Gerald L. Bruns, William P. and Hazel B. White Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame, was among 39 English professors at leading universities participating in a recent national survey on biblical literacy sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation.
The survey report,What University Professors Say Incoming Students Need to Know,was released last week atBaylorUniversityduring an academic symposium on the Bible.It revealed what its author, Marie Wachlin, described as astrikingunanimity of conviction that knowledge of the Bible is indispensable to a good education and that, in addition to being a sacred text for millions of Americans, it is also, as one participant put it themost influential text in all of Western culture.
You cant really study western literature intelligently or coherently without starting with the Bible,according to Bruns.Youre simply ignorant of yourself if you dont know the Bible.
Survey participants included representatives from all of the top-ranked schools in the 2005 U.S. News&World Report survey,Americas Best Colleges.
More information on the survey and the text of its final report are available on the Web at http://www.bibleliteracy.org/Site/index2.htm
* Contact: * _Professor Gerald L. Bruns at 574-631-6991 or Bruns.1@nd.edu
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