Beginning This Year Louisiana High Schools To Offer Bible Courses

Just weeks ago, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed a total of 44 bills into Louisiana law and some of those are set to become effective as early as next week, on Tuesday, August 1.

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Act 436, initially known as SB7, establishes a process by which people can request a review of library material accessible to minors. It also places restrictions on certain library materials deemed ‘explicit’ by the state. https://legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1333281

While these and many of the others that will soon become part of the law of the land in Louisiana are important, the Governor also signed into law a bill that could very well be the best piece of legislation he's signed in his two terms of office.

Have You Seen What ACT 215-HB68 Is All About?

While most conservatives could successfully argue about the overall erosion of morality in our state and the entire country, this could easily be touted as one of the greatest Christian victories in decades.

Here's the exact verbiage of this new law.

...to authorize public school governing authorities to offer an elective high school course in the history and literature of the Bible; to provide for course purposes and parameters; to require the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to adopt rules for
implementation; and to provide for related matters.

This is huge!  Essentially, the new law authorizes public high schools to offer a course of instruction in the history and literature of the Bible.  Obviously, offering the course is at the discretion of each school, and some may elect to not offer the curriculum, but at least we have made a step in the right direction.

What Else Does This New Law Have To Say?

Officially titled the "History and Literature of the Bible Act", the law states that each public school governing authority may offer an elective high school course in the history and literature of the Bible for the purposes of:

1. Providing students with knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary society and culture, including literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and public policy.
2. Familiarizing students with the content, history, and structure of the Bible and the influence of the Bible on law, history, government, literature, art, music, customs, morals, values, and culture.

It goes on to say that if such a course is offered:

1. No student shall be required to use a particular translation of the Bible as the textbook for the course.
2. The course shall maintain religious neutrality and accommodate diverse religious views, traditions, and perspectives.

I say, chalk one up for the good guys!  We finally won one!  Our kids can learn more about the Gospel in school and get credit for it!  Win-Win for sure!