03/03/2006

Bible Literacy Project Clears Up Falsehoods and Answers Critics About Its Textbook, 'The Bible and Its Influence'
Rev. Peter Lillback, Ph.D., president of Westminster Theological Seminary, “The informational content, accuracy, exposition, illustrations, and tone are all extremely well done, and I congratulate you on a highly accurate and readable presentation.”

FAIRFAX, Va., Mar. 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- Amidst broad national support and wide acclaim, the Bible Literacy Project has been misrepresented by a small constituency who continues to spread falsehoods, which then get recirculated, despite BLP efforts to correct the inaccuracies. Recent articles have inaccurately stated that the Bible Literacy Project's new textbook, The Bible and Its Influence, is endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union and other similar groups. “But this is not true,” says Bible Literacy Project chairman Chuck Stetson. “We have not been endorsed by these groups. Despite the fact that we have provided the correct information to news entities and authors regarding this matter, this information continues to appear in print.”

“Furthermore, claims are also untrue that we do not use the Bible in our course,” continued Stetson. “In fact, we require the use of the Bible in our high school elective course—along with our student textbook, The Bible and Its Influence, and we encourage students to use the version of Bible that their family prefers.”

“Additionally, one of our key principles of respect for the Bible is also under attack. We will not undermine the faith of any student,” explains Stetson. “We are most concerned that we are becoming the first English speaking generation that is ignorant of Biblical content and narrative. We need to work for Bible literacy courses to become more widely available beyond the 8% of public high schools which now offer these electives.”

“Critics of our textbook fall into two categories,” said Stetson. “The first are those who think that academic study of the Bible in public schools should not take place at all. Yet the courts have said that academic study of the Bible is legal as long as it is part of a secular program of education, and provides knowledge, but does not promote nor disparage belief.”

A Chicago Tribune editorial (May 12, 2005) states “When [public schools] decline to impart knowledge about such an important subject [the Bible], they are not doing anything to preserve the separation of church and state. They are merely failing their students.”

“The second category of critics is a small constituency of the faith community who would ideally prefer a sectarian presentation and devotional teaching of the Bible inside public school classrooms. But at this time, the courts have held that this is prohibited,” said Stetson. “Academic study of the Bible does not harm students of faith, but allows public schools to teach all students about the Bible while respecting the law.”

The value of the Bible Literacy Project’s widely acclaimed student textbook, The Bible and Its Influence, and its university-based teacher training program, is that it removes the legal risk to schools that would otherwise leave the content of the course entirely to the discretion of a teacher using the Bible alone, explained Stetson.

Evangelical leader Chuck Colson further explains his support of the new public school textbook, The Bible and Its Influence. “This high school textbook is not meant to be a substitute for the teachings of the church, but rather a means of furthering the foundational knowledge of students— maybe particularly those who do not get any teaching in a church—so that our culture does not lose its understanding and awareness of the importance of the Bible. In this respect, the textbook does a good job and I do not see how any of its content would work to undermine one's faith."

Rev. Peter Lillback, Ph.D., president of Westminster Theological Seminary, is one of the 41 scholars who reviewed The Bible and Its Influence. He writes that “The informational content, accuracy, exposition, illustrations, and tone are all extremely well done, and I congratulate you on a highly accurate and readable presentation.”

The textbook’s 41 reviewers—scholars representing evangelical, mainline Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox and Jewish communities—have ensured that the material in The Bible and Its Influence reflects an accurate reporting of the Bible narrative, characters, and content. “Our textbook aims for a straight forward reporting of what the Bible says. There is no content in our textbook that is intended to either promote or undermine faith,” said Stetson. “We encourage people to get a copy and read it for themselves.” (at www.bibleliteracy.org or Amazon.com)

Despite this misinformation, public schools continue to welcome the introduction of the first student textbook on the Bible in over 30 years. Since the textbook's release last September, educators representing nearly 500 schools in all 50 states are reviewing The Bible and Its Influence for potential use next fall. High schools in 13 states have already adopted the textbook for use in September 2006, and teachers continue to sign up for the next offering of online teacher training beginning May 14.