Biblical illiteracy

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arapahoepark

arapahoepark

Puritan Board Professor
Ibam curious as to how, in particular, the US got so Biblically illiterate. Are there sources or theses on it? I suppose this includes Biblical world view.
I am just amazed at talked to some of my professing Christian friends who vote for assisted suicide in my state (it passed) and are pro abortion. No doubt this leads to numerous outcomes.
 
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Biblical illiteracy arises...

(wait for it)

... from a failure to read the Bible. That failure is fostered by many things: lack of clear and comprehensible instruction from the church; lack of parental example and conduct of family worship; distractions from there always being something different to read, something new to watch, or something else to do; preaching that doesn't really expound the text; the decline of reading in general; and the failure to cultivate the power of sustained, close attention to a static text.

In other words, many people can't really read much of anything. Those that can don't necessarily read the Bible. And not enough is done to the purpose for remedying those problems.
 
To add to what Ruben said, include:

  • Very few are teaching that the topics in the Bible are still valid, and were not simply for "back then". I had to go through learning this myself.
  • Many seminaries teach against the inspiration, inerrancy, infallibility, and authority of the Bible. Just listened to a seminary professor teaching this view last month. :(
 
This has multiply answers, as the culture has become postmodern, and has pretty much rejected Godly principles, no real objective truth source such as the Bible, and all religions and religious books now equal...
weak teaching in churches in Sunday schools and in pulpit, and many professing pastors/professors/teachers have bit into the viewpoints regrading Bible and Christianity of the liberal position, so Bible partially inspired only, not fully trustworthy.Jesus not God or resurrected, deny need of Cross etc!
And at sametime, big New age influences, and churches taking on wealth/health prosberity false teachings!
 
Most-modernism. If "I" make my own truth, and there is no "absolute" truth, then why would "I" believe God's "version" of absolute truth? Just rock along as a "cultural Christian," until being a "cultural Christian" is no longer convenient. That's where we are in American culture.
 
That is where much of American Christianity is stuck in now!
And why much of it is getting poiusoned by Word of Faith/Name it claim it garbage!
 
arapahoepark said:
Ibam curious as to how, in particular, the US got so Biblically illiterate. Are there sources or theses on it? I suppose this includes Biblical world view.
I am just amazed at talked to some of my professing Christian friends who vote for assisted suicide in my state (it passed) and are pro abortion. No doubt this leads to numerous outcomes.
Click to expand...

Many public schools don't teach the Bible.

Many people are unregenerate so they don't go to church. Many are not interested in the Bible so they don't read it.
 
That has been a hugh change, as at one time public schools all read the Bible, and even used it toteaxch kids how to read!

Just shows that when we reject light, that darkness fills in quickly...
 
I would imagine that Schleiermacher's theology would be related. When religion becomes a subjective experience, the objective nature of the Word takes a back seat.

We hear the logical evolution of Schleiermacher's theology in the marriage equality arguments from "religious" folk today: "Jesus promoted love." We hear less of "if you love me, keep my commandments."
 
I don't think it has anything special to do with the bible.

Watch Mark Dice videos. He interviews people on the street, often at college campuses. The general ignorance is astounding (4th of July- what country did we get Independence from? Can you place Iran on a map? Here, pick a chocolate bar or a 10 oz silver bar ( 2 bucks vs 150 bucks)....and the political subjects...ai yi yi, you can't believe we let them vote.

It appears to just be general dumbed down ignorance about almost everything except Hollywood celebrities, not specifically related to the bible.
 
The presentation of the Gospel, that unbelievers may have heard from popular evangelists, is devoid of much Biblical content.
No one reads Pilgrims Progress in school anymore.
Their is no longer much discussion of the Puritans role in the development of American culture and literature, in undergraduate history and English curricula.
 
Much of that could be traced back to having all aspects of religious histort no longer taught in public schools...

The people coming over here from Europe are not seen for any religious reasons, and they never mentioned God as present history books describe them!

And the Founding fathers had no use for God nor religion in society, as per current revisionist history states...
 
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