Uniform Lessons: An Evaluation

Uniform Lessons are not without limitations. They are not a perfect panacea for the religious illiteracy and moral ills of our nation. But strong evidence could be marshaled to support the statement that Uniform Lessons, the most widely used curriculum materials in the Sunday Schools of America, have been the foremost factor in the Christian culture of the nation during the past 75 years.

QUESTIONS AND CRITICISMS

Vigorous criticism of Uniform Lessons is not new. Such criticism, from the early years of this co-operative effort among Sunday School leaders in America, has led to improvements in Uniform Lessons and to the development of other needed curriculum materials. But questions continue to be raised, and even charges of the most grievous nature are leveled against this plan of Bible study. Most of these questions and charges arise from misunderstanding and lack of information. Some of them spring from deep concern for the cause of Bible teaching in the churches. Unfortunately, some criticisms are inspired by pure prejudice and a desire to embarrass the groups responsible for Uniform Lessons.

The more frequent questions and criticisms are the following: 1. Uniform Lessons seem to follow a hop, skip, and jump plan—why not study the Bible book by book and chapter by chapter, straight through? 2. There are too many passages in a given lesson—we get confused and can never cover all the ones listed. 3. Much of the Bible is left out—why not study all the Pentateuch, all the Psalms, all the Old Testament prophecies, all the New Testament epistles, and all of Revelation? 4. The lessons are too topical, about some moral problem or some current situation in human relations—why not concentrate on the Bible and learn what it means? 5. The lessons major on the “social gospel”—why not leave politics and race relations to the modernists? 6. After a lifetime in Sunday School, people are hopelessly ignorant about the Bible. They don’t know whether Noah built the Temple or preached on Pentecost, whether Peter betrayed Jesus or was stoned to death on the Damascus road, or whether Ruth was the mother of Moses or the wife of David. Why cannot Sunday School lessons major on Bible knowledge instead of moralizing about how to get rid of worry or how to treat your neighbor? 7. Uniform Lessons repeat the same historical material cycle after cycle—why do we not provide for the study of fundamental doctrines? Protestants are amazingly ignorant of what they believe. 8. The lessons are all from the Bible but never about the Bible; there is no clear-cut facing of critical problems about the Bible. Do not people need to know how we got the Bible and what it is as the Word of God? 9. The lessons never seem to come to grips with social issues, with the critical problems in modern society—Bible study means little unless we get guidance for living in our time. 10. Why are Uniform Lessons copyrighted by the National Council of Churches? Why do we have to study something handed down by the National Council?

BASIC PRINCIPLES

The confusion and false implications indicated by most of these questions is evident. Often the question is an indictment rather than a request for information. Let me undertake to answer them by calling attention to some basic principles underlying Uniform Lessons.

Uniform Lessons are designed to provide a plan for Bible teaching and Bible study suitable for groups, primary through adult. These lessons are meant to be used in churches of varying sizes with varying levels of trained leadership. It is expected that Sunday School teachers and officers will be voluntary workers, seriously committed to the importance of Bible teaching but not specialists in theology or education. It is further understood that attendance at Sunday School is voluntary, often being interrupted by change of residence, which is a fact that must be faced, and which imposes inevitable limitations on what curriculum materials can be. Uniform Lessons, designed for reaching multitudes of people for Bible study, cannot be conceived or developed as a formal course in biblical studies. Some highly desirable outcomes in biblical knowledge, Christian understanding, and matured social insights cannot be achieved in such a plan of study. This does not reflect on the validity of Uniform Lessons, but simply means that they cannot serve all the needs for Bible study. Their genius, their basic values as a program of Bible study suitable for people generally, must be understood.

