The Department of Defense Education Activity will add a Western civilization course focused on Christianity to its curriculum this fall, a move announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of a broader push toward “patriotic values” and classical learning.
Course details and textbook choice
The new class, titled “Western Civilization to 1500,” will be offered through the department’s virtual school and is intended to satisfy a world‑history graduation requirement for high‑school students. The required textbook, The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition, Volume I: The Ancient World and Christendom, is published by Encounter Books, a press known for its conservative outlook.
Lesson plans were developed in partnership with Hillsdale College, a private institution in Michigan that identifies as a Christian school. The textbook’s introduction claims that citizens “are left unarmed against the general hostility to their own tradition that has become so destructive a force in contemporary culture.”
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According to a news release, the course will be available to the roughly 70,000 students enrolled in the DoD’s 160 schools spread across 11 countries. The schools serve children of active‑duty military and civilian service members, making them a unique environment for testing education reforms that differ from typical public schools.
Criticism from scholars
Historians who have examined excerpts of the text say it blends Western civilization and Christianity in a way that downplays the distinct contributions of other cultures. Yale professor Phil Gorski warned that the material could act as a “Trojan horse for classical Christian education.”
Critics argue that the textbook’s emphasis on a single religious tradition may limit exposure to diverse perspectives typical of a liberal arts approach, potentially affecting how students interpret the broader picture of world history.
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Given the tight timeline, the Pentagon has not yet responded to inquiries about the textbook’s content or the department’s overall strategy for classical learning. The lack of a public comment leaves open questions about how the material will be reviewed for bias or accuracy.
For now, the rollout will proceed as scheduled, with the virtual school platform delivering the new content to eligible students later this year.