So there's a story that's gone under the radar a bit this week, that Trump is trying to shore up his base by encouraging schools to study the Bible, though it's never something he himself did. Years ago I might have thought this was a good thing...but the older I get the more I could see that this might be a disaster for what remains of the Christian faith in this country. It's not just that the closer Christians get to worldly power that they become less effective.
But my first reaction this week in hearing this is "Who's going to be teaching? And how will they approach the Bible? Through the eyes of faith? Or simply as just another book to be studied?" Those who are older can appreciate the Bible as a literary masterpiece, I believe...but what about children? Do those of us who are trying to instill a sense of faith through Biblical teaching really want to open the doors of others misusing it for a right-wing political agenda? Think about it...
-In Joshua 10 there's the story of the sun standing still while Joshua holds up his hands and Israel fights a battle. How's that going to be handled by somebody who does not look at Scripture through the eyes of faith?
-When 1 Samuel 18:3 speaks about the covenant relationship David and Jonathan had because of their love, how's that going to be presented in this world in which same-sex relationships are affirmed? Will it really be taught in its context or will it be used by teachers with certain agendas that conservative Christians would strongly object to?
-Will the story of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus be taught as fact, or as a myth explaining Christian origins? The same could be asked about creation.
-When it comes to reading Revelation, how will that be interpreted? What if it is taught by a literalist who sees it as a timeline for the end times through a dispensational premillennial lens?
-And heck, what will economic conservatives do when it comes to reading about the church in Acts selling all they have and pooling resources together? Or reading prophetic denunciations of the wealthy buying second homes while the poor don't have anything? Can you really see little Johnny come home and telling his MAGA parents that the Bible teaches communism?
In a perfect world I want my children to learn Scripture as much as possible. But I know about Scripture enough to know how badly it can be handled, sometimes even within the church. So then do I really want my children to be confused at this point in their lives? Someday they will have to make some hard decisions on how to read Scripture...but I want them guided by people of faith, not by public school teachers whose faith I know nothing about.
