Schultz (1998) defined Kingdom education as “a life-long, Bible-based, Christ-centered process of leading a child to Christ, building a child up in Christ, and equipping a child to serve Christ” (p. 29). Based on this definition, Christian education is not merely a version of the public school in which an evangelistic campaign happens to be occurring. All aspects of the environment and curriculum must be distinctly Christian in nature and purpose. Schultz pointed out that "Kingdom education does not stop once a person comes to Christ. Once a child is saved, it is then necessary to build the child up in Christ." (p. 31) Paul referred to this principle in Colossians 2:7 when he wrote that it is important to be 'rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith' (KJV). Immediately following this verse, Paul warned Christians to beware and not be ruined by philosophies and empty teaching that is based on the traditions of this world and not on the principles of Christ.
In other words, Christian education goes far beyond a moment of salvation surrounded by instruction in humanistic theories of academic content. Christian education encompasses the discipleship of the child’s spiritual growth including an understanding of the spiritual dimension of daily life, immersion in intellectual study based on biblical truth and principles, and a focus on the application of all learning to the fulfillment of the Dominion Mandate.
Scriptural mandates concerning the raising and teaching of children indicate that the primary outcome of Christian education should be knowledge of God (Ephesians 6:4, Deuteronomy 6, Psalm 78). Because God makes Himself known through special revelation (His word) and general revelation (His creation), comprehensive Christian education must include the study of both biblical texts and academic instruction in topics addressing aspects of creation. In contrast to humanistic education, however, academic instruction is not merely for the accumulation of knowledge or the future employment of the individual. Rather, the purpose of this academic study is first to know and love God through an understanding of His creation, second to use academic knowledge in the pursuit of the Great Commission, and third to fulfill the Dominion Mandate by applying this knowledge to the management of creation.
The teaching of academic subjects such as mathematics and history must overtly serve the above-mentioned biblical charges, rather than transmitting knowledge in a vacuum of assumed neutrality. As Spears and Loomis (2009) pointed out, “It is not uncommon to see people separate or compartmentalize their lives into these secular-sacred categories,” suggesting that Christians ought to work “first and foremost within the context of God’s created universe” (p. 30). Rushdoony (1981) also decried the assumed neutrality of information, claiming, “Before there is a fact, there is a faith. The faith interprets and determines the facts” (p. 129).
A Christian school must teach its curriculum within the context of the faith, applying academic study to a deeper knowledge of the Creator and His creation and affirming the duty of students to use their minds to make disciples and subdue the earth. Christian schools that teach academic content outside of this context promote atheistic or humanistic goals in their students, whether intentionally or not, because the purpose of gaining this knowledge is for the personal benefit of the student rather than for God’s purposes. Content learning devoid of knowledge of the Creator is insufficient. Any academic instruction in a Christian school must recognize God as the source of the truth in a subject, emphasize His purposes in the utilization of the knowledge, and focus on the elements of God’s character that the academic study communicates. Any lesson taught will acknowledge, ignore, or deny God, and the mandate of the Christian school is to constantly acknowledge and magnify Him in every lesson.
Postmodern education “serves the purpose of guiding students to create truth that is in accord with their individual belief systems” (Schultz, 1998, p. 27). In contrast to postmodern philosophies of education propagated in humanist institutions, Christian schools must instill in students a foundation of absolute truth, especially the truth of the Bible.
Pazmiño (2008) stated, "Truth is the essential content of Christian teaching – truth as revealed in Christ and in Scripture through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and truth as discerned in all creation. . . . Love is the medium through which this truth is effectively communicated. . . . Christian teachers must faithfully live out a concern for both truth and love in their teaching and the experience of students." (p. 233)
The postmodern denial of absolute truth is an example of worldly thinking to which Christians are warned not to conform, and the transformation by the renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2) comes only through dependence on the Holy Spirit to guide a believer into truth. As such, an important element of Christian education must be instruction in the fallibility of the human mind apart from the guidance of the Spirit. The renewal of the mind comes not merely through academic knowledge but through learning how to interpret knowledge with biblical discernment. That is why Schulz adamantly stated, “It is imperative that both Christian schools and homeschool families make certain that God’s Word remains the cornerstone of their educational efforts, or else they will experience the same demise as most secular schools” (p. 123).
