Recently, the American Library Assn. released their list of the top ten banned and challenged books of 2015. Many books were expected, with people complaining of sexually explicit content and offensive language. However, one book stood out as being different from the others. Yes, coming in at number six on the list is the Bible. The arguments used to oppose the Bible did not center on its content being inappropriate, rather that its presence in public schools violated separation of church and state.
This argument against the Bible’s mere presence in a public school shows that our understanding of separation of church and state is flawed. There is a difference between having a religious text in a library and promoting belief in a religion. It is important to see this distinction when we think about separation of church and state. Mark Chancey’s “Reading, Writing & Religion II” further calls for understanding of this distinction as he shows how Texas public schools struggle to teach appropriate Bible courses. A significant stumbling block for Texas public schools in teaching Bible courses is the lack of guidelines and training available to teachers. Many teachers just do not know how to teach a Bible course without a Christian bias.
Whether it is a Bible class or a Bible in the library, a bias promoting religion is not inherently present. A boundary has to be crossed for there to be a violation of separation between church and state. Many classes taught in Texas public schools cross this boundary, and it is a problem that needs to be addressed. However, I find it more unlikely that libraries are crossing this boundary. Unless a library only has books that promote a certain religion, I see no problem with there being a Bible or a Qur’an or any religious text in a public library. James LaRue, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom refers to this list of challenged books, saying “As a society, considering an “index of complaints” helps us to understand who we are and where we’re going. Cultures change over time, and the things we fear, or celebrate, change with them.” The Bible’s appearance on this list for the first time as well as other books being challenged based on a “religious viewpoint” shows that a concern with religion is on the rise.
Sources:
Reading, Writing & Religion II
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