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Mage Knights, those miniature warriors with names like Gibbering Ghoul, Bone Grinder, Soul Stealer and Weresabertooth, were all the rage last year in elementary school. Though designed primarily for the adolescent male world of gaming enthusiasts, Mage Knights also cast their spell on the younger set. During recess, it was not unusual to see all the first-grade boys, among them our son Andy, huddled together analyzing damage points and engaging in trade negotiations tough enough to give General Motors a run for its money.

The day always began at the Fairview Elementary School with the teacher reading ten verses from the Bible, alternating one from the Old with one from the New Testament. We bowed our heads and said the Lord’s Prayer. Then we stood, placed our hands over our hearts, faced the American flag and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. In secondary school, the same opening exercises occurred daily but were heard over the public address system—Bible, prayer, pledge.

Creators of a Bible curriculum used in 1,000 U.S. public schools claim that "The Bible in History and Literature" is a nonsectarian course, when the truth is that it presents a distinct theological perspective. Discussions of science are based on nonscientific literature; archaeological findings "prove" the Bible’s complete historical accuracy. One chapter describes the U.S. as a historically Christian nation and suggests that it needs to reclaim that heritage.

While Sunday school in Protestant churches remains popular, classes are less likely to be available to the youngest and oldest students, according to a recent analysis of Protestant pastors by the Barna Group.

Although the percentage of churches offering Sunday school has remained virtually constant in the last eight years, the availability of programs for children aged 2 to 5 declined from 94 percent of churches to 88 percent. Classes for high school students showed a similar drop, from 86 percent to 80 percent.