Philosophy of Christian Education
A Christian philosophy of education is one of the cornerstones for a successful Christian school, which gives more than just academic knowledge, it gives an education of the heart. The simpliest thing we do as educators is taking students from I don’t know to I know, but what really we want them to know? Our goal is not merely giving them basic academic knowledge, but to prepare students to hear and respond to the “still, small voice” of God. and to love the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind (Deutoronomy 6:4-9).
Working in a Christian school for 5 years I realized the importance of having the Biblical Philosophy of education and in this essay I’d like to cover its six core values and how we as Christian
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Our worldview influences the way in which we learn, that’s why it is very important that we as Christian educators “critique our worldview in the light of Scripture to ensure that God’s revelation, not our cultural prejudices, is at the root of our worldview and educational foundation and that we teach our students to do the same. This kind of critical thinking is a Biblical imperative.And by applying it to our learning experiences, we obey God’s commands and committ an act of worship.
Sometimes is takes courage to keep “belief glasses”on and still look on the world through the Biblical perspective, but we, as well as our students, should remember that it’s worth it, and our reward is great, for our goal is to encourage all my students to reach their full potential in Christ.
So, to build a Christian worldview the teachers should be intellectually conscious about it, intentional in life directions and prepared to live an examined life. A Biblical worldview is not merely holding to Christian morals, one could do it without having the Biblical foundations to ground those morals. It should be defined by hope, hope in Christ, our Creator and Redeemer to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1
If as believers we fail to completely trust the Word of God and form our life under its direction then our witness will become misleading and even confusing. Believer’s effort in diligently understanding, applying and holding full trust to the word of God in all aspects of our life will be instrumental in building our faith. Such a faith will elevate us to enable us rise above the unrelenting wave of our culture’s non-biblical ideologies. Biblical worldview is very important in order to develop a life, which can be emulated by others in diligence, integrity and honesty in the modern society (Tackett, 2014).
Schultz also stressed the importance of a biblical worldview in the teacher. As the leader in each classroom the students will adapt their teacher’s beliefs, values and finally actions. If they are taught by a teacher who holds a dualistic view of dividing the sacred and the secular, or a postmodern or modern worldview, it will adversely affect the ability of that child to develop Christ centered wisdom based upon the Word of God. Schultz, in referring to the education of children, stated “anything that hinders their moral and spiritual development is the epitome of child abuse.” (2006, p. 163). As such, our curriculum, teaching methods, and moral example, must all reflect a biblical worldview that will evangelize and discipline each student to know and love Jesus Christ.
A Christian worldview leads us to believe in moral absolutes, miracles, human dignity, and the possibility of redemption. True Christianity is more than a set of ideas used at church. Christianity, as taught in the Bible, is itself a worldview. The Bible never dis...
The foundation of a Christian worldview is the belief in a personal God, creator and ruler of the universe. The Christian worldview views the world through God’s word, providing the framework for humanity to live by giving meaning and purpose to life. It defines who Jesus is, human nature, and how salvation is achieved. In essence it is the basis of which Christians behave, interact, interpret life and comprehend reality. A Christian worldview imparts confidence, answers to life’s problems, and hope for the future. In this paper I will discuss the essentials of a Christian worldview and an analysis of the influences, benefits, and difficulties sustaining the Christian faith.
In conclusion, teachers who share their worldview with their students and encourage them to also expand and develop their own biblical worldview are giving their students a whole integrated education. The hope of a teacher should be that what their students learn will carry them through life by always seeing everything through the lens of God’s
Humanity is made in the image of God. Therefore, all people have unique and valuable gifts to contribute to society. Every individual is also a sinner in need of redemption through Christ’s death and resurrection. Developing a relationship with Christ is the foundational purpose of my Christian educational practice. Instruction must be differentiated because each student is a unique creation. Effective differentiation is impossible without the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the use of research-based instructional methods and formative evaluation. Powerful teaching constantly modifies instruction to best address the needs of the each student and provides a foundation of love that recognizes each child as a gift from God.
Although a worldview ensues what a person believes about the great questions of life, a biblical worldview stands far more intense since it’s filtered through the bible and the outlook stays Christ focused. The book of Romans in the Bible provides an example of what a biblical worldview should be like. As a result of Paul’s truths in Romans 1-8, believers have been able to grasp an understanding of the teachings that express the idea of a biblical worldview that God intended us to perceive.
