Notgrass Bible is not a standalone curriculum but an integrated Bible component within Notgrass History courses, allowing students to earn separate Bible credit while studying American or world history.
What Is the Notgrass Bible Curriculum?
Unlike publishers who simply sprinkle Scripture quotations throughout secular content, Notgrass History weaves substantive Bible study directly into its history, geography, and civics courses. This integration allows homeschool students to earn separate Bible credit—typically one full credit—alongside their history and English credits from the same curriculum. The approach reflects founder Ray Notgrass's background: before becoming a curriculum author, he served twenty-two years as a campus and preaching minister. The result is biblical content with theological depth rather than superficial references.
Key Takeaways
- Bible study is integrated into Notgrass History courses, not sold separately
- High school courses can earn 3 credits: History, English, and Bible
- One lesson per week focuses specifically on Bible study
- Primary source collections include hymns, religious speeches, and faith documents
- Non-denominational Christian perspective; no specific doctrinal positions pushed
How Bible Credit Works
Each Notgrass high school course follows a 30-week structure with 5 lessons per week. One of those weekly lessons is dedicated specifically to Bible study. Students also read Bible passages, study hymns and religious primary sources, complete Scripture memory work, and engage with the historical context of biblical events. For the world history course, some entire units focus on biblical time periods like "God Chooses Israel," placing Scripture within its historical setting. This isn't Bible-as-afterthought—it's Bible-as-integral-component.
Courses with Bible Components
Denominational Perspective
The Notgrass family attends a Church of Christ congregation in Tennessee, but Ray Notgrass explicitly states there's no denominational bias in the curriculum. The materials present a conservative Christian worldview—the Bible as God's Word, Jesus as Savior—without pushing specific doctrinal positions on contested issues. Families across denominations use Notgrass successfully, from Catholics to Baptists to non-denominational evangelicals. The theological approach emphasizes what Christians share rather than what divides them.
What's Included
High school curriculum packages include two hardcover textbooks plus a primary source collection—"American Voices" for U.S. history or "In Their Words" for world history. These 370-420 page source collections contain historic hymns, religious speeches, faith-based documents, and spiritual writings alongside secular primary sources. Optional student review books include Bible commentary and analysis questions. The curriculum is designed for independent student work with no separate teacher's guide required.
The Bottom Line
Notgrass offers something genuinely different: Bible study that's historically contextualized rather than tacked on as a devotional afterthought. Students learn about the Reformation while studying its biblical foundations, understand American founding documents alongside the faith of the founders, and see biblical events in their proper historical setting. For families wanting integrated faith and academics, Notgrass earns three credits from one well-designed curriculum—efficiency without compromise on either academic rigor or biblical depth.
