Simple answer: Westerners cannot be considered literate without a basic knowledge of this foundational text. (Dictionary of Cultural Literacy)
As Roma Downey and Mark Burnett (creators of "The Bible" TV miniseries) put it in their Wall Street Journal article, consider:
Without the Bible, Shakespeare would read differently—there are more than 1,200 references to Scripture in his works. Without the Bible, there would be no Sistine Chapel and none of the biblically inspired masterpieces that hang in countless museums world-wide.
In movies, without biblical allegories, there would be no "Les Misérables," no "Star Wars," no "Matrix," no "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, no "Narnia" and no "Ben-Hur." There would be no Alcoholics Anonymous, Salvation Army or Harvard University—all of which found their roots in Scripture. And really, what would Bono sing about if there were no Bible?
Is it legal to teach the Bible in the public schools? Yes. The Supreme Court has so ruled. Read the article for more info... [more. . .]