Faith of Our Fathers (Part 1) - Family devotional

"A Gift of the Beneficent Creator"   

Alexander Hamilton fought in the Revolutionary War and also served as General Washington's secretary. He was a major force in the drafting of the Constitution and became our country's first Secretary of the Treasury.

He believed that when God created Adam and Eve he wanted them to have freedom. He believed that the government's job was only to protect and enhance that God-given freedom. Just before the Revolution, while only 18 years old, he wrote the following in an influential political pamphlet calling for American independence from England:

"The Sacred Rights of Mankind are not to be rummaged from among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the Hand of the Divinity itself, and can never be erased or obscured by moral power..."

"You would be convinced that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent [kind] Creator to the whole human race, and that civil liberty is founded in that, and cannot be wrested from any people without the most manifest violation of justice. Civil liberty is only natural liberty, modified and secured by the sanctions of civil society."

Bible verses to read:

"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God." - 1 Peter 2:16

"And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." - Genesis 2:16-17

Discussion questions:

1. In what way were Adam and Eve free people?
2. What did Alexander Hamilton mean by "natural liberty?"
3. How does civil liberty relate to natural liberty?

ACLU Stops VA School from Posting the Ten Commandments

The Roanoke Times reports that the dad of a second-grade girl at Narrows Elementary School in Narrows, VA, wants the school district to display various American government documents, historical texts, and symbols, including the Ten Commandments.

The proposed display would include the Mayflower Compact, Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, the Magna Carta, sheet music of "The Star-Spangled Banner," a picture of Lady Justice, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and (drum roll please) the Ten Commandments.

As can be expected the ACLU of Virginia is not happy. ACLU attorney Rebecca Glenberg remarked to the Times.

"I see here a bunch of documents related to U.S. history and one religious document."

The ACLU of Virginia and the Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened the lawsuit that has kept the commandments off school walls since February, the Times reports.

I have an idea. Forget posting the Ten Commandments on a display that no student will even look at, much less, read. Instead of treating it like some kind of patriotic wallpaper in one school in the corner of the state, make sure teachers in the ENTIRE state of Virginia teach about the Ten Commandments AS EXPECTED in the state’s academic standards.

The 2008 Virginia academic standards for World History expect students to:

“demonstrate knowledge of ancient river valley civilizations, including those of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus River Valley, and China and the civilizations of the Hebrews, Phoenicians, and Nubians, by… [among other things] explaining the development of religious traditions, [and] describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Judaism.

That would pretty much cover the Ten Commandments (and a whole lot more).

In addition to this, the Virginia Department of Education lists as “Essential Knowledge” that students are expected to know “the essential beliefs of Judaism” (WHI.3d.Q1) and how Judaism influenced Western civilization (WHI.3d.Q2). Additionally, students are to learn about “beliefs, traditions, and customs of Judaism” (WHI.3d.B) as well as the “Ten Commandments, which state moral and religious conduct.” (WHI.3d.B.3)

Symbolism can be wonderful. But, given the choice between symbolism and substance, I’ll take substance any day.

(This blog first appeared on Breakpoint Blog.)

Islam in Our Schools

The subject of Islam in America is front and center with Rep. Peter King's hearings in Washington, D.C., on radical Muslims in the United States. While acknowledging that the vast majority of American Muslims are law-abiding, patriotic citizens, King pointed to a Pew poll which reported that 15 percent of Muslim American men between the ages of 18 and 29 could support suicide bombings. "There are realities we can't ignore," said King.

When it comes to how Islam is taught in our nation's public schools, I echo King's admonition - there are realities we can't ignore.

Islam in Textbooks

This past fall, the Texas State Board of Education passed a resolution against "Pro-Islamic/Anti-Christian Bias" in textbooks.

As an example of the bias, the Texas board cited World History: Patterns of Interaction (McDougal) used in Texas high schools. The textbook taught students about the "Crusaders' massacre of Muslims at Jerusalem in 1099 while censoring Muslims' massacres of Christians there in 1244 and at Antioch in 1268."

In another textbook, World History: Connections to Today (Prentice), the Texas State Board of Education pointed out that "it described Crusaders' massacres of European Jews but not the Muslim Tamerlane's massacre of perhaps 90,000 fellow Muslims at Baghdad in 1401, and of perhaps 100,000 Indian POWs at Delhi in 1398."

Mohammed "Received" the Qur'an from God

In its report, Islam in America's Classrooms History or Propaganda?, published by ACT! For America, the authors cite other examples of pro-Islamic textbook bias:

"In many instances, when talking about historical facts of Christianity, such as Jesus' crucifixion, disclaimers state 'Christians believe,' implying an absence of credibility or historical evidence, while the myths, stories, legends and claims of Islam are presented as facts. In another textbook, Holt World History, one reads that Moses 'claimed to receive the Ten Commandments from god,' but Mohammed simply 'received' the Qur'an from god."

