In June, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters issued a memo requiring the Bible be taught in Oklahoma public schools, citing its value for historical context and moral virtue. As a Christian and conservative, I believe this approach is misguided for three reasons: It uses state power to promote religious texts, mislabels Christianity’s byproduct as its core value and seeks secular power for Christian ends.
First, Walters’ mandate flirts with First Amendment violations by edging too close to government endorsement of a religion, a cavalier treatment of the Establishment Clause to say the least. The separation of church and state, championed by figures like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, is vital to ensure religious freedom for all. Promoting one religion risks alienating fellow Oklahomans of other faiths and creates a climate of preference that undermines religious liberty.
But legal concerns aside, there’s a deeper irony here: The Bible itself doesn’t support the superintendent’s actions. In his memo, while denying the desire to convert students, Walters states the Bible will teach “moral virtue.” America has a long history of using Christian teachings to encourage harmonious conduct in attempts to maintain civil order. But it’s difficult to overstate how much this sole objective misunderstands the core truth of Christianity.