachers and school administrators in your area a copy of this article and other material we'll send you if you call us. Christians need to help school officials understand that they can teach the truth without fear.

You can reach Gateways to Better Education at http://www.gtbe.org/ You can get a copy of the article Chuck Colson refers to here, or at BreakPoint Online, http://www.breakpoint.org/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Charles Colson, “Christianity and Public Education: Do they Go Together.” BreakPoint Commentary #011010 (October 8,9,10, 2001).

From BreakPoint ® (8,9,10/2001), Copyright 2001, Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with the permission of Prison Fellowship Ministries, P.O. Box 17500, Washington, D.C. 20041-0500. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or distributed without the express written permission of Prison Fellowship Ministries. “BreakPoint ®” and “Prison Fellowship Ministries ®” are registered trademarks of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

THE AUTHOR

Charles Colson launched Prison Fellowship in 1976, following a seven-month prison sentence for Watergate-related crimes. Since then, Prison Fellowship has flourished into a U.S. ministry of 50,000 volunteers and has spread to more then 50 countries. Beyond his prison ministry, Colson is a Christian author, speaker, and commentator, who regularly confronts contemporary values from a biblically informed perspective. He has written 12 books, and his "BreakPoint" radio commentaries now air daily across the U.S.