Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/20-1088_dbfi.pdf
Page Number: 33

Cite as:  596 U. S. ____ (2022) 

11 

BREYER, J., dissenting 

students to accept particular religious beliefs and to engage 
in particular religious practices.

The first school, Bangor Christian, has “educational ob-
jectives”  that  include  “ ‘lead[ing]  each  unsaved  student  to 
trust  Christ  as  his/her  personal  savior  and  then  to  follow 
Christ  as  Lord  of  his/her  life,’ ”  and  “ ‘develop[ing]  within 
each student a Christian world view and Christian philoso-
phy of life.’ ”  Id., at 84.  Bangor Christian “does not believe 
there is any way to separate the religious instruction from
the academic instruction.”  Id., at 85.  Academic instruction 
and religious instruction are thus “completely intertwined.” 
Ibid.  Bangor Christian teaches in its social studies class, 
for example, “ ‘that God has ordained evangelism.’ ”  Id., at 
87.  And in science class, students learn that atmospheric 
layers “ ‘are evidence of God’s good design.’ ”  Id., at 89. 

The second school, Temple Academy, similarly promotes 
religion through academics.  Its “educational philosophy ‘is
based on a thoroughly Christian and Biblical world view.’ ” 
Id.,  at  92.    The  school’s  “objectives”  include  “ ‘foster[ing]
within each student an attitude of love and reverence of the 
Bible as the infallible, inerrant, and authoritative Word of 
God.’ ”  Ibid.  And the school’s “ ‘academic growth’ objectives” 
include “ ‘provid[ing] a sound academic education in which
the  subjec[t]  areas  are  taught  from  a  Christian  point  of
view,’ ” and “ ‘help[ing] every student develop a truly Chris-
tian  world  view  by  integrating  studies  with  the  truths  of
Scripture.’ ”  Id., at 93.  Like Bangor Christian, Temple “pro-
vides a ‘biblically-integrated education,’ which means that 
the Bible is used in every subject that is taught.”  Id., at 96. 
In mathematics classes, for example, students learn that “a
creator designed the universe such that ‘one plus one is al-
ways going to be two.’ ”  Ibid. 

The  differences  between  this  kind  of  education  and  a 
purely civic, public education are important.  “The religious
education and formation of students is the very reason for 
the existence of most private religious schools.”  Our Lady