Scripture defines elements of good character and conduct, and this is not up for individual interpretation based on personal beliefs, nor can a person choose which biblical mandates to obey and which to ignore. Christian education then must include instruction in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25), and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Formal, systematic behavioral instruction based on rewards and punishment, however, is insufficient. God judges the heart (1 Samuel 16:7, Hebrews 4:12), and students must also understand the work of the Spirit in developing inner virtue. As Graham (2003) warned, “Teaching students as passive recipients of knowledge is not very effective in producing people who truly live the Christian life. It only produces people who can talk about it in someone else’s language” (p. 74). Students can learn to recite Bible verses and mimic appropriate behaviors, but if love for God and neighbor is not their motivation, they have entirely missed the point of the lesson.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Imago Dei and Discipline
Any consideration of the purpose and methods of education must include the nature of the learner. Graham (2003) states:
The Bible teaches clearly that (1) human beings were made in the image of God, (2) we were separated from God through Adam’s sin, and (3) God acted through Jesus Christ to redeem a people from among our fallen race. Thus the biblical doctrines of the creation, fall, and redemption form the basis for our understanding of the nature of the learner. (p. 77)
The learner, created in the image of God, will exhibit attributes of God (active and purposeful, rational, creative, moral, free and responsible, faithful), but these attributes will manifest imperfectly due to the fall and the finite nature of man (Graham, 2003, pp. 78-87).
Rushdoony (1981) pointed out the difference between discipline and punishment, defining discipline as “instruction and guidance into an orderly way of life which becomes second nature to the person involved” (p. 121). Methods of discipline in a Christian school must communicate to students a message consistent with biblical instruction. Teaching a child that he is made in the image of God, and then punitively punishing him without regard to dignity or restorative discipline can deafen the child to the redemptive message. Similarly, preaching the sin nature of the child without emphasizing the gift of grace and the power available through dependence upon the Spirit can discourage sincere efforts in pursuing obedience to God’s commands. Graham (2003) wrote, “To discipline is to create an environment in which students can make wise choices from within, not simply be rewarded or punished from the outside” (p. 45). A Christian school that implements redemptive discipline teaches the child what it truly means to reflect God’s image.
The Bible teaches clearly that (1) human beings were made in the image of God, (2) we were separated from God through Adam’s sin, and (3) God acted through Jesus Christ to redeem a people from among our fallen race. Thus the biblical doctrines of the creation, fall, and redemption form the basis for our understanding of the nature of the learner. (p. 77)
The learner, created in the image of God, will exhibit attributes of God (active and purposeful, rational, creative, moral, free and responsible, faithful), but these attributes will manifest imperfectly due to the fall and the finite nature of man (Graham, 2003, pp. 78-87).
Rushdoony (1981) pointed out the difference between discipline and punishment, defining discipline as “instruction and guidance into an orderly way of life which becomes second nature to the person involved” (p. 121). Methods of discipline in a Christian school must communicate to students a message consistent with biblical instruction. Teaching a child that he is made in the image of God, and then punitively punishing him without regard to dignity or restorative discipline can deafen the child to the redemptive message. Similarly, preaching the sin nature of the child without emphasizing the gift of grace and the power available through dependence upon the Spirit can discourage sincere efforts in pursuing obedience to God’s commands. Graham (2003) wrote, “To discipline is to create an environment in which students can make wise choices from within, not simply be rewarded or punished from the outside” (p. 45). A Christian school that implements redemptive discipline teaches the child what it truly means to reflect God’s image.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The Principle Approach has a foundation of seven governmental principles:
Individuality is the state of being undivided within oneself, but distinct from the rest. God has marked each individual to distinguish him from all others.
Individualism is a belief in the individual; thus, the individual’s needs and wants are at the center of his actions and motives. In contrast, individuality is a state of being. Because God has created each individual, and He is infinite, each individual is unique. He has a special purpose for each individual, and each individual’s heart must be undivided, that is, completely devoted to living out God’s intended purpose.
God’s principle of individuality is at the heart of mathematics and science. The study of numbers reflects God’s infinity, and His diversity and creativity are evident in all aspects of Creation, from the very large to the very small.
