Fr Sean Major-Campbell THE TEN Commandments have been politicised in recent years, with politicians employing the appeal to religious sentiments: often without any interest in the deeper significance of the text. In fact, many Christians blindly support any bill that would keep public display of the Ten Commandments in various public spaces. The State of Louisiana has now seen a bill signed into law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in the classrooms of public schools and colleges.
Of course, some Christians get all excited about this, believing it will make for a more holy set of people. The bill rightly observes that these commandments are “foundational documents of our state and national government”. Republican Governor Jeff Landry has indeed brought joy to those who may not yet realise that a Christian understanding and presentation of the Ten Commandments have long evolved beyond the original letter of the law approach, foundational though they may be.
It is therefore not sufficient to just celebrate their being foundational or Judeo-Christian. For the Christian, our approach must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. The catechism or instruction of Christian tradition moves beyond the original presentation of the Ten Commandments.
That is why, in the Catechism of the Anglican Church, one would only see the words, “Thou shall not covet” instead of the fuller version of Exodus 20:17: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not co.