Christianity and Social Order

A recent social debate is concerning the curriculum change in Texas public schools from elementary to high school. On March 12, 2010, , the Texas Board of Education in the capital buildings of Austin agreed on a change to social studies curriculum that placed a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks in most Texas public schools. The vote was 10 to 5, with all the Republicans on the board voting for it, claiming the change to be “stressing the superiority of American capitalism, questioning the Founding Fathers’ commitment to a purely secular government and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light.” “In past years, the Texas Board of Education members have been battling between conservatives who question Darwin’s theory of evolution and believe the Founding Fathers were following Christian principles in building the nation and Democrats and moderate Republicans who have fought to preserve the teaching of Darwinism and the separation of church and state.” Their justification for the change was that they were just adding balance in textbooks.

William Temple’s two-fold method of the Church’s impact upon Society includes first, making Christian principles known and second, equipping members of the Church to reshape the existing order on the basis of these principles. How I am examining this issue of the curriculum change by Christian conservatives in regards to the two-fold method of Temple is that the social order of the citizens or the students in this case is to be influenced by Christians who should be living out the kingdom of God in their environments, but this has to be done in a responsible way in which faith is not coerced; meaning it should not be done through a pressurized political agenda. I believe Christians are to remain faithful and obedient, always showing forth the love that God has opened to all mankind. In doing this (faithfulness), I believe unbelievers will come to know Christ Jesus, the Risen and Saviour Lord that lives in the hearts of those who call themselves His followers.

-Kingsley