2. The Christian Principle of Self-Government
Government is more than elected officials in Washington or our state houses; it is the direction, regulation, and authority in our lives. Self-government is directing or controlling the self. Most modern definitions stop there, and we refer to it as self-control. However, the Christian principle of self-government means putting Christ in control. Each individual must choose to give Jesus Christ the ultimate authority in governing his life. When individuals are fully governed by Christ, the need for external control is eliminated. To quote Robert Winthrop,
“All societies of men must be governed in some way or other. The less they may have of stringent State Government, the more they must have of individual self-government. The less they rely on public law or physical force, the more they must rely on private moral restraint. Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled, either by a power within them, or by a power without them; either by the Word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or the bayonet.” 1
Christian self-government must be practiced in the mathematics classroom (as in all subject areas). Students should prefer to be internally governed, rather than relying on external control as they go about their daily activities. With liberty comes responsibility.
3. America’s Heritage of Christian Character
The etymology of character reveals the sense of cutting or engraving. By definition, character is “the peculiar qualities, impressed by nature or habit on a person, which distinguish him from others.” Christian character is the stamp of Christ on the individual’s life. The Christian life should be distinguished from others, because the power of salvation in an individual’s life reveals itself in his conduct. Dr. Augustus Neander writes of Christian character,
“In a time when the inclination of self-interest to evade the laws in secret was combined with the timorousness of a slavish spirit, the Christian set the example of the conscientious observance of the
laws for God’s sake, and of unbending mental freedom, which, as it only obeyed the rulers of the world as placed in their office by God, so no power on earth could force to obey when anything was required that contradicted the divine laws.” 2
The character of Christ is the goal of Christian education. This is developed in every class and activity. To learn mathematics is to gain a clear and certain perception of what was once unknown, exercising through practice to gain comprehension and discipline. The disciplines of accuracy and precision in the study of mathematics reveal those aspects of God’s nature.
4. “Conscience is the Most Sacred of All Property”
Each individual is God’s property, by right of creation. Because I belong solely to God, my purpose is to glorify God. Conscience is “the faculty, power, or principle within us, which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them.” The law is God’s, and thus, the faculty within an individual to determine whether or not he is obeying God’s law is his most sacred property, enabling him to serve his primary purpose, glorifying God.
The idea that the individual is God’s workmanship gives the student purpose in his life. As he pursues knowledge of God’s nature through his academic subjects, he models his character after that of the Master.
5. The Christian Form of Our Government
“The determining factor as to whether our nation is a Christian nation, and as to whether the Constitution is a Christian document is – not whether Christians formed the Constitution – but whether the form is Christian. The basis for judgment is the Bible.” 3
Our nation’s Constitution has both internal and external aspects. The concept of property is Biblical, as discussed in the previous principle. There is a need for Christian self-government to uphold our Constitution, as well as unity with union. In the matter of the Boston Patriots in 1775,
“The action taken by the Boston Patriots brought down upon them the cruel economic strangulation of the Boston Port Bill. But instead of isolating Boston, it had the effect of uniting all the colonies for the first time in their history. Within two months the flow of Christian support and unity of purpose had cemented together the thirteen colonies in a manner which all their efforts at unification had never achieved. This was the true Biblical Christian unity, produced by voluntary support on the part of the many communities and tiny towns and cities all over America. They were united in a cause which they felt to be God-ordained.” 4
Externally, there are three main components to our Constitution: representation, separation of powers, and the dual form. Deuteronomy 1 establishes representative government. Isaiah 33:22 outlines the three branches of government – judicial (Lord is our judge), legislative (Lord is our lawgiver), and executive (Lord is our king). God is perfect and has no need for separation of powers, but man is sinful and must be checked in his authority. In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus gives two commands, to love God and to love man. These two commands reflect the dual form of our government, our national-federal system.
6. How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Individuals can only be self-governed if they first acknowledge God as their authority. Our nation’s government can only be sustained by the practice of Christian self-government and Christian character in the lives of individuals.
“Because their love of liberty was first evangelical liberty, second political liberty, the Pilgrim Separatists, in fleeing from the despotism of a centralized church did not reject a government of laws. But they recognized that law must spring from an internal conviction rather than derive its sanction from the force of external control." 5
The seed of local self-government is planted by the spread of the Gospel. As Christ takes hold in an individual’s life, he can begin the process of developing Christian self-government. Salvation brings liberty, and a saved soul who has given God authority in his
life does not need an oppressive central government to externally control him.
