Bible in the Classroom

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:00:00

Bible in the Classroom

Ellery Schempp then

Fifty-one years ago, Ellery Schempp protested his high school's mandatory morning prayer by bringing a Koran to class.

He was asked to leave the classroom, but his protest led to the watershed case Abington School District v. Schempp. Solidifying the separation between church and state, the Supreme Court's decision has become an important ruling cited in hundreds of subsequent court cases involving public schools and religion.

Ellery Schempp now

Ellery talks with Dick Gordon about what led to his decision to protest and sue the school district - and what happened to him and his family after the decision was handed down.

Read a book about Ellery

Keeping the Faith

After Dick's interview with L.A. Times writer William Lobdell about how William lost his faith while on the religion beat, one listener wrote to The Story, asking: "Why do we not hear the wonderful stories about the ways faith has enabled people to live joyfully, abundantly, and gratefully; lives where miracles can and do happen, and the future is full of hope?"

Barbara Allen

Soon after, Dick talked to Barbara Allen. Barbara grew up in a repressive evangelical household. She attended Bob Jones University and married an abusive and philandering preacher. Yet despite the morally claustrophobic outlook of her community, she clung to a verse from John 1:5: "The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." That verse was Barbara's lifeline throughout these difficult years. Now she's remarried, has found a church she's happy with and has become a lay minister.

The Story from American Public Media - Bible in the Classroom

Bible in the Classroom

Bible in the Classroom

Keeping the Faith