Four years ago the Houghton Mifflin Company published a book entitled The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy and subtitled What Every American Needs to Know. The authors were attempting to compile in one volume the body of knowledge that all literate Americans would share in common.

The 600 page book was divided into 23 sections dealing with such subjects as technology, earth sciences, world geography and American history. There was a section in the book which included religion along with world literature and philosophy.

The first section in the book dealt with the Bible, perhaps indicating how important a knowledge of the Bible was in the view of the authors. Indeed, the introduction to that section contained this statement: "No one in the English-speaking world can be considered literate wihout a basic knowledge of the Bible."

Some 200 entries and 26 pages were devoted to the Bible. Another three dozen Bible related items were listed in the section on religion. The authors thought that literate Americans ought to know about such Bible places as Armageddon, Calvary, Babylon, and Bethlehem.

They thought there ought to be some familiarity with such Bible characters as Adam and Eve, Christ, Moses, and Solomon. It was suggested that the educated would know about creation, the Beatitudes, the burning bush, and Pentecost.

Bible phrases with which the literate would be familiar included. "Physician, heal thyself," "Cast not your pearls before swine," and "Cast thy bread upon the waters."

The compilers got a little carried away when they wrote about "original sin." They even borrowed the Calvinist notion that original sin is a tendency to evil inherent in human beings. They began by stating that the term referred to "the eating of the forbidden fruit by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which led to their expulsion from Eden by God." But then they said, "According to the most common teaching of Christians on the subject, all descendants of Adam and Eve-that is, all people- share in this sin and are, from the time they are conceived, in a state of sin."

On the subject of baptism the authors wrote "Persons baptized either have water poured on them or are immersed in water.. Most churches baptize members when they are infants."

Such comments clearly indicate that the authors took their information from sources other than the Bible.

The book was fascinating reading because it provided an opportunity for a Christian to determine how well his general knowledge of the Bible stacked up against that of the average, literate American. However, the omissions were just as fascinating as what was included.

The authors thought Americans ought to be familiar with the confession of sins as practiced in Catholicism, but not the confession of Christ by which we are saved. (Rom 10:9-10) "He made the list, but the holiness which makes ~ avoidable did not. To be considered literate one would have to be acquainted with the word "rosary," but not "repentance." You would have to know about "walking on water," "wise men," and wolves in sheep's clothing," but not "worship."

So, according to the authors you can be a literate, educated American without knowing what it takes to become a Christian or how to be the Christian you have become. It is evident that there is a vast difference between being a literate American and being a child of God. Most Christians would very likely pass the authors' literacy test on the Bible with great ease, but many literate Americans will never pass the test of being Christians.

The lesson from all of this is that no one should assume that because he knows what every American needs to know, he knows everything God wants him to know. Being a literate American is one thing. Being a Christian is something else Let no one mistake the one for the other.--1713 Savannah Drive, Fort Smith, AR 72901.