Photo: Dale Shenk, Bible teacher at Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen, Ind., talks with sophomores Abby Rudy-Froese and Klaus Bottorff. Photo provided. 

Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., unwittingly helped write the final exam this semester for students in several Bible classes at Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen, Ind. Bible teacher Dale Shenk used Falwell’s controversial statements regarding guns and Muslims to not only test students on their knowledge of course content, but their ability to synthesize that historical knowledge with present-day faith issues.

At a Liberty student assembly on Dec. 4, Falwell said, “I’ve always thought that if more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in,” (loud applause drowned out the end of his sentence which was) “and kill them. I just wanted to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to get your [gun] permit. We offer a free course. Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here.” 

Church History

For their Church History exam, students needed to choose 10 situations from different eras of church history and describe how the church, person, or movement would respond to Falwell’s statements.

Shenk says, “I believe that the purpose in learning history is to acquire data from other people’s experiences. This data then becomes, in some sense, part of our experience, providing us with a broader and hopefully more nuanced view of the world. So when we encounter a situation (like Falwell) we are able to respond with more depth and analysis than simply stating whether we agree or disagree.”

Student responses included:

• Maximilian (274-295, martyred as a conscientious objector to military service) would respond with his quote, “I may not fight, for I am a Christian.”
• Constantine (272-337, Holy Roman emperor who united church and state militarily) would respond by having weapons marked with the cross.
• Boniface (ca. 675-754, Anglo-Saxon missionary) would take all the guns and throw them into a trash compactor. He would then preach a sermon to the students and faculty at the university about how, instead of carrying a gun out of fear, they should carry God around.
• Crusaders (ca. 1100-1500) would’ve been inspired with this quote. They would’ve cheered and gone with it, saying that they need to get the Muslims out so that Christianity can rule.
• Just War theorists would respond by saying that we can get the permits and guns, but we cannot go out and just kill or shoot people. Another student said Just War Theory would support the statement because Muslim terrorists attacked Christians first.
• Martin Luther (1483-1546, Protestant Reformation leader): One student said that Luther would get a gun to protect the church from evil, while another said Luther would not because he believed in a merciful, loving God.
• Menno Simons (1496-1561, early Anabaptist leader) would counter Falwell by advocating for a peaceful alternative and offering to mediate. He would be willing to take the chance of being killed if attacked rather than resist evil [violently].

New Testament

For their New Testament exam, students wrote an essay in which they identified five sections in the Sermon on the Mount that speak to Falwell’s statements, describing how the sections agree or disagree. Students overwhelmingly demonstrated how Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount do not support Falwell’s statements.

As evidence for this position of disagreement, sophomore Klaus Bottorff referenced Jesus’ words on the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12), not judging others (Matthew 7:2), blessing the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), entering heaven through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14), and caring for those who are different from you (Matthew 5:47).

Classmate Abby Rudy-Froese, in referencing Jesus’ call to be salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16), wrote, “Falwell is taking it the wrong way. It means deeds of love and acceptance.” She noted that many Muslims who want to live in the U.S. have been forced from their homes and are simply looking for a safe place to live, and that as Christians we should welcome them. She also said that while guns are popular in America, popular is not always right. She summarized her essay by saying, “Falwell’s sort of doing everything Jesus told us not to do in the Sermon on the Mount.”