Rolfin Reinoso

Mr. Keith
English Class 12
th
Grade
March 16, 2014

Should Bible Class at Doulos Be Graded?
Doulos Discovery School is a small, cozy Christian school in the Dominican Republic.
This school is located at the center of the island and it is surrounded by pretty mountains and
wonderful landscapes. Douloss primary goal is to instruct its students to be leaders, in the
Dominican Republic first and then, people that impact the world according to the biblical
attributes and fundamentals. At the school, teachers would like their pupils to be spreaders of the
Good New and followers of Christ who testify what they have been teaching to others.
However, being in Bible class at Doulos, pupils have felt disappointed in the teaching because
many students believe that this class should not be taken as a graded one. At school, Bible class
should not be for a grade, because it cannot depend on the opinion of the teacher, there are many
interpretations from different people and each persons life experience and culture would change
their perspective.
One day, one of the attendants failed a quiz and he felt that it was because he did not tell
what the teacher wanted to hear. Apparently, this event made him so sad and mad, that when
people approach him to talk about God, he says, God is so selfish that His own followers
project that selfishness or His people are taking His word beyond the bottom line. Maybe this
student is right or maybe not about what he claims, but one thing; what Christians are doing
nowadays is walking people away from God, instead of reaching them for Him. When classes


are graded students may be unwilling to offer their opinion especially if it is different than
teachers. Students focus only on the grade and not about learning about God.
If anyone asks hundred Christians what is the purpose of God for this world, that person
is going to get hundred different answers from each of them. Christianity should be the religion
most reliable, because it is the one that has the most proofs and experience regarding the
miracles of the living God. But instead of being the one that is the tightest and the most unified,
it is the one with the most disagreements and many different teachings among its churches. In the
actual world, Christians are not working to the common goal of gaining people for the kingdom
of God, but what Christianity looks like has become an opinion of every believer. People can
realize that even though at school, at Doulos, what the Bible class teacher says is not the same as
what other teachers would say. Students have adopted the mentality of offering their opinion
towards what the Bible shows, but are given a bad grade because it is not the teachers opinion.
Bible class should not be graded because its own followers have detoured its meaning by just
giving opinions.
Minerva, who was very eager to learn about God says, Each passage in the Bible has
many interpretations of different people, but only few are acceptable in Bible class. Fortunately
for Minerva, her school, like most today, stresses the importance of a person thinking in Bible
class, but her thoughts or interpretation might not be accepted. Adults feel like their thoughts
have more validation, because of their ages. When older people interpret a parable from the
Bible, they tend to believe their answers are right compared with the understanding of a younger
person. If someone gives a biblical lesson to a Christian and wants them to read it several times,
that person is going to notice each time such person has a different interpretation. Most of the


students, who take Bible class at Doulos, disagree about that subject being for a grade, because
teachers as well as students give several meanings and interpretations of the Bible.
In the Bible, Malachi 3:6 says, For I, the Lord does not change. The Bible lets us
know that God is the willpower and each persons life experience and culture would change their
perspective on the Bible. People, even though, they tend to be ignorant, cannot totally ignore
what God has done in the actual world. Looking at creation is at least one reason each person
knows that there is a God, even though some nations changed the only One God into several
gods. Literally, each person could perceive the existence of a Supreme Being by nature, through
the fact that many illnesses are healed and by how much knowledge the human being has. All
these cannot come by art or by magic; they have to have a source. Everyone realizes, that the
wonderfulness of the Lord cannot be described through just a piece of paper at school. At Doulos
the Bible teacher thinks that by students being specific, showing a long length of writing and
saying what the teacher wants to hear; it is the way to earn a good grade in the Bible class. Bible
class should not be graded; because God has worked through the life experience and culture in
each person differently and that it is how He can touch a persons heart.
In the opposing view, grades are given so that teacher knows whether students are
learning or not. In one essay written by Matthew Allen, he shows the importance of Bible Study
and a friend of his says, When I read the Bible I just do not understand what is going on. That
happens at school in Bible class. Sometimes, students, whether they are believers or unbelievers,
do not get what the Bible is trying to say. Also, this can be applied to Christian adults. The Bible
is so metaphorical that; unless God gives the knowledge to someone it is difficult to understand.
Allen also agrees that Bible is the best and most excellent book so maybe the class could be
graded, but then he says, Religious confusion of the day instead of uniting people in the truth


divides them. This is the fact at Bible class at Doulos, students get confused and frustrated, and
because they think someone is trying to take away their concept about God. Bible class should
motivate the students to know more about God and not makes them upset about it.
Many people would agree on the significance of the Holy Book. The Bibles impact on
politics, history, mankind and religion is without comparison making it the most significant book
in the history of civilization. Assuredly, students at Doulos realize that the Bible is the most
complete book ever written, but the thing is that in these days: people are just implanting their
thoughts and not letting students discover the truth for themselves. Doulos students believe that
Bible or any class that has connection with it should not be graded at school. This is especially
true at Doulos, because it has the different cultures and family traditions. The Bible does not
cease to be the best written book even though; it is not graded as a class. There are other ways to
make sure students are learning and growing in their biblical knowledge without grades.
Teachers could have students read a passage and then, write or role play what they understand
and how it might apply in a uncertain situation. This would allow students to show their
understanding without the opinion of the teacher. Plus it allows for many interpretations from
different people and each persons life experience and culture would be reflected.

Allen, Matthew (2000, January). Truth Magazine. Retrieved from
http://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume44/V44012006.htm