Christian college develops political philosophy of the Bible course to combat college antisemitism

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Monday, August 19, 2024

The Israeli flag made from steel placed at Matan Lookout overlooking the hills of Samaria also known as Nablus Mountains located on the Gidonim ridge (a hilltop on which several Jewish settlements are located), above the Israeli settlement of Itamar in the West Bank. | Getty Images

A Christian university is partnering with the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem to develop a course on the political philosophy of the Hebrew Bible to help students better understand Jewish traditions following a wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic protests on college campuses throughout the United States.

Colorado Christian University, located in Lakewood, intends to teach students about the Israelites' exodus from slavery and Hebraic political concepts, among other topics. According to an announcement, students who take the course will also learn about the Mosaic rule of law and the Biblical conception of the family.

The university highlighted the horror of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, antisemitism and the various protests that have arisen in response to Israel's military operations in Gaza against the terror group as one of the reasons for offering the course.

"In these dark times, universities contribute to the illiteracy of the Jewish tradition and its importance to Western nations," the announcement states. "The Bible is not studied as a source of ideas on university campuses. While the Hebrew Bible is taught as a religious text in Christian institutions, no university offers an introductory course in the political teachings of the Hebrew Bible that can be studied alongside other political theories. And yet these ideas deeply influenced the Western world as well as the American founding fathers."

CCU Chancellor Donald W. Sweeting told The Christian Post that the Bible has shaped Western civilization more than any other book, but academia often disparages it. The university leader contends that curricula at most schools typically do not include the Bible.

"It is rare for a university to offer a course where students can learn about the thought of ancient Israel," Sweeting said in a statement. "If there are courses, they are often hostile."

"What usually happens when we teach politics is that you begin with the Greeks — Plato and Aristotle. We operate as if political thought was born in Athens. But before the Greeks, the Hebrews were thinking deeply about politics and making extraordinary contributions to our world," he continued.

"Yet the omission of a biblical perspective is often due to an Enlightenment rationalist hostility to the Bible. Furthermore, the omission of teaching about the place of the Jews and Judaism in civilization is often driven by a hidden antisemitism."

Earlier this year, anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University established a "Gaza Solidarity Encampment," forcing the school to switch to remote learning because students — particularly Jewish students — did not feel safe on campus. The encampment at Columbia University inspired activists at other campuses, including Harvard University and UCLA, to set up one of their own.

Jewish students at multiple schools reported that they experienced antisemitic harassment and intimidation from the activists. The demonstrators' actions on various college campuses resulted in thousands of arrests.

Sweeting told CP that the Jerusalem-based research center Herzl Institute has begun to conduct a survey of professors in politics and philosophy at leading universities in America and Britain about a course on the Hebrew Bible. While many professors expressed an interest in teaching such a course, many felt they didn't know enough about it.

"The goal is to design a course and hand it to any professor of any university. It can be adapted to the undergraduate or graduate level, to secular or Christian colleges," the CCU chancellor stated.

Sweeting said that the course will be made available to any student who signs up for it at a university that offers it with no special application process. The chancellor believes that the course will benefit not only Christian schools but secular institutions as well.

Christians have a tendency not to think about what Sweeting calls "the bigger parts of the Bible," such as the Old Testament. When they do think about it, he argues Christians usually think of it "devotionally" instead of focusing on the political wisdom Sweeting argued is embedded within.

"Just as you will find wisdom about relationships and piety there, you will also find wisdom about politics," the chancellor stated.

Regarding the politics of the Hebrew scriptures, Sweeting noted that they teach concepts like "God is Lord, not the state" and that government should be limited. He also stressed that the scriptures teach that rulers are "not absolute" and nations will be judged.

"The monotheism of the Bible had a massive influence on the Western world," he explained. "So did God's moral law as embodied in the ten precepts. The Hebrews also promoted a unique view of human nature."

"While it promoted freedom, it was an ordered liberty," the university leader added. "The Bible's view of nationhood was utterly unique. In fact, the very idea of 'one nation under God' harkens back to Israel."

Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman