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Randy's Ramblings:
No doubt, Mr. Dale Craycraft turned over in his grave! Allow me to explain. Mr. Craycraft was my 11th grade history teacher. In 1970, those who attended my high school, almost to a person, would tell you that Mr. Craycraft was the best instructor that Ceredo-Kenova High School had. He made American History most interesting and I actually looked forward to going to his class. An amazing feat considering that I was a “C” student for most of my school days. To top it off he was one of the most devout Christians that I have ever known. I learned much about the Christian faith from his precept and example. The reason that I believe Mr. Craycraft turned over in his grave (figuratively speaking) is because of the idea that was recently floated by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Some “powers to be,” in this body, mandated that 11th grade public high school students in North Carolina now should begin learning American History starting with the Presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes. In other words, students were not going to be taught about anything that transpired before 1877 when President Hayes took office during the reconstruction period immediately after the Civil War. I have to believe that many of you were astounded, as I was, about this misguided notion. I was so flabbergasted that I composed an email to Rebecca Garland, the Chief Academic Officer for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Evidently, many others wrote to Ms. Garland as well. As of today, the “powers to be” are going to re-examine this proposal and it looks like North Carolina 11th graders will learn American History from a more traditional approach. Having stated all of the above, I can now picture in my mind my beloved, deceased, 12th grade English teacher, Mae Tabor, berating me to get to the point! The main point of this article is that I’ve heard so many people down through the years who have told me that they have no use for the Old Testament. “We’re New Testament people,” is the argument espoused. However, without knowing the history in the Old Testament we really can’t appreciate what the New Testament brings to us. It’s akin to learning about our faith, by starting in the middle, in the manner that has been suggested by those in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. No, the Old and the New Testaments fit “hand-in-glove” and you can’t have one without the other. For these first two months of our The Daily Bible readings we have focused upon the Old Testament, important history concerning the development of the Christian faith. I do hope that you have been enriched about re-learning history, or for the first time, learning about how we came to the point where we are today as believers. I don’t know about you but in my daily readings I’ve been able to glean some new truths that I’ve missed in the past occasions when I’ve read the Old Testament. For example, it never really connected with me just how many times God wanted to wipe out the Israelites and start all over. They continually went about disappointing God. I’d forgotten about Moses’ myriad pleas to God to spare God’s people. Reading what we’ve read to date has reminded me of God’s great love for each of us and the compassion that God demonstrates to us. Like the Israelites of old, we deserve to be wiped out but God continues to show his unfailing love and unmerited mercy to us on a continual basis. Thanks be to God! As we continue to read in The Daily Bible I do hope that you will notice the direct correlation between the Old and the New Testaments. Through our study together may we continue to ascertain the vital importance of knowing both the historical and theological background of our faith. May we never contemplate beginning our learning of the Bible with just the New Testament! For indeed, we are both Old and New Testament people! Randy Go to Home Page Go to Staff Page |
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