It follows, therefore, that the units of study and the lesson materials must have variety for the sake of interest. The average Sunday School constituency is not prepared for sustained study of abstract truths, of consecutive portions of the Bible, or of the more profound theological concepts of the Hebrew prophets or the letters of Paul. Provision must be made for materials that have value in spite of irregular attendance, in spite of persons moving from one community to another, and in spite of the shortcomings of inadequately equipped or dedicated teachers. And, especially, a plan of study must be provided that lends itself to participation by the unreached multitudes which churches should strive to reach, not just at the beginning of courses but week by week throughout the year. Some plan, at least similar to Uniform Lessons in their basic characteristics, must be followed if churches are to accept their divine commission and responsibility to teach the Bible to all the people.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Some of the questions and criticisms of Uniform Lessons point to strengths in what might be considered weaknesses. The lessons do have in some instances a collection of passages for study. This is necessary in drawing upon the most relevant biblical material about given topics. A study of topics is just as sound educationally—and in some cases far more fruitful spiritually—than the study of continuous chapters. Such passages reveal the truth of God about the topic or problem being studied. And students are thus helped toward more familiarity with the content of Scripture as it bears on the experiences of life.

Some units and some particular lessons do place major emphasis on social issues. The Bible is God’s revelation for man’s living in relation to the society around him as well as for his redemption from sin. The Gospel of Christ contains the clearest kind of teaching about the Christian’s social responsibility. A plan of Bible study that omits this teaching would be untrue to the Bible. It remains to be said, however, that a study of any given cycle of Uniform Lessons will indicate a conscious effort to balance the units with stronger social implications with those of historical, doctrinal, missionary, and inspirational character—of which the latter certainly have the strong predominance.

The builders and users of Uniform Lessons have never thought of these lessons as being the only curriculum materials for use in the churches. There are many other media in the educational mission of a church. To blame Uniform Lessons for a low level of biblical knowledge—and it ought to be understood that questionnaires and generalizations often exaggerate this with false conclusions—ignores responsibility and opportunity at many points. Homes ought to teach the Bible. Preaching ought to provide instruction in biblical knowledge and indoctrination in Christian truth. Training in churchmanship and Christian living is a sacred responsibility of churches in addition to what is undertaken through the Sunday School. Nearly all denominations provide a variety of teaching and training activities for children, youth, and men and women designed to supplement the Bible study program in the Sunday School. All of these must share the responsibility for developing Christians with fullness of knowledge and maturity of faith.

The criticism is sometimes made that Uniform Lessons are controlled by the National Council. In recent years Uniform Lessons have been prepared by the Committee on the Uniform Series. The committee is sponsored by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches. The majority of the denominations choose to co-operate through this medium. Participation in the work of the committee is not restricted to denominations affiliated either with the Division of Christian Education or the National Council. Thus, I have served on the committee, along with other representatives of the Southern Baptist Convention, a denomination which is not a member of the National Council of Churches. I have shared in the work on the same basis as any other person. The committee does its work in a democratic process. Its work is restricted to developing the plan for the Uniform Lessons—planning the cycle, selecting the Bible material, selecting titles and age-group topics, and preparing a list of Home Daily Bible Readings. All of it is subject to review by denominational curriculum committees for criticism and suggestions, and then denominations are free to modify the outlines to meet their own needs. The lesson materials proper are of course the product of denominational writers, editors, and publishers. It is misleading to say that Uniform Lessons are “controlled” or “handed down” by the National Council of Churches. I have served on the committee since 1943 and recall no instance when pressure was brought to bare on the committee. When the committee completes its work, outlines are released under the copyright of the Division of Christian Education, National Council of Churches. This is done to protect the interests of the co-operating denominations.

I should like to emphasize some positive values in Uniform Lessons. These need to be seen in the perspective of the basic principles which guide in the development of this plan for Bible study.

First, Uniform Lessons place major emphasis on the Bible. Every lesson is a study of a Bible passage. The importance of biblical content is recognized. In each six-year cycle, effort is made to cover as much of the entire Bible as is deemed practical for study in the Sunday School situation when the program aims at reaching as many persons as possible for Bible study. Lessons are intended to encourage Bible study and to develop understanding of, love for, and obedience to the Scriptures as the Word of God.

