Week 2 Restoring Religious Liberty
We have created these resources to complement Patriot Academy’s Rebuilding Liberty Course. We pray they will be a blessing for you as you attend or lead a class.
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Engel v. Vitale
Removed prayer in public school
US Supreme Court, 1962
Abington School District v. Schempp
Removed Bible reading in public schools
US Supreme Court, 1963
Lemon v. Kurtzman
1971 US Supreme Court
Under the Lemon test, a government action violates the Establishment Clause if it violates one or more of its three prongs:
- lacks a secular purpose;
- has the primary effect of promoting or disparaging religion;
- excessively entangles the government in religion
Alliance Defending Freedom
The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, 2019
Bladensburg Peace Cross, Maryland WWI memorial. The case upheld the constitutionality of the memorial
Kelly Shackleford, First Liberty Institute
100 Years Later, The Bladensburg Peace Cross Remains Standing as a Symbol of Sacrifice
Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, June 27, 2022
Supreme Court ruled in favor of Coach Kennedy, reversing the Lemon Test
SCOTUS Rules in Favor of Coach Kennedy
History & Tradition Test
“Longstanding religiously expressive practices require a strong presumption of constitutionality.” If you can show that something has a history and tradition in America, we are going to presume it’s constitutional.
Old Deluder Satan Act, 1647
First Public School Law- “It being one chief project of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures…”
- When there are 50 people in a community, you choose a teacher from the community.
- When you get 100 people in a community, you build a school.
Read the Old Deluder Satan Act from the 1650 Code of 1650- first law book in America
1690 The New England Primer
The New England Primer. First school textbook printed in America
1782 First Bible printed in America
The King of England said that no Bibles could be printed in America.
1782 First Bible printed in America. Printed 10,000 by Robert Aitken, official printer of the US Congress. Congressional committee recommended that edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States.
Northwest Ordinance
Article III “Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”
Free PDF of the Northwest Ordinance
Dr. Benjamin Rush
“The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this, there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and live of all republican governments.”
-Dr. Benjamin Rush, Father of Public Schools, 1790
A Defense of the Use of the Bible as a Schoolbook by Benjamin Rush
“The Bible contains more knowledge necessary to man in his present state than any other book in the world.”
–A Defense of the Use of the Bible as a Schoolbook by Benjamin Rush
1816 Report from New Jersey Public Schools
“All the scholars for the first and second classes… commit to memory portions of the New Testament or Psalms, a lesson in the Catechism, several Hymns, and the texts of the preceding Sabbath. One of the scholars… has committed to memory the book of John, and the first 30 Psalms, together with the 119th Psalm. The majority… have committed to memory the Gospel of John.”
Noah Webster “School Master to America”
- 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defined 70,000 words (40,000 never before defined).
- He learned 28 languages.
- 27% of the definitions point back to the Bible
“All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.”
Noah Webster
President Zachary Taylor “Old Rough and Ready”
“The Bible is the best of books. I wish it were in the hands of everyone. It is indispensable to the safety and permanence of our institutions. Especially should the Bible be placed in the hands of the young. It is the best schoolbook in the world. I would that all of our people were brought up under the influence of that Holy Book.”
1849 President Zachary Taylor
1876 Centennial Card
“To the Children and Youth of the U.S.
Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties. Write its precepts in your hearts, and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization, and to this we must look as our guide in the future. Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)
President Ulysses S Grant
Bible Curriculum used in public schools in major cities across the US
1946 Bible Study Course for the New Testament for the Dallas Public High Schools
1954 Bible Study Course for the Old Testament for the Dallas Public High Schools
Includes sections for memorization, name and classify books of the Bible, recognition of short stories from the Bible, Bible geography, character studies, and definitions.
The Bible in Public Schools Today
The Lemon Test restored
- Christmas Carols in school
- Nativity displays in the public square
- Creation teaching the public schools
- Student lead prayer
2-2-2
2 Hours per Week (Lives)
Host classes, attend meetings or civics activities
2% of Fortune (Fortune)
Invest in freedom causes and initiatives
2 Posts per Week (Sacred Honor)
Risk reputation by publicly supporting liberty
In the Tavern
Steps 4-6 for Rebuilding Liberty
- In God We Trust in every public square
- 10 Commandments in Schools
• Restore American Schools - Godly Wisdom back in schools (bring the Bible back)
• Bible in Schools
• LifeWise
For more details on these steps, please visit Patriot Academy’s 250 Celebration page.
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