Biblical Citizenship & Public Policy 5th Pd Wed (11th-12th)

This is a full year course – Fall Semester will cover Biblical Citizenship. Spring Semester will cover Public Policy.

Now more than ever, our nation is in need of Biblical citizens who grasp the dynamic unity of citizens of the Kingdom of God and citizens of this great nation!  This course offers the quick-start guide to the longest standing Constitution in history, complete with an overview of all the Articles, and Amendments. What sets this apart from other U.S. Constitution courses is the interactive, fast-paced presentations—many lectures presented from Independence Hall –and our Biblical heritage intricately woven throughout the entire course!

You will learn how the Founders relied on their Christian moorings and Biblical worldview to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. You will also be treated to encouraging historical facts and inspirational true stories that are not taught in our educational institutions today. All in all you will be edified and equipped to operationalize your faith and practice Biblical Citizenship in Modern America!

Content

During the Fall semester we will lay the Foundations of Biblical Citizenship and government, examining and discussing in-depth the Founding Documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  We will also discover what our Founding Fathers said about God, the Bible and government, through stories and quotes. Then we will tie what we have learned to what it means to be a Biblical Citizen in America today

In the Spring semester we will build upon our foundations of Biblical Citizenship and apply them to today’s Public Policy issues. The American Founders wrote a constitution that established a government limited in size and scope, whose central purpose was to secure the natural rights of all Americans. By contrast, early Progressives rejected the notion of fixed limits on government, and their political descendants continue today to seek an ever-larger role for the federal bureaucracy in American life. In light of this fundamental and ongoing disagreement over the purpose of government, this course will consider contemporary public policy issues from a constitutional viewpoint. From the freedom of speech and religion, to immigration, foreign policy, the environment and education, we will discover together how to shape our political views with the aim of safeguarding our rights and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution, so that we can “live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” I Timothy 2:2

Expectations:  2 hours or less of homework per week, including short readings, online lectures and quizzes, short writing assignments, and 2 presentations/ projects each semester.

Curriculum

Biblical Citizenship in Modern America by Patriot Academy, including DVDs, Student Workbook, Pocket Principles, and What Would the Founders Think by David Bowman, will all be included in the materials fee.  No need to order.

Free Hillsdale Online Courses:

Fall: https://online.hillsdale.edu/landing/american-citizenship-and-its-decline

Spring: https://online.hillsdale.edu/courses/public-policy

Teacher:  Rhonda Wesselius

Prerequisites:  US History, Part 1 (or concurrent)

Grades:  11th-12th

Max Students:  12