Second, Uniform Lessons recognize the supremacy of Christ. It is a fixed principle that the lessons for at least one quarter each year will be devoted to a study of the life of Christ or to his teachings as set forth in the Gospels. Other units include material directly related to Christ and his work and to what he means as the Saviour of the world. Persons are confronted again and again with his invitation to salvation, with the demands of his lordship, and with the hope of mankind in his Kingdom.

Third, Uniform Lessons provide a practical plan for Bible study that lends itself to effective use by churches and denominations. It is the mission of the Church to minister to all classes of people, to reach the lost and spiritually illiterate and the saved and spiritually maturing. Even so, churches themselves differ widely. Their Bible teaching mission calls for lesson materials that can be used in widely varying situations, with the central objective of helping persons to find in the Scriptures the way of salvation and guidance in Christian duty. It is just here that we have the key to the tremendous impact of Uniform Lessons on the Christian culture of our nation. Small churches by the thousands, for the past six or seven decades, found these lessons a medium for gathering people together to study the Word of God. Large and strong churches found the lessons adaptable to serving masses of people. The simplicity of the plan, with the Bible at the center, captured the minds of evangelical Christians, and it became a medium of witness and growth. It helped to start churches, hold thousands of struggling churches together, and build thousands of them into strong units of Christian work. It is doubtful if there is any parallel with what Uniform Lessons have contributed to the warp and woof of Christian faith and Christian ideals in American life.

Fourth, Uniform Lessons contribute to Christian unity. The major evangelical denominations of America and Canada have participated in developing and using this plan of Bible study. Their representatives have become acquainted in a fellowship around the Holy Scriptures and have come into deeper insights and taken on greater concern for their common mission. The people of varying denominations and distinctive forms of worship have deepened their sense of kinship with other Christians as they have followed a uniform plan of Bible study. Thus Christian unity has been strengthed without compromise of Christian conviction.

Fifth, Uniform Lessons aim at supreme Christian objectives. This plan of Bible study seeks to help persons know and understand the message of the Bible that they may relate its truth to life. The lessons are adapted to the several age groups. Thus Bible truth is related to life experience, and to the moral and spiritual needs of individuals. Furthermore, the problems of personal Christian living and Christian social responsibility are dealt with normally and naturally—whenever the Bible material being studied bears on these matters. The aim of Uniform Lessons is not biblical knowledge per se. It is knowledge that makes one wise unto salvation, that equips the Christian with insights and attitudes and convictions that lead to good works, and that motivates the highest level of loyalty and service in the Kingdom of God.

Granting the positive values in this plan for Bible study, let me emphasize two further points. First, Uniform Lessons call for improvement. The work of planning in the initial stages can be improved. The lessons as published by the denominations can be improved. Second, Uniform Lessons alone are not enough. There must be improved teaching. And there must be a new dedication on the part of competent Christians to the supreme importance of the educational mission of the churches. The Word of God is adequate. The power of the Gospel is sufficient. But the commission to teach the whole counsel of God for the whole of life must be carried out with greater zeal and greater skill if our nation is to be blessed with salvation and established in justice.

Preacher In The Red

PENALTY

Many years ago, I went to preach in a popular church on the south coast of England. In the vestry, before the service, the vicar spoke very severely to the choirboys whose behaviour he said had been disgraceful. Then he turned and said to me, “As a rule the choirboys are taken into the vestry during the sermon and somebody reads them an interesting book, but today as a punishment, they are to listen to the sermon.”

—The Rev. P. R. P. BARKER, Woolpit Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.

Jacob J. Vellenga served on the National Board of Administration of the United Presbyterian Church from 1948–54. Since 1958 he has served the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. as Associate Executive. He holds the A.B. degree from Monmouth College, the B.D. from Pittsburgh-Xenia Seminary, Th.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and D.D. from Monmouth College, Illinois.

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