Protestant Bias in Public School

[smead2942]

I posted this on another thread about Protestant misconceptions about the origins of Catholicism and I believe it’s worthy of its own thread.

The vast majority of public school education carries great Protestant bias with it. Here is what I "learned’ in my Freshmen world history class three years ago:

The teacher, Mrs. Uselmann, was a Southern Baptist who was married to a former Catholic, so she considered herself a self-proclaimed “early Church” historian. She gave us a talk about the “origins of Christianity”. According to her, the Church consisted of a bunch of little congregations spread throughout the East, and they all studied the Bible in their houses. After Constantine had a “mythical vision” he declared himself the first Pope and called all the congregational bishops together, then forced them to set up the Catholic Church as a political tool for the Roman Empire, by incorporating pagan practices to increase membership and tithing. One congregation didn’t join the Catholic Church, and that congregation is today known as the Baptist “Church”.

I wish I had the zeal and knowledge to correct her at the time, but all I could do is sit back with my head down and hope no one realized I was Catholic.

The history textbook also refers to the Catholic Church as the “early Christian Church” up until 1054, when the “Roman” Catholic Church left the “Christian Church” and the “Christian Church” was renamed the “Eastern Orthodox Church”. You should’ve heard the teacher describe the Great Schism. According to her, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople was mad that the Pope was hogging all the power and declared himself the new Pope, then the two excommunicated each other and there was no real pope.

Does anyone else have experiences similar to mine? I think it’s disheartening that for many people, this is probably the first time the history of Catholicism is taught to them, and it’s not even slightly accurate.

 

[KendraDZ1902]

I don’t remember going into that much detail in school.

Coach Hayes didn’t go into church history rants in class. He was more worried about getting us prepared for the grad exam, which we were allowed to take after world history. If you had world history in the fall semester, you were able to take the test in the spring.
I don’t remember church history rants on the grad exam, either.
That’s the only world history that I’ve ever had to take. I got to choose between several history classes in college and I stuck with American history.

 

[bussybeee]

the book ancient church fathers–

The Ancient Church Fathers reveals the disciples of the twelve apostles, and what they taught, from their own writings.

It documents that the same doctrine was faithfully transmitted to their descendants in the first few centuries. It also describes where, when, and by whom, the doctrines began to change.

The ancient church fathers make it very easy to know for sure what the complete teachings of Jesus and the twelve apostles were.

1… You will learn, from their own writings, what the first century disciples taught about the various doctrines that divide our church today.

2…You will learn what was discussed at the Seven General Councils and why.

3…You will learn about the cults and cult leaders who began to change doctrine and spread their heresy. And

4…you will learn how those heresies became the standard teaching in the medieval church.

A partial list of doctrines the ancient church discussed are:

Abortion Animals sacrifices Antichrist Arminianism Bible or tradition Calvinism Circumcision Deity of Jesus Christ Demons Euthanasia Evolution False gospels False prophets Foreknowledge Free will Gnostic cults Homosexuality Idolatry Islam Israel’s return Jewish food laws
Mary’s virginity Mary’s assumption

Meditation The Nicolaitans Paganism Predestination premillennialism Purgatory Psychology Reincarnation

Replacement theology Roman Catholicism

The Sabbath Salvation Schism of Nepos Sin / Salvation The soul Spiritual gifts Transubstantiation Yoga Women in ministry

This book is brought to you by Biblefacts Ministries, Biblefacts.org

 

[robwar]

I posted this on another thread about Protestant misconceptions about the origins of Catholicism and I believe it’s worthy of its own thread.

The vast majority of public school education carries great Protestant bias with it. Here is what I "learned’ in my Freshmen world history class three years ago:

The teacher, Mrs. Uselmann, was a Southern Baptist who was married to a former Catholic, so she considered herself a self-proclaimed “early Church” historian. She gave us a talk about the “origins of Christianity”. According to her, the Church consisted of a bunch of little congregations spread throughout the East, and they all studied the Bible in their houses. After Constantine had a “mythical vision” he declared himself the first Pope and called all the congregational bishops together, then forced them to set up the Catholic Church as a political tool for the Roman Empire, by incorporating pagan practices to increase membership and tithing. One congregation didn’t join the Catholic Church, and that congregation is today known as the Baptist “Church”.

I wish I had the zeal and knowledge to correct her at the time, but all I could do is sit back with my head down and hope no one realized I was Catholic.

The history textbook also refers to the Catholic Church as the “early Christian Church” up until 1054, when the “Roman” Catholic Church left the “Christian Church” and the “Christian Church” was renamed the “Eastern Orthodox Church”. You should’ve heard the teacher describe the Great Schism. According to her, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople was mad that the Pope was hogging all the power and declared himself the new Pope, then the two excommunicated each other and there was no real pope.

