Duck Dynasty's Alan Robertson. (A&E)
Al Robertson, who is an ordained minister, also said the “creation narrative” in the Bible should be taught alongside the theory of evolution in the public schools.
Al Robertson and his father Phil Robertson, who are elders at the White’s Ferry Road Church in West Monroe, La., where the Duck Dynasty family attends church, just released The Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible, a study and devotional Bible (New King James Version), for which they served as executive editors.
In an interview with CNSNews.com, Al Robertson discussed the Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible and answered some questions about Christianity and American culture.
Concerning the Bible in schools, CNSNews.com asked Al Robertson, “You talked about how the Christian message comes through the [Duck Dynasty] program and also in your own preaching and your father’s preaching. Do you think the Bible should be taught in the public schools?”
Al Robertson said, “I do, and for several reasons. One is because it used to be taught in the public school system up until not that many years ago -- it was the gold standard of what was taught alongside other academic pursuits. You go back and look at the history of all of our major universities, including all the Ivy League schools, which are basically founded by preachers and all these spiritual heavyweights of their generation. They saw it as going right alongside [other academic subjects].”
The Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible, available Oct. 28, 2014, from Thomas Nelson publishing.
“If you read some of the Founders’ thoughts on it, their idea was that government and what we’re trying to enact in laws will not work unless people are also understanding the Bible and what God says is right and wrong,” said Robertson. “Several have been quoted, our Founders said it won’t work: Because if people lose the connection to that [God and Bible], why would they care about the laws?”
“In other words,” he said, “the people can’t be rightly governed without some understanding of God’s truth and His Word. Well that alone should be a reason to teach it.”
“Now, I understand the modern argument of, well, what about other religions, what about this – teach about all of it,” said Al Robertson. “I believe the Bible will always come out as the standard it should be. But all these things should be talked about instead of just shunned. In the public education awareness, it’s almost like it almost doesn’t exist.”
The Duck Dynasty star, who is the eldest son of Phil and ‘Miss Kay’ Robertson, said he knows that critics contend the Bible should be taught by the churches. But, he said, “most people don’t go to church anymore” and “even in America, a lot of people claim to be Christian or claim to have some sort of religious experience but very few of them are actively engaged or even know much about the Bible.”
Alan Robertson, far left, and other Duck Dynasty cast members including Willie, Phil and Jase in front row. Younger brother Jep, Justin Martin, Uncle Si Robertson and John Godwin, back row, r-l. (A&E)
“I think it should be [taught in the schools], I think the creation narrative, certainly, even if you just looked at it as a theory or whatever you want to do,” said Al Robertson. “To put evolution there, which is a theory by the way, can be taught as the ultimate truth, then you can’t look at any other possibility? What kind of discipline is that in terms of education? If we went that route, we’d have never taught some of the things now we know to be true that 50 years ago we didn’t even know about.”
I think it’s a little disingenuous, some of the reasons why God has been exorcised out of the public square,” he said. “Supposedly, it’s been because that’s what the Founders intended. But all you have to do is go back and look at what was practiced and know that’s not true at all.”
Al Robertson is married to Lisa Robertson and they have two adult daughters and two grandchildren. Al and Lisa Robertson joined the cast of Duck Dynasty in 2012.
Duck Dynasty, which completed its fourth season on the A&E Channel in mid-August, had an average audience of 6.51 million viewers for each Wednesday night episode. That’s down from an average of 9.1 million viewers in 2013.
Duck Dynasty's Alan and Lisa Robertson. (Photo: CBN.)
Despite that ratings decline, Duck Dynasty is still considered the highest-rated reality-TV program in cable history. In the summer 2014 season, the show came in No. 1 every week, beating all other cable-TV shows in its time-slot. See TV by the Numbers here.
The show has been renewed for another season, and the 5th season premiere show will air on Nov. 19.
The Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible is available in hardbound, imitation leather, and on Kindle.