Modern Abridged Decalogues. Few groups of Christians want New Testament quotes made into public displays nor do they suggest that the "J" or "P" forms of the Decalogue be used either. Exodus 34 doesn't even mention such things as murder, theft and adultery, and Leviticus has commonly-understood commandments jumbled with all sorts of other prohibitions. Instead, the focus is on the Ten Commandments drawn from the edited "E" source in Exodus and from Deuteronomy. However, these are not used in their entirety either. The Biblical passages are long and contain ideas most modern people reject.

For example, in the ancient world slavery was taken for granted. The important issues involved various kinds of slavery and how slaves should be treated. Only recently has the institution itself been condemned, as we know from our own American history. Also, the punishments described in all versions make most people--even believers--cringe. In both one reads of children rightly being punished by God for their father's evil acts. Grandchildren and even great grandchildren are accountable for their ancestor's sins! As a result, Christians almost always edit the Biblical material when they construct their short versions of Ten Commandments that they want to display.

Here are two examples. The first is from the Catholic Catechism. Anglicans and Lutherans have similar listings. Many Christian groups use the second one. Jews have no comparable "edited listing" of the Decalogue that receives special emphasis. Some leaders think the focus on a short, "out of context" list reflects Christian bias.

A short Catholic Listing from the Catechism using the Revised Standard Version

    1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me. (Exodus 20, vs.1-5)
  2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. (v. 7)
  3. Remember to keep holy the LORD's Day. (vs. 8-10)
  4. Honor your father and your mother. (v. 12)
  5. You shall not kill. (v. 13)
  6. You shall not commit adultery. (v. 14)
  7. You shall not steal. (v. 15)
  8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (v. 16)
  9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. (Deuteronomy 5, v. 21)
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods. ( Deuteronomy 5, v.21)

Another short Christian Listing from a world history text using the King James Version

  1. I am the Lord thy God.... Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
(Exodus 20, v. 3)
  2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image... (vs. 4-6)
  3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain... (v. 7)
  4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. (vs. 8-11)
  5. Honor thy father and thy mother... (v. 12)
  6. Thou shalt not kill. (v. 13)
  7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. (v. 14)
  8. Thou shalt not steal. (v.15)
  9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. (v. 16)
10. Thou shalt not covet...anything that is thy neighbor's. (v. 17)

Should the Decalogue be a Governmental Guide for Morality?

1. Is a governmental focus on the Ten Commandments likely to promote general public morality? Or, will such institutional efforts to post some version be more likely to cause conflicts between people with various views on religion and between some people and the government? Are there better alternatives?

2. If you think Constitutional prohibitions concerning the establishment of religion can be avoided, how is this to be done? (The first Commandments clearly require the belief and practice of religion.)

3. Why do some Christian groups want to use their Old Testament formulations of the Decalogue instead of the interpretations in their New Testament which have more focus on Golden Rule-like directives? Would a Golden Rule message provide a better foundation for a public attempt to influence morality in the United States today? (Note: It long has been used as a guideline for moral behavior in the United States.   By 1896--if not earlier--it was included in M cGuffey's Fourth Eclective Reader used by students for years. When growing up, many Americans looked at the motto, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" on their classroom walls. It frequently was printed on rulers and elsewhere as a reminder of how to conduct oneself. )

4. If you assume some version the Decalogue has public usefulness, which of the many translations available should be used? Why? What editing should be permissible and why? Who should do it?