7. The Christian Principle of American Political Union
The Pilgrims modeled Christian unity:
“Individuals and families, drawn toward each other by their common trust in Jesus the Christ, and their common interest in the good news concerning the kingdom of God, became a community united, not by external bonds, but by the vital force of distinctive ideas and principles.” 6
As quoted above in the fifth principle, the colonists voluntarily chose to unite when they saw an invasion of rights.
Christians are called to unity. Our purpose is to glorify God, and He has given each individual a unique calling toward that end. Our differences, however, are not meant to divide us. Rather, they are meant to fulfill different aspects of God’s plan. In order to do that, we must voluntarily choose to unite in common purpose.
1 Hall, V. & Slater, R.(1983). Our Heritage of Christian Character and Government. The
Bible and the Constitution of the United States of America, 5.
2 Slater, R. (1965). America’s Heritage of Christian Character. Teaching and Learning
America’s Christian History, 211.
3 Slater, R. (1965). The Christian Form of Our Government. Teaching and Learning
America’s Christian History, 240.
4 Slater, R. (1965). The Christian Principle of American Political Union. Teaching and
Learning America’s Christian History, 263-264.
5 Slater, R. (1965). Liberty Under Law. Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History,
261.
6 Slater, R. (1965). The Cement of American Union. Teaching and Learning America’s
Christian History, 267.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
The Greatest Commandment
Jesus made it clear what is most important in the Christian life, commanding believers to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). The Greatest Commandment ought to provide the foundation for all learning in Christian education. Spurgeon (1857) interpreted the commandment simply: “We are to love Him with all our life, for that is the meaning of it.” Loving God comes before all other priorities because, according to Matthew Henry , this "will effectually take us off from, and arm us against, all those things that are rivals with him for the throne in our souls, and will engage us to every thing by which he may be honoured, and with which he will be pleased."
Spurgeon described the comprehensive nature of this love of God: “For we are to love Him with all our heart, heartily—with all our soul, that is, to the laying down of our life—with all our mind, that is mentally; and we are to love him with all our strength, that is, actively.”
Although disagreement might exist in determining under which “category” a human act or function might fall, the overall purpose of the command is for an all-encompassing love of God.
Heart and Soul
The heart (kardia) and soul (psychē) pertain to “the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavours” (Blue Letter Bible). Learning outcomes aimed at loving God with heart and soul would include the development of a personal relationship with God through an understanding of sin and grace, a lifestyle of prayer through the Spirit, and an attitude and practice of sincere worship.
Often in Christian schools, a profession of “being saved” is the extent of any emphasis on a personal relationship with Christ. Students are encouraged to “pray the prayer” and then behave appropriately. But all too often, no connection between the reality of salvation and the source of power for obedient living is made. Teachers can emphasize this principle by encouraging prayerful responses to difficulty, temptation, and failure, thus modeling for students that their relationship with God should influence all aspects of their lives. Sinful choices by students provide excellent opportunities to teach on the profound gift of the Cross. While sin has earthly consequences, and Christian schools should not gloss over these, the message of forgiveness and the unconditional love of God can only be understood when the reality of sin is realized.
Worship is also appropriate in the classroom setting. Praising God for success is a powerful reminder that the glory belongs to Him. The Old Testament offers examples of how musicians were at the front of the battle, and the singing of a praise song or hymn at an appropriate time in class can teach students that their relationship with God is active at all times, not just during chapel services.
Mind
The mind (dianoia) pertains to “a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring” (Blue Letter Bible). Learning outcomes aimed at loving God with the mind would include an emphasis on the thought life and motives, the development of the intellect for God’s purposes, and effective Bible study through good hermeneutics.
