Religion must be taught “about” in public schools if public schools are worth keeping. To prepare students for citizenship, government schools dare not ignore what is  supremely valuable to the families of the children they teach. The law permits teaching about religion respectfully, neither advocating nor attacking its tenets.  Just show what religious people do! Religion is embedded in the history of North Carolina, the United States, Europe, Japan, indeed the world. There is no Buddhist math or Christian physics; but neither is there  much non religious culture and history.

When it comes to world literature, few students will graduate anywhere in the United States without having read at least one play of Shakespeare. And every play of the Bard of Avon reflects morality and religion. Every single play.

I will co-teach with Frank Marvin in October-November 2001 for Montreat College Adult Education (MCCALL) a course on “Shakespeare and Religion.” In reading scholarly articles and commentaries about Shakespeare, I find an immense range of interpretations. Some brainy writers move mountains to demythologize Shakespeare, reducing, e.g., the “weird sisters” and demonology of MACBETH to personal  psychology. They try to ignore religion.

Anyone looking at Shakespeare play by play, cannot miss Biblical quotations and allusions, theological views, church/state problems, praying and morals.  Any teacher presenting any three plays, say, MEASURE FOR MEASURE, MACBETH and KING HENRY VIII has to talk religion and faith and morals. Students will not  otherwise grasp text or context of the great Bard.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE: the very name is Bible derived, from both Old and New Testament passages speaking of proportion between harm done another and just compensation. Shakespeare’s Vienna has many unenforced laws on the books against prostitution, pimping and vice. The Duke mysteriously goes abroad, leaving his puritanical deputy Angelo in charge. Angelo sentences to death a young man for pre-marital sex with his fiancee. When the man’s sister, about to join the Poor Clare nuns, begs mercy, the deputy agrees, but only if she will have sex with him. She opts for chastity. Meanwhile the duke returns to Vienna disguised as a Franciscan priest. He prepares prisoners for a Christian death. He traps his sanctimonious deputy.  Issues include morality imposed by government, oppression of women by men and human justice versus Christian mercy. MEASURE FOR MEASURE is religious.

Some  try to direct or teach MACBETH by playing down its heavy doses of witchcraft, sin and abuse of conscience. Yet King Macbeth clearly goes over to the dark side, literally trading his soul to the devil to please his wife and to gain and hold power through murder. Lady Macbeth sleep walks in the traditional ceremony of a sinner repenting of witchcraft. Teach MACBETH and ignore heaven and hell, death and judgment, God and devil? Just try to!

KING HENRY VIII has a heroine: virtuous Katharine of Aragon, first of Henry’s six wives and mother of the future Queen Mary. Henry wants a son and impregnates Katharine’s Maid of Honor Anne Bullen to get one. After 18 happy years the King falls prey to  Old Testament-based scruples about having  married his brother’s widow.  The Lord Chamberlain said: “It seems the marriage with his brother’s wife has crept too near his conscience.” To which the Duke of Suffolk replies, “No, his conscience has crept too near another lady” (II.2). Cardinal Wolsey is a churchman who abuses power. Queen Katharine refuses to be divorced. Sinners repent and receive forgiveness. The  future Queen Elizabeth is baptized in a prophetic ceremony. To explain this play a teacher must talk about religious teachings, practices, ceremonies and church/state relationships.

A message from religion to public school teachers: “Brush up your Shakespeare! Start quoting him now!”  (Cole Porter, Kiss Me Kate).

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for INDEPENDENT TORCH