The Bible According To Mayberry

You may think of The Andy Griffith Show as pure entertainment. But some churches are starting to think of the show as an example of morality, reports CBS News Early Show Anchor Bryant Gumbel.

In fact, the show is now being used as a tool for some Bible study classes, since most of the episodes demonstrate a lesson to be learned.

"Parenting skills have changed some, but not really much at all," says Byron Vance, minister of discipleship at the Helena (Ala.) United Methodist Church. "Responsibility is still a key issue, accountability is still a key issue. Honesty. Some of the things just transcend time."

He says that almost every episode of The Andy Griffith Show features a morality lesson of some kind, even though the program was a comedy series.

"They built it intentionally to be funny," says Vance, "but also to make you think about the norms of the day and also the way we treat one another and how we can treat each other better."

Vance is not the first one to think of this idea. He heard about it through a Web site (www.barneyfife.com) that describes how the episodes of The Andy Griffith Show relate to the scriptures.

Modern television programs that might lend themselves to Bible study include Touched By An Angel and Seventh Heaven, adds Vance, quipping that other series, like Three's Company, just would not do.