Loving God with the mind starts with properly reading, interpreting, and applying His Word. The foremost goal of literacy in early childhood ought to be the reading of the Bible, and in the middle and high school years, development of hermeneutical skills becomes a priority. Bible study is not simply for morality development but for a proper understanding of and relationship with God:
Even where teaching the Bible to children is a priority, teaching Bible doctrine seldom is. Children hear the same Bible stories repeatedly, almost always as moral lessons on how to behave. Typical Sunday school lessons reduce Bible stories to moral tales much like Aesop’s fables. The focus is on the human being in the story, who becomes its main character. . . . When Bible stories are used in this way, God sits on the periphery of the narrative, like the genie in a fairy tale, blessing human actors for good behavior or cursing them for failures. Children seldom learn to see that God Himself is the main character of every Bible story. (Meade, 2000, p. 4)
While the school setting traditionally focuses on academic development, a distinctive of Christian education ought to be an emphasis on a personal relationship with God. Academics prepare students for success in their earthly lives, and as far as this is applied with a heart for fulfilling God’s call on a young life, this is appropriate. However, academic subjects ought to enhance spiritual growth as well, because there are elements of every subject that reveal the character of God. This aspect of academic instruction needs to be more fully explored to contribute to the learning outcome of loving God both with the heart and soul and with the mind.
Strength
The strength (ischys) includes “ability, force, might” (Blue Letter Bible). Learning outcomes aimed at loving God with strength would include physical activity to the glory of God, the care and purity of the body, and understanding of nutrition and fasting. Opportunities for using the body for God’s purposes, such as ministry in the community, could provide a model for an active love of God beyond emotions and intellect. Many Christian schools offer competitive athletics as part of their educational programs. These provide excellent opportunities for helping students learn to glorify God, and not themselves, through appropriate attitudes and actions.
A study of biblical roles of men and women and the practice of these principles in the daily life of a school, discussions on appropriate choice of dress for modesty, and a survey of biblical principles of purity would all help students understand what it means to love God with all their strength. As with all behavioral mandates, teachers must constantly remind students that living the Christian life is only possible through dependence on the Holy Spirit. Without this dependence, students will continually face frustration in their failure to live up to the standard.
An element of the Christian life often ignored in educational settings is fasting. Always considering individual nutritional or other physical needs, schools can implement fasting days to teach dependence on God for strength and endurance. Classes might choose creative fasts, such as giving up television for a week, choosing to spend that time in prayer, worship, and Bible study. As with many activities, this type of commitment can become an arena for competition and individual glorification, and teachers must clearly communicate the proper motivation and purpose for any fast.
Spurgeon described the comprehensive nature of this love of God: “For we are to love Him with all our heart, heartily—with all our soul, that is, to the laying down of our life—with all our mind, that is mentally; and we are to love him with all our strength, that is, actively.”
Although disagreement might exist in determining under which “category” a human act or function might fall, the overall purpose of the command is for an all-encompassing love of God.
Heart and Soul
The heart (kardia) and soul (psychē) pertain to “the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavours” (Blue Letter Bible). Learning outcomes aimed at loving God with heart and soul would include the development of a personal relationship with God through an understanding of sin and grace, a lifestyle of prayer through the Spirit, and an attitude and practice of sincere worship.
Often in Christian schools, a profession of “being saved” is the extent of any emphasis on a personal relationship with Christ. Students are encouraged to “pray the prayer” and then behave appropriately. But all too often, no connection between the reality of salvation and the source of power for obedient living is made. Teachers can emphasize this principle by encouraging prayerful responses to difficulty, temptation, and failure, thus modeling for students that their relationship with God should influence all aspects of their lives. Sinful choices by students provide excellent opportunities to teach on the profound gift of the Cross. While sin has earthly consequences, and Christian schools should not gloss over these, the message of forgiveness and the unconditional love of God can only be understood when the reality of sin is realized.
Worship is also appropriate in the classroom setting. Praising God for success is a powerful reminder that the glory belongs to Him. The Old Testament offers examples of how musicians were at the front of the battle, and the singing of a praise song or hymn at an appropriate time in class can teach students that their relationship with God is active at all times, not just during chapel services.
Mind
The mind (dianoia) pertains to “a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring” (Blue Letter Bible). Learning outcomes aimed at loving God with the mind would include an emphasis on the thought life and motives, the development of the intellect for God’s purposes, and effective Bible study through good hermeneutics.
