and religion generally on the wane in modern society, more and more children
are growing up without knowing the Bible.
No longer can we assume that the average child knows about David and
Goliath, Jonah and the Whale, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, Noah and the Ark.
They may be computer literate, but that isn’t nurturing their spiritual growth.
In a recent survey, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they believe the
Bible holds the answers to life’s basic questions. But they don’t seem to be
reading it – to themselves or their children. Only one-third, for instance,
know that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. And 10 percent think that
Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. A governor in Texas years ago opposed Spanish
instruction in the schools because: “If English was good enough for Jesus
Christ, it’s good enough for us.”
But all is not hopeless. Bible study groups are flourishing, from churches
to living rooms and locker rooms. The popularity of such recent movies as
Noah and Son of God, plus last year’s TV series on The Bible, is encouraging.
In a Gallup Poll this year, 75% of Americans sampled say they believe the
Bible is connected to God, 28% claim it is “the word of God and should be
taken literally,” and 47% believe it is divinely inspired but is not to be taken
literally. Just 21% dismiss the Bible as “ancient fables, legends, history and
precepts written by man.