History Behind the Headlines: The Role of the Bible in the Founding of the United States and Religious Mandates in Public Schools. Friday, July 26, 2024, 12 p.m. ET
Recently, state authorities in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida have made significant claims about the relationship between the Bible and the nation’s founding, and created curricular mandates based on these claims. In light of these events, the AHA will convene a conversation among scholars to discuss the evidence from the historical record, the questions that historians have asked about the relationship between religion and the Constitution, and the lessons resulting from decades of fruitful historical investigation. What should the public know about the relationship between the legal framework of the United States and the Christian Bible? How has this history been represented in public education in the past? And how can historians contribute to an informed understanding of the topic? Moderated by Jon Butler (Yale Univ.), this event features Holly Brewer (Univ. of Maryland), Heath Carter (Princeton Theological Sem.), and John Fea (Messiah Univ.).
This online event is free and open to the public; registration is required. Can’t make it? Sign up anyway and view the recording on the AHA's YouTube channel after the event.
