Rabbi sues over Ten Commandments law, in latest fight over Christian nationalism
The Ten Commandments have become part of a broader national reckoning over the rise of Christian nationalism — the belief that America was founded as a Christian nation and should be governed by biblical principles. In recent years, that ideology has increasingly shaped education policy, with lawmakers in multiple states proposing or passing measures that blur the line between church and state.
Now, 16 Texas families — including Christians, Jews, and atheists — are suing to block a new law requiring every public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments. Signed last month by Gov. Greg Abbott, the law mandates a large, prominently placed poster with a specific version of the biblical commandments. Supporters say it promotes “timeless values.” Critics call it unconstitutional state-sponsored religion.
“While our Jewish faith treats the Ten Commandments as sacred, the version mandated under this law does not match the text followed by our family,” said Rabbi Mara Nathan of San Antonio, a public school parent and the lead plaintiff in the case filed Wednesday. “The school displays will conflict with the religious beliefs and values we seek to instill in our child.” (Disclosure: Nathan’s husband, Larry, works at the Forward but is not involved in our editorial work.)
State Rep. Jon Rosenthal, the Texas Legislature’s only Jewish member, fiercely opposed the bill. “This isn’t about faith,” he told the Forward in May. “It’s about political power.”
Why it matters: This is the second lawsuit against the law in less than a week. A separate challenge was filed by a coalition that includes a group of Christian and Nation of Islam faith leaders and families — an unlikely alliance reflecting the growing pushback to what many describe as Christian nationalism. (AP)
Context: Texas has become a testing ground for bringing religion — and specifically Christianity — into taxpayer-funded schools. In the last four years, lawmakers there have: Required schools to display “In God We Trust” signs if donated;
Allowed religious chaplains, without counseling licenses, to provide mental health support in public schools;
Introduced a controversial curriculum that offers public schools Bible-infused lessons, with a strong emphasis on Christianity — and a strange fascination with Queen Esther.
What’s next: Jewish parents in Louisiana also sued when a similar Ten Commandments law passed last year. That case worked its way up to a federal appeals court where, last month, a judge blocked the law, calling it unconstitutional.
Go deeper ► 📜 The Hebrew Bible has three versions of the Ten Commandments. Which is the “right” one? 📘 Oklahoma forcing schools to teach the Bible as history ✝️ Why some Christians oppose these laws | 