I have been disturbed by the inflammatory terms used by some individuals this summer to describe the new Providence Christian Academy and the curriculum that they have chosen. The labels “Christian nationalist,” “white supremacist,” and “educational malpractice” should not be used lightly and should be based on facts instead of copy-and-pasted talking points from those who are predisposed to have a problem with anything that is based on a biblical worldview and Christian beliefs.

I wonder if the people using those terms are aware that the church starting the school largely consists of hard-working immigrants or children of immigrants who came to America for a better life and to escape the oppression of communism in Eastern Europe. Painting anyone who is associated with the school with the broad brush of white supremacy and vague term of Christian nationalism creates an unjust stigma that could have a negative effect in the community on people who are simply trying to be productive citizens and teach their children in alignment with their religious convictions, which I am very confident don’t include racism.

What is Christian nationalism? Ask five different people, and you might get five different answers. Some might picture a militant group of people trying to conquer America for Christ. To others, the label gets applied to people who simply oppose abortion or believe in national sovereignty.

I do not believe that America was founded explicitly as a Christian nation and do not agree with the philosophy of Christian dominionism, but the Bible has had a profound influence on America’s history, morality, and foundational values of life and liberty. Those who advocate for legislation that reflects biblical principles have just as much of a right to do so as those who would rather see secular humanist values advanced.

Separation of church and state was instituted to prevent both the establishment of a state religion and the prohibition of the free exercise of one’s religion. It was not intended to purge all recognition of God from public institutions or prevent laws from being passed that reflect Christian values. 

Slandering the Abeka curriculum as white supremacist or white Christian nationalist creates a convenient boogeyman that gives those who dislike it a reason to avoid discussing the issues in depth. As someone who is not afraid of tough topics nor afraid of the truth, I welcome sincere and honest conversation.

The only supposed evidence for racism that has been shown so far is slavery being called Black immigration. No full quotes from the textbook were given, no context was provided, and no quotes that actually indicate support for slavery have been cited. I wonder how much of the textbooks those who are the most vocally opposed to Abeka have even read, because the objections raised locally about Abeka are remarkably similar to anti-Abeka articles that one can find with a simple internet search.

A closer look would reveal that Black Americans who made profound contributions to America such as Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver are included in the history curriculum, and this alleged white supremacist organization even publishes the autobiography of Booker T. Washington called “Up from Slavery” as part of its Sons of Liberty Series. The student body of Pensacola Christian College, the owner of Abeka, has included many Black and international students over the years. A closer look at Abeka would also reveal an academically rigorous yet practical curriculum, and many students who have been taught with Abeka or have graduated from Pensacola Christian College have gone on to have successful careers.

In addition to their history books being called “white supremacist,” Abeka’s science books have been called a “farce.” An accusation often directly made or implied against Bible-believers is that they are science deniers. Believing the Bible and science is not an either/or proposition. At the time of its writing, the Bible was ahead of its time regarding the scientific statements it contains.

Science involves ongoing research and discovery, and the greatest disagreements are often the result of the competing worldviews of Darwinism and biblical Creationism, both of which are faith systems that influence the interpretation of what is observed.

Nobody is forcing those who oppose a Christian education to participate in it, and the derogatory terms used to describe the Abeka curriculum and those who use it should be put aside in favor of respect for religious liberty and more careful gathering of information before rushing to judgment.

Brett Reitenbach is a resident of Greenfield and pastor of Greenfield Baptist Church.