Catholic, Anabaptist, Orthodox and similarly formed Christian parents of school age children should opt out of ‘biblical education’ in public schools because the interpretations of the Scriptures being promoted in those settings are incompatible with our faith. We are not fundamentalists, dispensationalists, cessationists, literalists, militarists, revisionists, apocalypticists, dominionists, triumphalists, nationalists, or Zionists. We do not politicize, monetize, weaponize, or Americanize the universal Gospel. Our understanding of Christ’s teachings is very different from, even antithetical to that which is being promulgated in the schools. I think we need to speak up and protect our kids from this form of proselytization and indoctrination.
Public schools are neither social laboratories nor seminaries. They are not madrasas, or yeshivas, or parochial schools. Unlike private schools, public schools do not exist for the purpose of providing “religious education” to their students. Whose religion? If I announced that the Catechism of the Catholic Church would be taught in all public schools, I believe there would be, rightfully, outrage and refusal. The inverse pertains.
Perhaps, in the context of educational settings, we can best preserve the distinctives of our faith traditions by teaching all children to respect others, to use proper language and behavior toward all people, and to adhere to the Golden Rule.
Brigid's Blog 