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Should schools teach that the Founders were Christians? Apparently, the Texas Board of Education has finally realized so!
Among the experts selected to revise the Social Studies curriculum for the second-largest school system in the country (nearly five million students) are David Barton and Peter Marshall.
Who?
David Barton
David Barton is president and founder of “Wallbuilders“, whose mission is “Presenting America’s forgotten history and heroes with an emphasis on moral, religious, and constitutional heritage.”
Note that “Constitutional” is not capitalized. That’s not a typo!
More specifically, Wallbuilders seeks to:
Shout Glory!
But wait, there's more!
Peter Marshall
Peter Marshall is the president and founder of Peter Marshall Ministries. This (apparently for-profit) business focuses primarily on selling Christian homeschool supplies and educational materials for churches.
Marshall describes himself in the third person as follows:
Naturally, there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth among advocates of church-state separation and the atheist deathstyle. Americans United for Separation of Church and State reports:
Why should I care about what happens in Texas?
Two reasons. For one, while this isn’t the first time Christians have tried to correct school curricula, it may be the first on a large scale that succeeds. Regarding Barton, Americans United reports:
That’s the other reason you should care. AU answers:
What can I do to help?
Among the experts selected to revise the Social Studies curriculum for the second-largest school system in the country (nearly five million students) are David Barton and Peter Marshall.
Who?
David Barton
David Barton is president and founder of “Wallbuilders“, whose mission is “Presenting America’s forgotten history and heroes with an emphasis on moral, religious, and constitutional heritage.”
Note that “Constitutional” is not capitalized. That’s not a typo!
More specifically, Wallbuilders seeks to:
. . . exert a direct and positive influence in government, education, and the family by (1) educating the nation concerning the Godly foundation of our country; (2) providing information to federal, state, and local officials as they develop public policies which reflect Biblical values; and (3) encouraging Christians to be involved in the civic arena.
In 2005, Time magazine named Barton one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in the U.S. More about Barton and Wallbuilders — MUCH more — at the link above.Shout Glory!
But wait, there's more!
Peter Marshall
Peter Marshall is the president and founder of Peter Marshall Ministries. This (apparently for-profit) business focuses primarily on selling Christian homeschool supplies and educational materials for churches.
Marshall describes himself in the third person as follows:
Because he believes that our nation is in moral and spiritual crisis and that the only hope for restoration is revival, his increasingly prophetic ministry focuses on two major themes.
First, there is the urgent necessity of recovering the original American vision, and the truth about our Christian heritage. How can we restore America if we don’t know who we are?
Second, he strongly emphasizes the importance of putting 2nd Chronicles 7:14 into practice: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
Considering the lead “Featured Product” on the main page is A Man Called Peter: The Story of Peter Marshall, perhaps we should not be surprised by this egotistical affectation. Prideful, perhaps. But otherwise very Godly!First, there is the urgent necessity of recovering the original American vision, and the truth about our Christian heritage. How can we restore America if we don’t know who we are?
Second, he strongly emphasizes the importance of putting 2nd Chronicles 7:14 into practice: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
Naturally, there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth among advocates of church-state separation and the atheist deathstyle. Americans United for Separation of Church and State reports:
At the offices of the Texas Freedom Network (TFN), a group that monitors the Religious Right, staff members were alarmed.
“We believe there’s nothing wrong with teaching about the significance of religion in history and society today,” said TFN President Kathy Miller. “The problem comes when Barton and others try to use public schools to promote their own personal religious beliefs over those of all others.”
TFN, Americans United and other advocates of church-state separation are quite familiar with Barton and his antics. He’s been attacking that constitutional principle for years, as well as arguing that a proper “biblical worldview” means that fundamentalist Christianity must reign supreme over all areas of life –; including government. Most recently, Barton has been hobnobbing with Newt Gingrich, as the former House speaker strives to re-make himself as a Religious Right champion.
From his base in Aledo, a town of about 2,000 just west of Fort Worth, Barton runs an outfit called WallBuilders that issues a steady stream of books, videos, DVDs, pamphlets and other materials designed to “prove” that the United States was founded to be a Christian nation. Barton argues that American law should be based on the Bible (or, more accurately, his fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible) and says church-state separation was never intended by our Founders.
Did you see that last sentence? PRAISE JESUS! “We believe there’s nothing wrong with teaching about the significance of religion in history and society today,” said TFN President Kathy Miller. “The problem comes when Barton and others try to use public schools to promote their own personal religious beliefs over those of all others.”
TFN, Americans United and other advocates of church-state separation are quite familiar with Barton and his antics. He’s been attacking that constitutional principle for years, as well as arguing that a proper “biblical worldview” means that fundamentalist Christianity must reign supreme over all areas of life –; including government. Most recently, Barton has been hobnobbing with Newt Gingrich, as the former House speaker strives to re-make himself as a Religious Right champion.
From his base in Aledo, a town of about 2,000 just west of Fort Worth, Barton runs an outfit called WallBuilders that issues a steady stream of books, videos, DVDs, pamphlets and other materials designed to “prove” that the United States was founded to be a Christian nation. Barton argues that American law should be based on the Bible (or, more accurately, his fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible) and says church-state separation was never intended by our Founders.
Why should I care about what happens in Texas?
Two reasons. For one, while this isn’t the first time Christians have tried to correct school curricula, it may be the first on a large scale that succeeds. Regarding Barton, Americans United reports:
In 1998, a conservative member of the California Academic Standards Commission appointed Barton to an advisory position, asking the Texan to critique proposed social studies/history standards. From that perch, Barton attacked the portion of the standards that discussed the development of religious freedom, trying to remove every reference to separation of church and state.
He almost pulled it off. Commission members, unfamiliar with Barton’s agenda, seemed open to adopting his suggestions. They changed course only after intervention by Americans United’s Sacramento Chapter, AU’s national office and others.
The battle in Texas may be tougher. The State Board of Education is stacked with a vocal cohort of far-right, fundamentalist activists. Fresh from a bruising battle over what to teach about evolution in science class, the board now has social studies and history right in its crosshairs.
OK, so Barton’s tried before and failed, but might get God back in the classroom this time around. That's great, but I still don't see why Texas matters!He almost pulled it off. Commission members, unfamiliar with Barton’s agenda, seemed open to adopting his suggestions. They changed course only after intervention by Americans United’s Sacramento Chapter, AU’s national office and others.
The battle in Texas may be tougher. The State Board of Education is stacked with a vocal cohort of far-right, fundamentalist activists. Fresh from a bruising battle over what to teach about evolution in science class, the board now has social studies and history right in its crosshairs.
That’s the other reason you should care. AU answers:
“Texas is the second largest purchaser of school textbooks in the country,” Miller told Church & State. “So to avoid spending money on multiple editions, publishers often write their textbooks to meet Texas curriculum standards and then sell those textbooks in other states.”
ABC News reports that the third Godly Christian on the panel is Daniel Dreisbach, a professor of justice, law and society at American University in Washington, D.C.Dreisbach, who did not respond to messages left by ABCNews.com, suggested in his own review that the Bible should be included in U.S. government classes as one of the “influential sources.”
Isn't this wonderful?What can I do to help?
- Monitor and fight against Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.
- Check out the Texas Freedom Network, and monitor their activities as well.
- Talk to your pastor.
- Involve your congregation.
- Write a letter to the editor.
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