Does anyone else have experiences similar to mine? I think it’s disheartening that for many people, this is probably the first time the history of Catholicism is taught to them, and it’s not even slightly accurate.

This is a public school correct? If this is what your teacher is teaching, she has an agenda and she is teaching false information and even teaching against a particular religion. You and your parents are going to have to complain to the principal then and you are going to have to have proof like a recording of what she is doing. It is wrong and bogus history and the only way to combat it is to fight it.

 

[robwar]

the book ancient church fathers–

The Ancient Church Fathers reveals the disciples of the twelve apostles, and what they taught, from their own writings.

It documents that the same doctrine was faithfully transmitted to their descendants in the first few centuries. It also describes where, when, and by whom, the doctrines began to change.

The ancient church fathers make it very easy to know for sure what the complete teachings of Jesus and the twelve apostles were.

1… You will learn, from their own writings, what the first century disciples taught about the various doctrines that divide our church today.

2…You will learn what was discussed at the Seven General Councils and why.

3…You will learn about the cults and cult leaders who began to change doctrine and spread their heresy. And

4…you will learn how those heresies became the standard teaching in the medieval church.

A partial list of doctrines the ancient church discussed are:

Abortion Animals sacrifices Antichrist Arminianism Bible or tradition Calvinism Circumcision Deity of Jesus Christ Demons Euthanasia Evolution False gospels False prophets Foreknowledge Free will Gnostic cults Homosexuality Idolatry Islam Israel’s return Jewish food laws
Mary’s virginity Mary’s assumption

Meditation The Nicolaitans Paganism Predestination premillennialism Purgatory Psychology Reincarnation

Replacement theology Roman Catholicism

The Sabbath Salvation Schism of Nepos Sin / Salvation The soul Spiritual gifts Transubstantiation Yoga Women in ministry

This book is brought to you by Biblefacts Ministries, Biblefacts.org

You do realize that this is a Catholic forum and the things your are bringing up are claiming the Catholic church is false.

 

[JackieO123]

the book ancient church fathers–

The Ancient Church Fathers reveals the disciples of the twelve apostles, and what they taught, from their own writings.

It documents that the same doctrine was faithfully transmitted to their descendants in the first few centuries. It also describes where, when, and by whom, the doctrines began to change.

The ancient church fathers make it very easy to know for sure what the complete teachings of Jesus and the twelve apostles were.

1… You will learn, from their own writings, what the first century disciples taught about the various doctrines that divide our church today.

2…You will learn what was discussed at the Seven General Councils and why.

3…You will learn about the cults and cult leaders who began to change doctrine and spread their heresy. And

4…you will learn how those heresies became the standard teaching in the medieval church.

A partial list of doctrines the ancient church discussed are:

Abortion Animals sacrifices Antichrist Arminianism Bible or tradition Calvinism Circumcision Deity of Jesus Christ Demons Euthanasia Evolution False gospels False prophets Foreknowledge Free will Gnostic cults Homosexuality Idolatry Islam Israel’s return Jewish food laws
Mary’s virginity Mary’s assumption

Meditation The Nicolaitans Paganism Predestination premillennialism Purgatory Psychology Reincarnation

Replacement theology Roman Catholicism

The Sabbath Salvation Schism of Nepos Sin / Salvation The soul Spiritual gifts Transubstantiation Yoga Women in ministry

This book is brought to you by Biblefacts Ministries, Biblefacts.org

Ladies and gentlemen! Another Protestant nutjob! Brought to you by Calvin and Co.

 

[KendraDZ1902]

the book ancient church fathers–

The Ancient Church Fathers reveals the disciples of the twelve apostles, and what they taught, from their own writings.

It documents that the same doctrine was faithfully transmitted to their descendants in the first few centuries. It also describes where, when, and by whom, the doctrines began to change.

The ancient church fathers make it very easy to know for sure what the complete teachings of Jesus and the twelve apostles were.

1… You will learn, from their own writings, what the first century disciples taught about the various doctrines that divide our church today.

2…You will learn what was discussed at the Seven General Councils and why.

3…You will learn about the cults and cult leaders who began to change doctrine and spread their heresy. And

4…you will learn how those heresies became the standard teaching in the medieval church.

A partial list of doctrines the ancient church discussed are:

Abortion Animals sacrifices Antichrist Arminianism Bible or tradition Calvinism Circumcision Deity of Jesus Christ Demons Euthanasia Evolution False gospels False prophets Foreknowledge Free will Gnostic cults Homosexuality Idolatry Islam Israel’s return Jewish food laws
Mary’s virginity Mary’s assumption

Meditation The Nicolaitans Paganism Predestination premillennialism Purgatory Psychology Reincarnation

Replacement theology Roman Catholicism

The Sabbath Salvation Schism of Nepos Sin / Salvation The soul Spiritual gifts Transubstantiation Yoga Women in ministry

This book is brought to you by Biblefacts Ministries, Biblefacts.org

You won’t get positive feedback on this…

 

[revert_jen]

You do realize that this is a Catholic forum and the things your are bringing up are claiming the Catholic church is false.

