The Bible is the most influential book ever written, according to TIME Magazine. It is the best-selling book of all time, and also the best-selling book of the year, every year. But despite the importance of it in historical and cultural influences on the U.S., many Americans are biblically illiterate. Works from William Shakespeare to Charles Dickens and speeches from Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King, Jr. were all influenced by the Bible. In fact, experts estimate that Shakespeare alludes to the Scripture some 1,300 times.

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As the most important text in foundational literature in Western culture, some schools are starting to add Bible literacy to their curriculum. In fact, public high schools in more than 35 states already offer Bible literacy courses, according to the Bible Literacy Project, for students of all religious beliefs. In addition, three states have mandated Bible literacy as an elective in public high schools, in the last two years. It is important for students to receive knowledge of the Bible in order to fully comprehend classic and modern literature, art, music and culture. In fact, English professors at the nation's top universities agree that knowledge of the Bible is an academic advantage, regardless of a person's faith.

Parents, grandparents and caregivers can help the educational process by laying the foundation during a child's younger, formative years. Reading Bible story books out loud and discussing the stories, especially those with illustrations, can enhance a child's understanding and help them process new ideas, concepts and characters.

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