Bibles In Schools Should Be A Choice
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(OPINION) In states like Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, new measures attempt to make the Bible more accessible to public school students.
A Bible curriculum for elementary students is being promoted in Texas. The state schools superintendent is pushing for more Bible instruction in Oklahoma classrooms. Louisiana is requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
While these initiatives seem commendable, and we agree with recognizing the Bible’s value as an educational resource for teaching the moral, spiritual and historical context of Western civilization, we believe there’s a less controversial way to go about encouraging Bible teaching in our schools.
Reintroducing the Bible into public education is not about forcing religion on students; it’s about returning to a source of wisdom that has the power to cultivate character, foster unity and encourage empathy. By making the Bible available in schools as an optional elective educational resource, it can begin to restore the values that have historically brought us together and helped us thrive as a society.
In a public school in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, in 2011, students learn about ethics and morality using children’s Bibles provided by Eastern European Mission. (Photo by Erik Tryggestad)
The history of the Bible in American schools
The Bible was once the cornerstone of education in America. From reading and writing to moral instruction, the Bible was the lens through which students learned about the world.
This was true not only in small country schools but also in the founding of many of our most prominent and distinguished universities, including Harvard, Yale and Princeton, which began as Bible colleges. Their purpose was to equip students with a deep knowledge of the Scriptures, believing that an education grounded in biblical wisdom would produce principled leaders who could guide the nation forward.
The difference between this key component in education from then until now is related to the general cultural worldview shift away from Christianity, ultimately driven by concerns over “separation of church and state,” which is not actually part of our Constitution. Just as the Protestant Reformation was born out of a desire for religious free will, we must remember that today’s children come from families with vastly differing worldviews, and religious freedom is a cornerstone of American democracy.
Seventy-six percent of Americans support moral and character education, and over half of the population believes teaching biblical values in schools is beneficial, according to a 2024 poll. But what about those who oppose this idea and do not want it mandated for their children? Forced Bible teaching will only solidify their opposition to Christianity.
For families in public schools who would support Bible education, one successful avenue for this has been Lifewise Academy. The academy works with local churches that host the Bible classes and transport the students to them during school hours, which is allowed by law in most U.S. states. This solution makes biblical education available without requiring it and ensures parents approve. In addition, it prevents teachers who aren’t familiar with the Bible from trying to teach it or merely use it as literature rather than God’s word.
Eastern Europe’s example
There’s a strong argument for Bible education in public schools. From Shakespeare to the speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., the Bible’s influence on Western civilization is undeniable. Far from being an exclusively religious text, the Bible is a cultural and historical foundation that helps students better understand the world around them.
We’ve seen the benefits of Bibles in schools firsthand. At Eastern European Mission, we have witnessed the profound impact of offering these courses to students in an elective capacity. For more than a decade, we’ve been providing Bibles for public school classrooms across Eastern Europe in students’ local languages. They are used for optional courses on Christian ethics and related topics. Remarkably, test scores improved and discipline issues decreased in schools where the Bible was being taught.
As a result, more nations and schools began offering the elective Bible curriculum. In the last 15 years, we have seen 4,000 public schools participate, allowing us to provide Bibles to more than 4.5 million students. These elective Bible classes are incredibly popular, with voluntary enrollment rates as high as 97 percent in some regions — and the benefits of this biblical education extend beyond the classroom. As we’ve seen in Eastern Europe, these students are growing into more civic-minded, generous and peaceful members of society.
The lesson for America is clear. The Bible, as an educational resource, has the potential to shape not only individual lives but entire societies by establishing a moral example, ethical framework and cultural literacy. By reintroducing Bible education in our public schools as an opportunity of choice rather than a mandate, we can offer the hope of Jesus in the same way he would, extending the invaluable gift of his message to those who would freely receive it.
This piece is republished with permission from The Christian Chronicle.
Bob Burckle and Dirk Smith are president and vice president of Eastern European Mission, a Texas-based nonprofit that has worked in Eastern Europe since 1961. EEM publishes and prints Bibles, New Testaments and coloring books, reaching more than 35 countries in more than 25 languages.