Class curriculum requiring to read the Bible?

Question

Hey all, I just signed up for an Advanced Placement (AP) English course at my PUBLIC high school for my senior year. The new teacher for that class has a summer reading assignment, which includes reading the Bible.

Now, the first time I heard this, I was appalled. I have spent nearly eleven years of my school life avoiding the Bible, and I am proud to have the rights that say no one can force religious studies on me.

But, I do not see any way around this reading assignment. I must read books from Genesis to Corinthians. Boy, I am really worried that something fishy is going on at my school, and that this new teacher is plotting something. I hope she doesn't first make us read the Bible, then convert people.

Her rationale for reading the Bible is that there are many allusions to the Bible from literature, and I think that is superb. I'm all for allusions, but reading the entire Bible? C'mon...

I don't know what to do, just the thought of reading the Bible makes me shudder. Help?

Answer 1

Try not to shudder too much. Yeh, reading the Bible can seem intimidating if it's your first time, but I'd suggest taking a positive approach to the assignment. An overall knowledge of the Bible can actually be considered part of a well-rounded education.
A couple of suggestions. Try a Bible version newer than the King James. That one can be a real challenge to read with its old-style language (from 1611). Try a newer translation such as the NIV (New International Version) or the New Living version.
And I'd suggest getting started by reading some from the Book of Psalms (right in the middle of the Bible). Most of them are pretty short, and lots of them are quite relevant to the problems and emotions of everyday life. Some I especially like are Psalm 23, 37, and 63. I started reading the Bible in high school and have been glad I did. So take a deep breath and jump in!

Answer 2

First of all the entire Bible is from Genesis to Revelations, not
from Genesis to Corinthians.

The Bible is both a historical, and literary book/document, and your teacher may use it as such to be included in any of your studies, even in a public school setting.

The Bible is much more than a "religious book", it also contains all the teaching on which this country, it's laws, and basic ethics are founded.
One can hardly study civics's, or constitutional law without having a good factual knowledge of it's Biblical foundation.

Contrary to popular believe the Bible, and it's teachings are foundational, and interwoven into every part of our society, so to call yourself well rounded, and educated by completely avoiding the Bible, would be defeating the purpose of said education.

Thinking that our education system has sunk this low as to teach children/young adults little or nothing about classical writings; including the writings of the Bible, history, or what constitutes cultural literacy makes me shudder indeed.

Answer 3

I suppose you could protest to the school board, but to be fair, I had to learn about native culture and the stories about their gods in public school. I don't think this is really any different, although that is really a rather large assignment, I will admit. This teacher probably does have a personal agenda because although there are allusions to the bible in literature, there are a few very common ones, like where the saying about "reading the writing on the wall" comes from. Your teacher could just have you read the particular stories used most commonly. To ask you to read the entire thing seems a little overboard.

Answer 4

Maybe the Bible is not your thing and that is your right to that opinion, but maybe, just maybe you could try to read it with an open mind. I'm thinking that the professor is not trying to instill certain ideas or trying to convert you, but maybe she's trying to show you a new form of literary concepts besides the usual non-fictional books that we read. She may try to use this source as a form of discussion since she might have an ides that people have certain perceptions when it comes to the Bible. If you're not feelin it, after the couple of pages, you can't say that you didn't try and just "Google It". (Smile) Other good sources could be the Online Encarta or even Wikipedia. You can search the whole Bible or just the different books. I hope this helped, have a great day!

Answer 5

She has told her rationale. She is correct. Metaphors, similes, and other comparisons writers use are often related to the Bible. If you haven't read about David and Goliath, Adam and Eve, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Paul's writings in the New Testament, and words that Jesus used, you'll miss out on a lot when you are reading literature. Abraham Lincoln used Jesus' words in at least one of his speeches ( a house divided against itself ) http://www.nationalcenter.org/HouseDivided.html and Matthew 12:25.

And you stated that you are in an Advanced Placement English course. The King James Bible is rated at least at a 12th grade reading level, if not higher.

Lots of things in life are going to make you shudder. Sometimes it's a fear that your own convictions are not correct. Be brave! Find out what you really believe! You are going to be reading lots of material in your life, some of with which you will thoroughly disagree. Here's your chance to become a discerning reader and to find out what your true convictions are.

Answer 6

take the curriculum to the principal, and if necessary, the superintendent of schools. they're violating the separation of church and state. she might want to advise it, but can't require it, this isn't a college course on the role of religion in literature....
I once had a test graded the way you describe (in a new school) and got the question stricken from the test after I went to the teacher about it. just because writers think the bible is "common" enough for everyone to "get" the allusions doesn't mean it is. (I also had a teacher once try to infer that an author meant to parallel a character to Jesus because both their initials were JC-- teachers need to keep their own assumptions to themselves.) nothing against the bible or christian religions, but I don't need to read the whole thing to get the jist of the story....

Answer 7

I know what you mean. I'm suspicious of her reasons as well, but her justification is reasonably sound. I had a whole list of movies to watch and books to read before AP English, but the bible wasn't on them (granted, it was a Catholic school so they probably figured we already had that down).

You may as well read it though - it was assigned, and it's not as if it's going to convert you or anything if you already don't believe - in fact, reading the bible is what turned me into an atheist in the first place. Although that is almost all of the bible.

Here's a thought. Don't bother buying it, read it from this website. http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com Much more interesting that way.
And if she tries anything fishy in class, call your local ACLU chapter for advice on how to procede.

Answer 8

Do you even know what is included in the Bible? It is one of the greatest love stories of all. Why do I say that? Because it is more that about religion. It is about relationships between people and God and between people and other people. I don't think the teacher is thinking about religious conversion here, she just wants to know if you know how to read and comprehend what you did read. That would be a terrific assignment. Show 'em how it's done!

Answer 9

Consider the Bible to be a series of short stories involving famous historical characters.
Ask yourself what drives these characters to do the things they are compelled or commanded to do.
Ask yourself why their God would demand these heroic tasks from ordinary human beings.
Each story in the bible is a story of a person commanded by God to do something extraordinary to save their people. But there are also some awesome tales that rival soap operas in the story of David, the boy who became king, and the tales of all of his kids and the crazy things they do. There are some excellent battle tactics found in the story of Joshua trying to conquer the land of Israel for the refugee Hebrews from Egypt, and the story of David and Jonathan is an excellent study of loyal friendship despite a father's disapproval. "Song of Solomon" is a bit of weird soft porn, and Isaiah may go on and on with his prophecies, but it is interesting to note how many of them came true.
Give the Bible a chance. You don't have to read it as religion. It has some corking good stories and beautiful poetry.
Good luck.

Answer 10

The teacher is probably making u read it because of the how and when it was written. Most of time it is so how writing has progress through the years.