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America should have no official religion. But it also should not be officially secular. Acknowledgment of the nation's traditional reliance on a source of moral authority higher than human invention is a way of navigating between these two basic rules. By posting the Ten Commandments in some of our schools and courtrooms and legislative halls, we can seek that middle way. And we will not be violating the First Amendment; we will be teaching our history.

Public displays of the Ten Commandments, by themselves, will not slow the nation's moral slide. But if we as a nation commit ourselves to the proposition that we owe no moral obligation to anything higher than ourselves, we will certainly make the slide faster.

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Poll Shows 'Ten Commandments Judge' Has Wide Support—Religion News Service (Aug. 28, 2001)

King display blocked from Ala. court — Associated Press (Aug. 29, 2001)

Judge unveils Bible-based monument — Chicago Tribune (Aug. 16, 2001)

Ten Commandments in Alabama Judicial Building Reviving Debate — FOXNews (Aug. 15, 2001)

Religious monument will stand, mayor vows — National Post (May 30, 2001)

High Court Lets Ruling On Church, State Stand — The Washington Post (May 30, 2001)

Michigan Proposal allows Commandments in public schools — The Detroit News (May 28, 2001)

For additional coverage of Ten Commandments debates, see The Freedom Forum.

In 1997, CT's sister publication Christian Reader published an interview with Judge Roy Moore entitled Are the Ten Commandments Unconstitutional?

Christianity Today's previous coverage of Ten Commandments controversies includes:

Ten Commandments Case Turned Down | Denial means Indiana town's Decalogue display is unconstitutional. (June 13, 2001)

Schools OK Decalogue Book Covers | Chicago school district has approved a plan for an independent religious group to distribute covers off-campus (Nov. 2, 2000)

Hang Ten? | Thou shalt avoid Ten Commandments tokenism. (Mar. 3, 2000)

Ten Commandments Judge Cleared | Roy Moore's integrity confirmed regarding legal fund. (Oct. 25, 1999)

House Upholds Display of Ten Commandments | Spurred by recent fatal shootings in public schools, the House of Representatives voted to permit the display of the Ten Commandments. (April 9, 1999)

Ten Commandments Judge Looking for Federal Fight | Does courtroom display defy separation of church and state? (Dec. 12, 1997)

Earlier Christianity Today columns by Stephen L. Carter include:

We Interrupt This Childhood | Parents who raise their children to do right face a barrage of resistance. (July 11, 2001)

And the Word Turned Secular | Christians should count the cost of the state's affirmation. (May 29, 2001)

Vouching for Parents | Vouchers are not an attack on public schools but a vote of trust in families. (Apr. 2, 2001)

The Courage to Lose | In elections, and in life, there is something more important than winning. (Feb. 6, 2001)

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September 3 2001, Vol. 45, No. 11