Although the King James Version of the Bible has had considerable impact on English language and literature, it is seldom studied in American secondary schools. Even before the Supreme Court decision of 1963 banned religious exercises in public schools, the study of the Bible was sketchy and non-systematic. Since the decision, certain conclusions about the status of the Bible in the curriculum can be drawn. (1) Except for programs designed to circumvent the law, few schools provide an opportunity for students to study Biblical literature. (2) Because Biblical literature is an essential part of a student's literary education, the need for teaching the Bible as literature is clear. (3) The teaching of the Bible as literature is within the law. (4) Traditional textbooks provide only an inadequate sampling of Biblical materials. (5) The Bible remains a controversial aspect of the curriculum, and, therefore, teachers should frame a clear philosophy of why they are using Biblical selections. (JS)