The Relationship Between Biblical Literacy, Academic Achievement, and School Behavior Among Christian- and Public-School Students

Abstract

This study assessed the relationship between Bible literacy among secondary school students and their academic achievement and school behavior. A total of 160 students who attended either Christian or public schools in the 7th to 12th grade were randomly selected for the study sample. Three measures of Bible knowledge were combined to obtain an overall measure of Bible literacy. The results indicate that students with the highest level of Bible literacy also had the highest average grade point average (GPA) and the highest ranking in test and grade results. In contrast, those with the lowest level of Bible literacy also had the lowest average GPA and the lowest ranking in test and grade results. This trend held for students attending both Christian schools and public schools. Christian school students were also rated higher than public school students in school behavior.

A Descriptive Study of the Knowledge-Base of Malaria between the Visually-impaired and the Non-Visually impaired in Two Primary Schools in Lagos, Nigeria; implications for health education.

“…A separate cross-country study also showed that students from private schools obtained higher scores in mathematics, reading and science than those from public schools [21]. Students from Pacelli School outperforming students from Onitolo on knowledge questions on cause of malaria agrees with other studies that find higher academic achievements among private, Christian schools [20,21].…”

“…A study on the relationship between bible literacy and academic achievements among students attending public schools and students attending Christian schools showed that those that had higher scores on Bible literacy had higher academic achievements [20]. A separate cross-country study also showed that students from private schools obtained higher scores in mathematics, reading and science than those from public schools [21].…”

Bible Department Gender Issues: A Study of Ohio Christian High School Bible Departments

“…Christian school students and public school students and found no statistically significant difference between the two groups in regards to school moral behavior (Jeynes, 2009). …”

“…Many of the early American colonists came to the New World with the desire to practice their religious and moral beli efs (Algera & Sink, 2002). lJ1itially, religious education was the primary purpose for early American schools, and these schools were under the control of the community churches (Passe & Willox, 2009 (Jeynes, 2009;Watson, 2010;Vhight, 1999). These events helped lead to the secularization of public schools; and, as a result, there was a move for the privati za tion of religious, Christian schools (\Vatson, 201 0).…”

“…Smith (2003) stated that religiousness has an inverse effect on drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, and it also has an inverse effect on suicidal tendencies , depression, and hopelessness. b1 a survey of 160 middle and high school sh1dents' behavior where half the students went to public schools and the other half went to Christian schools, the teachers rated the students' behaviors in comparison to other students (Jeynes, 2009). The study found that while Christian school students were better behaved, the difference was not statistically significant (Jeynes, 2009).…”