Generation Z, which includes those students currently in high school, is the least Christian generation to date, according to a Barna Group study released earlier this year.
Indeed, 34 percent of teens ages 13 to 18 years old across the country say they are either atheist, agnostic or have no religious affiliation, twice as many as adults, according to the study.
But Hamilton County teens either aren’t following the trend – which would be refreshing – or are extremely interested in the Bible as history.
That is borne out in the record enrollment of public school students in Bible history classes during the 2017-2018 school year. During the year, 4,068 students in grades 6-12 in 23 schools, and under the tutelage of 20 certified teachers, completed such elective courses.
During the 2018-2019 school year that began Wednesday, the program will expand to 25 schools and have 22 credentialed teachers, according to the sponsoring nonprofit Bible in the Schools. During the past two years, according to the organization, access to classes has grown from 67 percent to 81 percent of students.