Bias in Junior High Textbook Greater than High School

The American Textbook Council has issued a report entitled Islam in the Classroom: What the textbooks tell us. After reviewing popular junior high and high school textbooks, the Council concludes the following:

• Many political and religious groups try to use the textbook process to their advantage, but the deficiencies in Islam-related lessons are uniquely disturbing

• Misinformation about Islam is more pronounced in junior high school textbooks than high school textbooks

• Deficiencies about Islam in textbooks copyrighted before 2001 persist and in some cases have grown worse

• Islamic activists use multiculturalism and ready-made American political movements, especially those on campus, to advance and justify the makeover of Islam-related textbook content.

Christianity Portrayed in Harsh Light

For example, the report's author, Gilbert T. Sewall writes:

"While seventh-grade textbooks describe Islam in glowing language, they portray Christianity in harsh light. Students encounter a startling contrast. Islam is featured as a model of interfaith tolerance; Christians wage wars of aggression and kill Jews. Islam provides models of harmony and civilization."

It is vitally important that each generation of Americans learn the biblical heritage of America and the foundational worldview that made our nation possible. Unfortunately, teachers rely on flawed textbooks and academic accuracy is sacrificed in too many classrooms due, in many cases, to a lack of a well-rounded historical understanding of Islam. Teachers could, and should, fill in the gaps in the textbooks they’ve been given to use if only they knew where they were.

FOR MORE DETAILS

Islam in America's Classrooms

(published by ACT! for America)

Islam in the Classroom

(report from the American Textbook Council)

How to Evaluate Your Child's Textbook

(Gateways to Better Education)

Make Your Sunday School Lessons Come Alive

Last Saturday, I spoke at the local Children's Ministry conference in Southern California on the topic of "Ministering to the Public School Child in Your Church". You may find some the following ideas helpful at your church:

Get Advice from a Public School Teacher 

Ask a public elementary school teacher in your church to serve as a consultant to your children's ministry. A teacher can help you with ideas for how topics in the public school curriculum can connect with spiritual truths that can be taught in Sunday school.

You can make links to any academic topic because God is relevant to any topic. For instance, imagine a first grader learning the value of money (penny, nickel, dime, etc.) in public school and learning what Jesus said about money in Sunday school the following week. Talk about relevance!

Use Your State Academic Standards

I recommend that you visit the website for your state's department of education. Find the posting of its academic standards. Look at the grade level for which you teach Sunday school and think creatively about any subjects that tie in to your Sunday school program. Teachers in your congregation may love the idea of helping you make the connections.

You don't need to revamp your entire program. Maybe just drop in a school-related supplementary lesson now and then.

Making the Connections for Students

You can look for direct links. For example, 4^th grade lessons in California include learning about the history of CA missions. You can tie this to lessons on evangelism, Paul's missionary journeys, etc. As another example, when students learn about George Washington Carver, you can teach about his Christian faith in Sunday school.

Your Sunday school lessons will COME ALIVE for students as you connect your lessons to what they are learning in school.

Let me know your thoughts on this idea. Post a comment.

How to Separate Church from State in the Classroom

What is the distinction between teaching about religion and instruction in, or the teaching of, religion? The California Department of Education offers this distinction that is instructive for educators everywhere:

“To teach about religion is not to instruct in religion. Teaching about religion embraces the study of various religions; appreciation of the nature and variety of religious experience historically and currently; information on past and present sources, views, and behavior of religious persons or groups; and the influence of religion on cultures and civilizations. Instruction in religion, by contrast, is to seek acceptance of and commitment to a particular religion, including a non-religion, such as secularism.”

Lest someone think that teaching about religion requires neutrality bordering on indifference, the state officials also write that to learn about religion is “to recognize the immense importance of religion to the American heritage.”

Lessons about Judeo-Christian history, thought, and values can—and should—be taught with as much enthusiasm as any other subject, but it is important for Christian public school educators to refrain from evangelizing in the classroom. Appeals for students to make faith commitments are not permitted.

I once had a teacher tell me, “If I can’t tell my students that they need to make a decision for Christ, well, then I should get out of teaching and become a missionary.” He’s right. If he can’t stay within legal boundaries, he should leave the profession. However, I urged him to channel his enthusiasm into giving students an academic appreciation for the values and contributions of Christianity. To be fired for stepping over legal boundaries would not only mute his voice, it would be a poor example to the school administrators, and create a chilling effect academically for other teachers in his district.

We must have the integrity to honor the trust that parents give us when we teach their children. If Christian public school teachers try to use their classrooms for evangelistic opportunities, others may conclude that Christians, in general, cannot be trusted.

Here’s a rule of thumb:

When there is an academic reason for teaching students about some aspect of Judeo-Christian history, thought, or values (and there are ample opportunities to do so), and it can be done without an admonition to devotion or acceptance, it is permissible.