| 1 | 1 | | 87S30286 BPG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Rogers H.C.R. No. 11 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Bible has filled many roles in the saga of Texas, |
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| 7 | 7 | | serving as a social and cultural touchstone that has been integral |
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| 8 | 8 | | to the state's history and development; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, In the early 1800s, as settlement of Texas gained |
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| 10 | 10 | | momentum, the Bible provided a vital cultural link between Catholic |
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| 11 | 11 | | Tejanos and Protestant Anglo Americans; although their backgrounds |
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| 12 | 12 | | differed in many respects, shared traditions helped to unite them |
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| 13 | 13 | | and to further their pursuit of greater freedom and, ultimately, |
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| 14 | 14 | | independence from Spanish and later Mexican rule; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, During the Texas Revolution, such heroic figures as |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sam Houston, William Travis, Juan Seguin, and Davy Crockett carried |
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| 17 | 17 | | their Bibles for wisdom and inspiration; a Bible believed to be Sam |
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| 18 | 18 | | Houston's own has been used to swear in more than 30 Texas governors |
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| 19 | 19 | | in an enduring inaugural tradition, and it serves as a powerful |
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| 20 | 20 | | symbol of continuity and state leadership; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Comprehensive recordkeeping was not carried out by |
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| 22 | 22 | | local and state government during the 19th century; instead, life |
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| 23 | 23 | | events such as births, marriages, and deaths were written in family |
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| 24 | 24 | | Bibles; many of these cherished volumes were passed down through |
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| 25 | 25 | | the generations and are now included in the state's archives, |
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| 26 | 26 | | providing a vital resource for historians; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, The State of Texas grants official recognition to |
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| 28 | 28 | | symbols that resonate broadly with the public and that have played |
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| 29 | 29 | | an important part in shaping our state's identity; as a prominent |
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| 30 | 30 | | element in the rich fabric of our Texas heritage, the Bible is truly |
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| 31 | 31 | | deserving of such acknowledgment; now, therefore, be it |
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| 32 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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| 33 | 33 | | 3rd Called Session, hereby designate the Bible as the official |
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| 34 | 34 | | state book of Texas. |
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