I am somewhat embarrassed to say I cannot currently pass the curriculum, not at 100% anyway. Currently I have this at about 70% with little change in ten years. I also do not agree 100% with Hugh on this assessment of how this splits up the parties. It is a good indicator, but it certainly is not conclusive. Some of the most strident atheists that I know have made a point of knowing the Bible as well as many Christians. Sadly they only know the words and make a point of only reading the painful parts and taking those out of context.
There are also many Christians who have placed Christ in their heart, who have yet to learn the Bible. It is a shortcoming for sure, but it does not necessarily make them a bystander. It does however potentially leave them as quite an ineffective Christian when it comes to their most basic and important of charges. The Great Commission requires a certain level of competency on Biblical knowledge.
While the test itself is all from The Embarrassed Believer (Hewitt, 1998, pages 107-109), I have updated the verses to the English Standard Version specifically.
So here is the test. By the time a Third Grader graduates to fourth grade Sunday School they should be able to do the following:
- Recite the books of the New Testament in Order (November-March)
- Mathew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Acts
- Romans
- 1st Corinthians
- 2nd Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- 1st Thessalonians
- 2nd Thessalonians
- 1st Timothy
- 2nd Timothy
- Titus
- Philemon
- Hebrews
- James
- 1st Peter
- 2nd Peter
- 1st John
- 2nd John
- 3rd John
- Jude
- Revelation
- Sing the Doxology from Memory (November)
“Praise God from whom all blessings flow
- Demonstrate passing the peace of Christ (April)
- Recite the Lord’s Prayer (November)
- Recite John 3:16 (March/April/May)
- Recite Romans 3:23 (October/November)
- Recite 1 John 1:9 (December/January/February)
- Identify pictures of: (September)
- Pulpit
- Pew
- Font
- Communion Table
- State a simple explanation of Baptism. (March)
- State a simple explanation of Communion (September/October)
- State a simple explanation of the symbolism of bread and wine in Communion. (September)
- State in order the liturgical (church) year. (May)
- Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, and Pentecost.
- Find a hymn by number in the hymnal. (October)
- Find in the Bible: (October)
- Genesis
- Psalms
- Mathew
- Additional items for third-graders to learn:
Demonstrate the responses, “We lift our prayer to you…”, “Hear our prayer, O Lord.” “Lord Hear our Prayer”.
- State the correct order of worship:
- Prelude
- Call to Worship
- Praise
- Confession
- Sermon
- Prayers of the people
- Passing the peace of Christ
- Offering
- Benediction
- Identify the Pastor by picture
- Write: A Simple call to worship
- A simple prayer of thanksgiving and praise.
- A simple prayer of confession.
In the time since Hugh wrote the book a lot of technology has transformed the church. Some of these are of course church specific, responses will vary from church to church as well as denomination. Because of technology not every church will have a hymnal anymore, many more modern churches instead project the words onto screens throughout the church. Some churches don’t even necessarily have bibles in the pews anymore, rather they use digital media and will quote from multiple translations in the same service.
Regardless these differences however this is a very good starting point. Knowing where to find the books within the Bible is a key aspect of understanding your faith. Knowing key scripture is important in articulating the basic tenets of faith.