Loving God with the mind starts with properly reading, interpreting, and applying His Word. The foremost goal of literacy in early childhood ought to be the reading of the Bible, and in the middle and high school years, development of hermeneutical skills becomes a priority. Bible study is not simply for morality development but for a proper understanding of and relationship with God:
Even where teaching the Bible to children is a priority, teaching Bible doctrine seldom is. Children hear the same Bible stories repeatedly, almost always as moral lessons on how to behave. Typical Sunday school lessons reduce Bible stories to moral tales much like Aesop’s fables. The focus is on the human being in the story, who becomes its main character. . . . When Bible stories are used in this way, God sits on the periphery of the narrative, like the genie in a fairy tale, blessing human actors for good behavior or cursing them for failures. Children seldom learn to see that God Himself is the main character of every Bible story. (Meade, 2000, p. 4)
While the school setting traditionally focuses on academic development, a distinctive of Christian education ought to be an emphasis on a personal relationship with God. Academics prepare students for success in their earthly lives, and as far as this is applied with a heart for fulfilling God’s call on a young life, this is appropriate. However, academic subjects ought to enhance spiritual growth as well, because there are elements of every subject that reveal the character of God. This aspect of academic instruction needs to be more fully explored to contribute to the learning outcome of loving God both with the heart and soul and with the mind.
Strength
The strength (ischys) includes “ability, force, might” (Blue Letter Bible). Learning outcomes aimed at loving God with strength would include physical activity to the glory of God, the care and purity of the body, and understanding of nutrition and fasting. Opportunities for using the body for God’s purposes, such as ministry in the community, could provide a model for an active love of God beyond emotions and intellect. Many Christian schools offer competitive athletics as part of their educational programs. These provide excellent opportunities for helping students learn to glorify God, and not themselves, through appropriate attitudes and actions.
A study of biblical roles of men and women and the practice of these principles in the daily life of a school, discussions on appropriate choice of dress for modesty, and a survey of biblical principles of purity would all help students understand what it means to love God with all their strength. As with all behavioral mandates, teachers must constantly remind students that living the Christian life is only possible through dependence on the Holy Spirit. Without this dependence, students will continually face frustration in their failure to live up to the standard.
An element of the Christian life often ignored in educational settings is fasting. Always considering individual nutritional or other physical needs, schools can implement fasting days to teach dependence on God for strength and endurance. Classes might choose creative fasts, such as giving up television for a week, choosing to spend that time in prayer, worship, and Bible study. As with many activities, this type of commitment can become an arena for competition and individual glorification, and teachers must clearly communicate the proper motivation and purpose for any fast.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Sermon on the Mount and Christian Schools
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and specifically the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) provide instruction from Jesus on the Christian life. The emphasis is not on the Law or seeking justification through living a good life, but rather on strengthening a Christian’s relationship with Christ in order to enable obedience to God. When considering how seriously Christians take the gospel, Lloyd-Jones wrote, “The best way of concentrating on that question is, I think, to face the Sermon on the Mount” (p. 8). Lloyd-Jones specifically pointed out the right view of cause and effect, stating, “We are not told in the Sermon on the Mount, ‘Live like this and you will become Christian’; rather we are told, ‘Because you are Christian live like this’” (pp. 11-12).
Christian school instruction of the principles in the Sermon on the Mount, and specific learning outcomes in this area, must begin with the development of the relationship with Christ in order to enable the Christian life espoused in the sermon rather than simply telling students to strive (in their own strength) to live well. This is the error of a social gospel interpretation of the sermon, yet it is often how young people interpret biblical teachings. Lloyd-Jones pointed out that Jesus began his sermon with the Beatitudes for a purpose:
"The order in which the statements come in the Sermon is really of supreme importance. The Beatitudes do not come at the end, they come at the beginning, and I do not hesitate to say that unless we are perfectly clear about them we should go no further. . . . Certain postulates are laid down, and on the basis of those, certain other things follow. Thus I never discuss any particular injunction of the Sermon with a person until I am perfectly happy and clear in my mind that that person is a Christian." (p. 17)
Why? “None of these descriptions refers to what we may call a natural tendency” (Lloyd-Jones, p. 26). Teachers must offer instruction on Christian character in the Sermon on the Mount only with parallel emphasis on living this life in dependence on the Holy Spirit. In the natural self, no one possesses the ability or tendency to live this life, and only in close relationship with God is it possible. This is one reason why it is so important for Christian schools to implement redemptive, rather than punitive, discipline policies.