I would be very surprised if the poster did not know this.

I welcome it in general, athough it is off-topic for this thread. I think there are a lot of Protestants out there who think that because they have had some success converting Catholics who don’t know the teachings of their own Church (which they probably haven’t attended in years except Easter and Christmas) that all Catholics are ripe for conversion. It is very sad and certainly our fault that there are so many such people out there, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of Catholics who know their faith (including the Bible), and there are quite a few here.

So, bring it on! I attended Protestant churches for over 10 years, and met many kind and Godly people in them, but I came back to Catholicism because it is true.

Just to say something relevant to the thread: Some of the teacher’s error is clearly factual. There is no respectable source that will say Constantine was ever Pope, for example. Maybe the OP could find some reputable information to the contrary and show it to the teacher in private?

–Jen :knight1: (member of the Church “Some-days-more-Militant-than-others”)

 

[Modern_Revert]

Scariest thing about that book are the comments that it’s the “eyewitness historical account” they’ve been looking for!

 

[Aslan10]

I posted this on another thread about Protestant misconceptions about the origins of Catholicism and I believe it’s worthy of its own thread.

The vast majority of public school education carries great Protestant bias with it. Here is what I "learned’ in my Freshmen world history class three years ago:

The teacher, Mrs. Uselmann, was a Southern Baptist who was married to a former Catholic, so she considered herself a self-proclaimed “early Church” historian. She gave us a talk about the “origins of Christianity”. According to her, the Church consisted of a bunch of little congregations spread throughout the East, and they all studied the Bible in their houses. After Constantine had a “mythical vision” he declared himself the first Pope and called all the congregational bishops together, then forced them to set up the Catholic Church as a political tool for the Roman Empire, by incorporating pagan practices to increase membership and tithing. One congregation didn’t join the Catholic Church, and that congregation is today known as the Baptist “Church”.

I wish I had the zeal and knowledge to correct her at the time, but all I could do is sit back with my head down and hope no one realized I was Catholic.

The history textbook also refers to the Catholic Church as the “early Christian Church” up until 1054, when the “Roman” Catholic Church left the “Christian Church” and the “Christian Church” was renamed the “Eastern Orthodox Church”. You should’ve heard the teacher describe the Great Schism. According to her, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople was mad that the Pope was hogging all the power and declared himself the new Pope, then the two excommunicated each other and there was no real pope.

Does anyone else have experiences similar to mine? I think it’s disheartening that for many people, this is probably the first time the history of Catholicism is taught to them, and it’s not even slightly accurate.

Yea, that is just bad history. Really…bad…history. haha. Anyway, sorry to hear that this happened in a public school. There shouldn’t be any religious bias in public schools, in my opinion.

 

[SoMissCatholic]

the book ancient church fathers–

The Ancient Church Fathers reveals the disciples of the twelve apostles, and what they taught, from their own writings.

It documents that the same doctrine was faithfully transmitted to their descendants in the first few centuries. It also describes where, when, and by whom, the doctrines began to change.

The ancient church fathers make it very easy to know for sure what the complete teachings of Jesus and the twelve apostles were.

1… You will learn, from their own writings, what the first century disciples taught about the various doctrines that divide our church today.

2…You will learn what was discussed at the Seven General Councils and why.

3…You will learn about the cults and cult leaders who began to change doctrine and spread their heresy. And

4…you will learn how those heresies became the standard teaching in the medieval church.

A partial list of doctrines the ancient church discussed are:

Abortion Animals sacrifices Antichrist Arminianism Bible or tradition Calvinism Circumcision Deity of Jesus Christ Demons Euthanasia Evolution False gospels False prophets Foreknowledge Free will Gnostic cults Homosexuality Idolatry Islam Israel’s return Jewish food laws
Mary’s virginity Mary’s assumption

Meditation The Nicolaitans Paganism Predestination premillennialism Purgatory Psychology Reincarnation

Replacement theology Roman Catholicism

The Sabbath Salvation Schism of Nepos Sin / Salvation The soul Spiritual gifts Transubstantiation Yoga Women in ministry

This book is brought to you by Biblefacts Ministries, Biblefacts.org

So the Early Church Fathers discussed Calvinism 1,000 years before Calvin was born? Cool story bro . . . .

 

[johnnyc176]

I posted this on another thread about Protestant misconceptions about the origins of Catholicism and I believe it’s worthy of its own thread.

