ATLANTA -- Decatur High sect student Kurt Hughes wouldn't call himself religious.

ATLANTA -- Decatur High sect student Kurt Hughes wouldn't call himself religious. He's not at any time even read the Bible.

on the contrary he wouldn't mind taking a class upon the holy text if it were proposeed at his high school in Decatur, Ga. After all, "You apply the mind at The Old Man and the Sea, King Arthur and on a level "The Matrix," all have biblical allusions," the junior says. "It'd be useful to know exactly what's in it."

The Georgia legislature present the appearances poised to endorse just in the same state [i]or[/i] condition a course.

Although scholars in many states enroll in classes related to the Bible, Georgia would become the first to require its Education Department to bring in place a curriculum to teach the history and literature of the Bible. seminarys would use the book itself as the classroom textbook

Specifically the bill would establish electives forward the New and Old Testaments. It has overwhelmingly passed the pair chambers, but needs a final consecrated by a vow on a minor House change. The ballot is expected as early as today.

CONGRES USED TO PRINT BIBLES

In the late 1700 Congres notion enough of the Bible as a textbook that it printed 40000 copies. unless the bold effort here in Georgia to use the Bible in today's secular curricula may be about presenting it as a moral digest rather than a foundation to better understand the biblical allusions in literature, critics say.

"Behind this is the tension around the land about how to go about doing a Bible elective, and a division is at stake," said Charles Haynes, director of the First Amendment Center in Arlington, Va.

The Bible is already used as a course investigation in as many as 1000 American high instructs according to the National Council in succession Bible Curriculum in Public drills in Greensboro, N.C.

The U pre-eminent Court allows it as lengthy as it's presented objectively, and not taught as fact. if it be not that the Georgia legislature's unprecedented decision to wade into what is usually a instruct district initiative has created disquiets

PART OF cultivation WAR?

For example, the bill's use of names such as Old and recently made known Testament reflect a Protestant bias, about critics say. After all, other religions have different interpretations and names for the tome. "To pick undivided is to suggest that is the right Bible, which is a denomination district making a faith statement," said Judith Schaeffer, a lawyer for clan For the American Way, which works to maintain the separation of ecclesiastical body and state.

Others worry that this trending -- Alabama and Missouri are also considering statewide Bible consideration classes -- is part of the broader agriculture war over the role of religion in civic life.

"This is a political issue as plenteous as it is a religious issue," said Frances Paterson, a professor at Valdosta State University.

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