Christian school instruction of the principles in the Sermon on the Mount, and specific learning outcomes in this area, must begin with the development of the relationship with Christ in order to enable the Christian life espoused in the sermon rather than simply telling students to strive (in their own strength) to live well. This is the error of a social gospel interpretation of the sermon, yet it is often how young people interpret biblical teachings. Lloyd-Jones pointed out that Jesus began his sermon with the Beatitudes for a purpose:
"The order in which the statements come in the Sermon is really of supreme importance. The Beatitudes do not come at the end, they come at the beginning, and I do not hesitate to say that unless we are perfectly clear about them we should go no further. . . . Certain postulates are laid down, and on the basis of those, certain other things follow. Thus I never discuss any particular injunction of the Sermon with a person until I am perfectly happy and clear in my mind that that person is a Christian." (p. 17)
Why? “None of these descriptions refers to what we may call a natural tendency” (Lloyd-Jones, p. 26). Teachers must offer instruction on Christian character in the Sermon on the Mount only with parallel emphasis on living this life in dependence on the Holy Spirit. In the natural self, no one possesses the ability or tendency to live this life, and only in close relationship with God is it possible. This is one reason why it is so important for Christian schools to implement redemptive, rather than punitive, discipline policies.
Redemptive Discipline
Because of the Fall (Genesis 3, Romans 3:23), every school will have its share of behavioral issues. Temptations abound, and students need to work through what it means to resist and live the abundant life through Christ. When students make wrong choices, a distinctively Christian school will use redemptive discipline procedures to help the child recognize the sin, repent, receive forgiveness, and be restored to the body of Christ. This does not negate earthly consequences for wrongdoing; students can learn that there are consequences for sin, but that in the body of Christ, there is also forgiveness and restoration. As Tripp suggested:
"The central focus of childrearing is to bring children to a sober assessment of themselves as sinners. They must understand the mercy of God, who offered Christ as a sacrifice for sinners. . . . The focal point of your discipline and correction must be your children seeing their utter inability to do the things that God requires unless they know the help and strength of God. Your correction must hold the standard of righteousness as high as God holds it. . . . Discipline leads to the cross of Christ where sinful people are forgiven. Sinners who come to Jesus in repentance and faith are empowered to live new lives."
"The central focus of childrearing is to bring children to a sober assessment of themselves as sinners. They must understand the mercy of God, who offered Christ as a sacrifice for sinners. . . . The focal point of your discipline and correction must be your children seeing their utter inability to do the things that God requires unless they know the help and strength of God. Your correction must hold the standard of righteousness as high as God holds it. . . . Discipline leads to the cross of Christ where sinful people are forgiven. Sinners who come to Jesus in repentance and faith are empowered to live new lives."
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Fuzzy Goals
Because many in the current generation of parents and teachers were educated in the public system, it is natural to design today’s Christian schools in that model. However, this is not a distinctively Christian model. Gorman (2001) wrote of the confusion that seems to exist in the Christian community on what the goals of schools should be and how these ought to be achieved:
We lack clarity in terms of what we want to produce. We have listened to the many hawkers who have told us what our students must be and who we must be and we have found our teaching shaped by lesser values. Our goals have become fuzzy. While the needs have become more complex, it has been hard to establish priority and even harder to stand against the tide. We have played to clamoring audiences and played down our uniqueness as God’s image in the world. It has been easier to settle for the ends of “passing the final” or “designing a project.” And learners, facing a multitude of pressures in a society that values external “paste-ons” over internal commitment, action over values, and content more than character, encourage this compromise. . . . The question remains whether our students (as taught Christianly) are spiritually different because of their learning experiences. (p. 24)
At the local level, Christian school leadership and interested parents must come together to design school schedules, curriculum, learning outcomes, classroom discipline policies, teaching methodologies, and assessments geared to serve the key commands of Scripture, instead of accepting the world’s standards and functioning as de facto public schools with occasional Bible memory or chapels. Because so few people have received their education in institutions that are distinctively Christian, this will require a change of perspective for many, and pastors need to take the lead in educating the flock on how necessary this process truly is.
Although teachers have significant influence on student learning, Christian schools also must develop students of character who have internal motivation to serve the Lord in their learning. As Cox (2002) wrote, “While teachers can salt the educational content to make the liquid of learning more appealing, the ultimate responsibility for actual drinking of learning is the student’s, not the teacher’s” (p. 10). Although this does not devolve all responsibility from the teacher, it does suggest that education is more complex than simply hiring a skilled teacher. The intricacies of education involve the teacher, the student, the parents, the school culture, the family background of each individual, and many other factors. This is one reason that federal control of education practices and strict national standards do not suffice. Individual situations are only properly understood at the local level where the numerous variables can be weighed. This suggests that standards for teacher qualifications and curriculum can be cooperatively developed at the national, international, or denominational level to give guidance to Christian schools, but the control over final decisions needs to rest at the local level to allow for individual circumstances.