The vast majority of public school education carries great Protestant bias with it. Here is what I "learned’ in my Freshmen world history class three years ago:

The teacher, Mrs. Uselmann, was a Southern Baptist who was married to a former Catholic, so she considered herself a self-proclaimed “early Church” historian. She gave us a talk about the “origins of Christianity”. According to her, the Church consisted of a bunch of little congregations spread throughout the East, and they all studied the Bible in their houses. After Constantine had a “mythical vision” he declared himself the first Pope and called all the congregational bishops together, then forced them to set up the Catholic Church as a political tool for the Roman Empire, by incorporating pagan practices to increase membership and tithing. One congregation didn’t join the Catholic Church, and that congregation is today known as the Baptist “Church”.

I wish I had the zeal and knowledge to correct her at the time, but all I could do is sit back with my head down and hope no one realized I was Catholic.

The history textbook also refers to the Catholic Church as the “early Christian Church” up until 1054, when the “Roman” Catholic Church left the “Christian Church” and the “Christian Church” was renamed the “Eastern Orthodox Church”. You should’ve heard the teacher describe the Great Schism. According to her, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople was mad that the Pope was hogging all the power and declared himself the new Pope, then the two excommunicated each other and there was no real pope.

Does anyone else have experiences similar to mine? I think it’s disheartening that for many people, this is probably the first time the history of Catholicism is taught to them, and it’s not even slightly accurate.

Learn your Faith and start speaking up in class.

 

[robwar]

Ladies and gentlemen! Another Protestant nutjob! Brought to you by Calvin and Co.

You mean Calvin and Co founded in 1500’s?

 

[exnihilo]

Yea, that is just bad history. Really…bad…history. haha. Anyway, sorry to hear that this happened in a public school. There shouldn’t be any religious bias in public schools, in my opinion.

I agree it is bad history, but bias is a reality in any subject taught. Unbiased teachers are as mythical a creation as unbiased journalists or chimeras. What really shouldn’t be in any school is uncritical thinking. Schools are set up so that you earn a good grade by repeating back whatever it is you are told, regarldless of the truthfulness of the assertion. Having critical thinking and engaging in a personal study that tries to examine different points of view seems more useful to me than trying in vain to stop bias.

 

[Contarini]

I agree it is bad history, but bias is a reality in any subject taught. Unbiased teachers are as mythical a creation as unbiased journalists or chimeras. What really shouldn’t be in any school is uncritical thinking. Schools are set up so that you earn a good grade by repeating back whatever it is you are told, regarldless of the truthfulness of the assertion. Having critical thinking and engaging in a personal study that tries to examine different points of view seems more useful to me than trying in vain to stop bias.

Exactly.

That being said, the textbook account the OP described is really, really bad, and given the authoritarian nature of school, it’s quite likely that if the OP had spoken up the teacher wouldn’t have treated him with respect. But one can hope that she would have. . . .

 

[Stilldreamn]

I posted this on another thread about Protestant misconceptions about the origins of Catholicism and I believe it’s worthy of its own thread.

The vast majority of public school education carries great Protestant bias with it. Here is what I "learned’ in my Freshmen world history class three years ago:

The teacher, Mrs. Uselmann, was a Southern Baptist who was married to a former Catholic, so she considered herself a self-proclaimed “early Church” historian. She gave us a talk about the “origins of Christianity”. According to her, the Church consisted of a bunch of little congregations spread throughout the East, and they all studied the Bible in their houses. After Constantine had a “mythical vision” he declared himself the first Pope and called all the congregational bishops together, then forced them to set up the Catholic Church as a political tool for the Roman Empire, by incorporating pagan practices to increase membership and tithing. One congregation didn’t join the Catholic Church, and that congregation is today known as the Baptist “Church”.

I wish I had the zeal and knowledge to correct her at the time, but all I could do is sit back with my head down and hope no one realized I was Catholic.

The history textbook also refers to the Catholic Church as the “early Christian Church” up until 1054, when the “Roman” Catholic Church left the “Christian Church” and the “Christian Church” was renamed the “Eastern Orthodox Church”. You should’ve heard the teacher describe the Great Schism. According to her, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople was mad that the Pope was hogging all the power and declared himself the new Pope, then the two excommunicated each other and there was no real pope.

Does anyone else have experiences similar to mine? I think it’s disheartening that for many people, this is probably the first time the history of Catholicism is taught to them, and it’s not even slightly accurate.

This illustrates why parochial schools are so important. It’s a shame that so many families are unable to afford to send their children to them, if they are even available. I have noticed quite a few Catholic schools being closed in my area, and Lutheran ones, too.

Before we started home-schooling I had inquired at our local Lutheran elementary, and I also looked into the Catholic one nearby. The Catholic school had a lower tuition, but even with a small scholarship at the Lutheran school it would have cost more than our mortgage, utilities and a week’s groceries combined.

 

[JackieO123]

You mean Calvin and Co founded in 1500’s?

Yes, that Calvin and Co!