You have seen or at least heard about the 10-part mini-series on “The Bible”
airing each Sunday on the History Channel. Roma Downey and Mark Burnett produced
the mini-series in order to “encourage audiences around the world to open or reopen
Bibles to understand and enjoy these stories.” Whatever you think of the series, you have
to applaud their desire to get more people to understand the Bible.

In a recent column, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett argue that public schools in
America should teach the Bible. Decades ago teachers exposed students to the Bible until
the Supreme Court ruled against compulsory Bible reading. They didn’t rule against
providing instruction about the Bible, but the net result has been a generation of young
people who are biblically illiterate.

In their column, they begin by asking good questions. “Have you ever sensed in
your own life that the handwriting was on the wall? Or encouraged a loved one to walk
the straight and narrow? Have you every laughed at something that came out of the
mouth of babes? Or gone the extra mile for an opportunity that might vanish in the
twinkling of an eye?

These are all phrases that come from the Bible. When I have an opportunity to
speak to youth groups, I find that most of them do not know the origin of these phrases.
That is a sad commentary on Western culture. The Bible is the best-selling book of all
time. It has had an influence on not only our language but also our art, history,
philosophy, and culture.

Both of the authors in their countries of origin (Roma Downey in Ireland, Mark
Burnett in England) grew up learning about the Bible. The Bible was foundational to a
well-rounded education. They remind us that the Supreme Court did acknowledge that
“the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities.” They also mention
one reference guide that declares: “No one in the English-speaking world can be
considered literate without a basic knowledge of the Bible.”

One way to reduce biblical illiteracy is to encourage teachers in the public schools
to teach about the Bible.