We lack clarity in terms of what we want to produce. We have listened to the many hawkers who have told us what our students must be and who we must be and we have found our teaching shaped by lesser values. Our goals have become fuzzy. While the needs have become more complex, it has been hard to establish priority and even harder to stand against the tide. We have played to clamoring audiences and played down our uniqueness as God’s image in the world. It has been easier to settle for the ends of “passing the final” or “designing a project.” And learners, facing a multitude of pressures in a society that values external “paste-ons” over internal commitment, action over values, and content more than character, encourage this compromise. . . . The question remains whether our students (as taught Christianly) are spiritually different because of their learning experiences. (p. 24)
At the local level, Christian school leadership and interested parents must come together to design school schedules, curriculum, learning outcomes, classroom discipline policies, teaching methodologies, and assessments geared to serve the key commands of Scripture, instead of accepting the world’s standards and functioning as de facto public schools with occasional Bible memory or chapels. Because so few people have received their education in institutions that are distinctively Christian, this will require a change of perspective for many, and pastors need to take the lead in educating the flock on how necessary this process truly is.
Although teachers have significant influence on student learning, Christian schools also must develop students of character who have internal motivation to serve the Lord in their learning. As Cox (2002) wrote, “While teachers can salt the educational content to make the liquid of learning more appealing, the ultimate responsibility for actual drinking of learning is the student’s, not the teacher’s” (p. 10). Although this does not devolve all responsibility from the teacher, it does suggest that education is more complex than simply hiring a skilled teacher. The intricacies of education involve the teacher, the student, the parents, the school culture, the family background of each individual, and many other factors. This is one reason that federal control of education practices and strict national standards do not suffice. Individual situations are only properly understood at the local level where the numerous variables can be weighed. This suggests that standards for teacher qualifications and curriculum can be cooperatively developed at the national, international, or denominational level to give guidance to Christian schools, but the control over final decisions needs to rest at the local level to allow for individual circumstances.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Purpose and Nature of Christian Education
For several generations, public schools have educated most Americans, including Christian Americans.The result is that education and public schools are virtually synonymous in American culture. In fact, Spears and Loomis stated that the purpose of their book is “to revive and ground a perennial philosophy of education that integrates essential tenets of the Christian faith” (p. 35), yet the emphasis of their subsequent writing is on Christians in public education settings rather than on a specifically Christian form of education. In recent decades, a movement toward Christian schools has developed. At issue is whether these schools are truly Christian, that is, faithful to biblical principles and mandates, or simply a Christianized version of the neighboring public schools. As Rushdoony stated, “It is a deadly error on the part of the Christian School to assume that its task is similar to that of the ‘public’ or government schools with Bible added to it” (p. 149). Mohler reinforced this point, stating, “The Christian school must not be education dressed up for the church. It must be the church armed for intellectual battle” (p. 33). Any effort to express a distinctly Christian purpose for and expression of education must begin with biblical principles.
What is your impression of or experience with Christian education? Is it distinctive? Is it "education dressed up for the church"? How should we be doing things differently in a school that calls itself Christian?
What is your impression of or experience with Christian education? Is it distinctive? Is it "education dressed up for the church"? How should we be doing things differently in a school that calls itself Christian?
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Unveiling the Creator
"True education is unveiling the all-glorious God of creation . . . in the creation." Dr. Mark Fakkema
"The Christian teacher, rightly beginning with the assumption that mathematics originates with God and consequently possesses a nature which reflects His glory, has the freedom and responsibility to point out the evidence of God's hand in the content of mathematics." Larry Zimmerman, Truth and the Transcendent: The Origin, Nature, and Purpose of Mathematics
"The Christian teacher, rightly beginning with the assumption that mathematics originates with God and consequently possesses a nature which reflects His glory, has the freedom and responsibility to point out the evidence of God's hand in the content of mathematics." Larry Zimmerman, Truth and the Transcendent: The Origin, Nature, and Purpose of Mathematics
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