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.