Atheists and Christians alike are expressing shock and confusion after 3 Jeopardy! contestants failed to answer a question about the Lord’s Prayer during a June 16th episode.
At the time, host Mayim Bialik, who starred in The Big Bang Theory television series and has been hosting Jeopardy! with Ken Jennings since 2022, gave the clue: “Matthew 6:9 says, ‘Our Father which art in heaven’ this ‘be thy name.'”
The answer to the $200 question was “hallowed,” but the contestants failed to provide the correct answer.
The incident caused an uproar on social media following the episode, ChurchLeaders.com reports.
“Not one contestant on Jeopardy last night knew the answer to this. …” tweeted Mimi Joeckel. “Are you waking up yet?”
Not one contestant on Jeopardy last night knew the answer to this…..
Are you waking up yet? pic.twitter.com/bBIhVntHwd
— Mimi Joeckel (@cantcancelmimi) June 14, 2023
Trevin Wax, Vice President of Research and Resource Development at the North American Mission Board, described the event as “a sign of a secularizing society and the decline of common Christian knowledge.”
“I’m an atheist, and even I knew the answer to that lord’s prayer question,” another Twitter user commented.
I’m an atheist and even I knew the answer to that lord’s prayer question. #Jeopardy
— Seriously? (@socalpackerfan1) June 15, 2023
One user said, “My 4-year-old niece got the answer on this Question on Jeopardy!”
My 4 year old niece got the answer on this Question on Jeopardy! Just wondering maybe the contestants never heard about The Lord’s Prayer? pic.twitter.com/bkPYQ7Wt0F
— FraryL❤️VE (@artworld03) June 16, 2023
Evangelist Franklin Graham, the President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, noted that the contestants’ failure to answer the question on the Lord’s Prayer reflects a departure from biblical principles across the nation.
“Twitter erupted with @Jeopardy fans who were surprised that 3 smart contestants were unable to fill in the blank with a word from the Lord’s Prayer,” Graham wrote. “We have lost so much Biblical literacy & basic awareness of the things of God’s Word. This moving away from Biblical values will equal double Jeopardy for our nation.”
Twitter erupted with @Jeopardy fans who were surprised that 3 smart contestants were unable to fill in the blank with a word from the Lord’s Prayer. We have lost so much Biblical literacy & basic awareness of the things of God’s Word. This moving away from Biblical values will…
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) June 16, 2023
According to the Bible’s New Testament, the Lord’s Prayer reads as follows:
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as* we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13).
Photo courtesy: ©GettyImages/Matthew Maude
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for Christian Headlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.