The Use of the Law
Why it's troubling that the Texas Senate wants to require schools to show the Ten Commandments
As someone who lobbies state legislators, I’m no stranger to fringe bills. Any lawmaker can file whatever they want; it doesn’t mean that the legislation will stand up to scrutiny. It’s too easy to find some bill that a single state lawmaker filed and use it as a strawman to suggest that all the members of a certain political party believe something dangerous or stupid. “Kansas Republican Files Bill Requiring Students to Pledge Allegiance to President Trump” has as much weight behind it as an individual citizen declaring that 3 Musketeers is the best candy bar (it is—I am that citizen).
Things get more serious when an entire legislative chamber of the second largest state in the nation passes a bill. In my experience you ignore these bills at your own peril. That’s why I feel comfortable analyzing Senate Bill 1515 in Texas: a bill that would require public schools to prominently display the 10 Commandments in every classroom.
The bill’s author, Sen. Phil King, said, “[The bill] will remind students all across Texas of the importance of the fundamental foundation of America.” Let’s start with the obvious: there are several documents that would remind students of our country’s founding. The choice of the Ten Commandments over, say, the Pilgrim-Wampanoag Peace Treaty is one of values. Sen. King saw an opening for the religious text after the U.S. Supreme Court sided with a football coach who prayed over the team despite being a public school employee at a school event. If school sponsored prayer is allowed again, what other elements of Christianity might be next?
Sen. King’s description of history works on two levels: 1) the founding fathers used the Ten Commandments to shape the country and 2) the Ten Commandments have historically had a place within public schools. Following this line of thinking the removal of the text from the school is a denial of history. This is a familiar argument to increase the presence of Christianity in the public sphere. As a believer I’m afraid that he’s absolutely correct in the individual claims but reaches the wrong conclusion.
Christianity as History
First, it’s undeniable that the framers of the United States Constitution were influenced by the Bible. A majority of those men attended protestant churches and you can see the impact of Christian morality and epistemology in tons of historical documents. But the Bible is a big book and misinterpreting God’s Word is a tale as old as time. One person could read the story of Joseph and decide that God only desires grit and a positive attitude. Another could conclude after reading Ecclesiastes that life is worthless so effort is a waste of time. You could even read the entire Bible and see no references to dating and commit to kiss the whole idea goodbye!
The 10 Commandments is a set of guardrails around ethics and worship given by God to His people through Moses. Many of the commandments have broad appeal—prohibitions against murder or lying, for example—but the entire list is uniquely important to Judaism and Christianity. The Ten Commandments were initially written directly by God and enjoyed a place within the Ark of the Covenant. Considering their influence, you cannot be considered culturally literate without a basic knowledge of this text.
Second, the Ten Commandments have occasionally been posted in public schools in the past, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it as a violation of the establishment clause in the First Amendment in 1980. Now either the Texas bill’s sponsor believes that this current iteration of the high court will overturn the ruling, or he is arguing that the commandments should be understood as history instead of as a religious text. If the former, we have a significant breach in the wall separating church and state; while the latter begs the question of why students should be forced to see this particular part of history.
What Good are Religious Texts Without Religion?
Both possible arguments for the bill would result in a part of the Bible being prominently displayed without context. As Christians we should interrogate what message that will send to the wider world. Since the Ten Commandments are an important portion of what is generally called “the law,” we need to see what the rest of the Bible says about the use of the law.
The law shows attributes of God.
Romans 7 tells us that the law is holy and good. It outlines perfection, a status that only God has. Look at the Ten Commandments and we see how to act and think to remain in the good graces of our Heavenly Father.
The law reveals sin and our captivity to it.
Romans 3:20 - “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” Galatians tells us that all that depend on the works of the law are “under a curse” and “imprisoned.” So while we look to the law and see a facet of the holy God, we’re made aware that we cannot meet His expectations. The law is a constant reminder that there is nothing we can do to escape our sin.
God does not leave us in our captivity, of course. He sent His son to die on the cross to turn away His holy wrath at our disobedience. Jesus is “the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Rules like those in the Ten Commandments are a necessary step to showing us our need for a savior, but it’s just a step! It’s like telling your friend that they have something on their face and then hiding the napkins
The Ten Commandments without Jesus is a crushing weight that no man can bear. Asking people to reflect on them without the rest of the Bible will result in, at best, a general morality where guilt and shame flourish.
Christianity as Power
What if that’s the point? I do not know the heart of this bill’s author, but many people distill the value of Christianity in American society down to behavior modification. The entire religion is often used as a way to discourage vices like theft, greed and dishonesty while encouraging ideals such as the nuclear family and charity. The phrase “Judeo-Christian values” itself assumes a set of morals absent further divine intervention—a belief held by many of the founding fathers I might add. The Ten Commandments without the person of Jesus are a holy threat, the sword of Damocles hanging over our collective heads declaring that we should behave or else. It is no accident that Jesus told Peter that “those who live by the sword will die by the sword.”
Using religious texts to spur obedience—and therefore, societal cohesion—might be effective but is a far cry from the intent of the gospel. The God-man Jesus welcomed outcasts before they became law-abiding citizens and called them to a Heavenly kingdom.
When people try to wedge parts of the Bible into spaces this way it can be viewed as an advancement in a spiritual war. You can imagine a picture of Jesus striding confidently into a conquered city sitting on His war horse. The Ten Commandments might as well be a flag planted to declare that Judeo-Christian morality has gained previously-lost ground. But we have forgotten that this morality is an impossible standard, thus becoming a warning to all who see it.
Christians should not be surprised then when we aren’t welcomed like liberators if we use the law to represent our cause. Instead of charging into spaces using the law as judge, jury and executioner, we would do well to arrive humbly in the city like Jesus did, eschewing the war horse instead for a donkey.