What did Founding Fathers believe?, Finding a consensus will be tricky for those developing new state curriculum
AUSTIN — Texas schoolchildren should know how God and religion greatly influenced the country's Founding Fathers more than 230 years ago, say some of the experts reviewing the state's social studies curriculum.
It is a viewpoint that troubles others who worry that a controlling majority of conservatives on the State Board of Education may go too far in pushing Christianity in public schools.
To characterize the origins of this country as a Christian nation would be wrong, said Steven Schafersman, who routinely attends SBOE meetings as president of Texans Citizens For Science.
“It is absolutely false,” Schafersman said. “That kind of belief is dangerous.”
He is among several who argue that many of the Founding Fathers actually were deists — they believed in God as creator, who permits the universe to operate according to natural laws rather than continued intervention. As such, they did not believe the Bible or Jesus were divine.
Finding common agreement on the religious angle could be tricky as state leaders develop new curriculum standards for social studies, including history, geography and economics.
Read entire article at Chron (The Houston Chronicle)
It is a viewpoint that troubles others who worry that a controlling majority of conservatives on the State Board of Education may go too far in pushing Christianity in public schools.
To characterize the origins of this country as a Christian nation would be wrong, said Steven Schafersman, who routinely attends SBOE meetings as president of Texans Citizens For Science.
“It is absolutely false,” Schafersman said. “That kind of belief is dangerous.”
He is among several who argue that many of the Founding Fathers actually were deists — they believed in God as creator, who permits the universe to operate according to natural laws rather than continued intervention. As such, they did not believe the Bible or Jesus were divine.
Finding common agreement on the religious angle could be tricky as state leaders develop new curriculum standards for social studies, including history, geography and economics.