Christian education is for this project. Christian education is the training of special agents of the kingdom of God and the consummation of creation.” (pg.139) I found it fascinating that Plantinga describes ‘us’ within the Christian education system are called or elected to help God regain and restore His earth here with Christ. We have to remember, “no matter what our primary occupation we cannot let it become a preoccupation.” Plantinga helped me to reflect on my current life, my current job, and my current Christian education. I found that when we let these other aspects of our lives, whether it be bills, work or exams, we often allow reality to fade into the background. Or perhaps we could look at it this way: Our lives get so busy and hectic that we tend to put God on the back burner. Christian education whether in a university or biblical studies at home will give us guidance through our hectic lives, renewing our minds and keep us in close connection with our Creator and the rest of His Creation. Plantinga sums up Christian education as “for the kingdom of God. It equips us to be agents of the kingdom, models of the kingdom in our own lives and communities, witnesses to the kingdom wherever we go in the world.” (pg.143) When we ‘put on the full armor of God’ we not only protect ourselves from this fallen world but we are also able to project God’s glory to all those who we encounter.
Recognition of a person’s worldview can be found based on one’s answer to several reality questions surrounding God (origin), human nature (identity), reality (meaning/purpose), after life (destiny), values (morality or ethics). My own definition of worldview is a set of beliefs about the most important issues in life and my reaction to them. While in agreement with Jeff Baldwin’s eyeglass concept, I choose to compare my Christian worldview to an internal navigation system. When I am lost and need to be found, Christ is omnipresent. He knows my location and guides me in another direction.
Many people would not believe that worldview would be involved in the topic of work, but it certainly is. Worldview stretches throughout almost every facet of our lives and is even an intricate part of work. Christian and secular viewpoints differ immensely when it comes to work. Many Christians believe that work is an intricate part of God’s plan for mankind while the secular viewpoint sees it as more of a personal, everyday activity the serves no more of a purpose that that of personal success. The secular worldview has distorted the context of work and only the Christian worldview can redeem it to its original context.
In Glen Shultz’s (2003) book Kingdom Education: God’s Plan for Educating Future Generations he addresses the importance of education in coordination with the family and church in developing and training future generations within a biblical worldview. He describes moral decline, increased crime rates, the disintegration of the family and the church’s inability to be the salt of the earth as examples of the increased secularization because of the removal of God and His word from our schools. The author’s answer for these dilemmas is biblical principles that are consistently taught in the home, church and school. Shultz (2003) compared kingdom education to the three legs of a milk stool “on which an individual can safely rest, regardless of the roughness of the ground (Shultz, 2003, p. 12). Kingdom education is defined through the lens of the kingdom of God where God reigns and is active in all areas in and around our lives. The focus of kingdom education is on biblical principles and is the incorporation of these principles into a child’s home, church and schooling. The purpose of kingdom education is twofold, the acceptance of Christ as a personal savior and the development of the mind for God’s use and glory. The three foundations of home, church and school are discussed in regards to the role each has in relation to kingdom education.
The statement “philosophy of Christian education” contains much information to be unwrapped. The term philosophy literally means, in the Greek, “love of wisdom.” In this case, the study of philosophy involves a “critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge” (Philosophy). My understanding of Christian education is what I hope to unveil in this brief document. A high-quality education of children must embrace a student’s intellect, spiritual nature, social life, emotional growth, and physical health. I see evidence for this in scripture as Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). The goal of education should be the training of children, in every area of their life, for adulthood. What makes my philosophy of education different from the secular world is the distinctively Christian biblical worldview. It is this biblical worldview that sets apart Christian education from the public schools in our culture because we address the spiritual dimension of children that the secular humanistic education denies.
It is important through Christian education to be aware of the impact that occurs in the heart of a child as well. Christian education must go further than giving the child knowledge and facts. It must include a vision for the impact their educational experience has on the heart of a child by seeking to educate their emotions and the influence of their actions in their lives. The worldview of a child is influenced greatly in their school experience. It is the responsibility of the educator to provide a learning environment that will make this impact appropriate and pleasing to
(Larry and Sue Richaards, 2011)” With this verse I think that everyone is created unique by God and had different learning capabilities and styles. For if we were created equal there would not be diverse spiritual gifts or even different eye colors. I also think that to truly incorporate a Christian worldview a teacher must be strive to be like Jesus in possess the Fruits of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit are “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23. (Larry and Sue Richaards, 2011) For children learn from their environment around them and in order to understand and gain knowledge fully they mimic the
In the context of Christian education, the teacher performs his role by using lessons culled from the Bible and communicating them through lectures, seminars, or discussions. However, in order to be an effective teacher, I should expand on these lessons by providing real-life examples and hypothetical illustrations in order for the student to find relevance in the lessons taught. I should provide good models for the student to imitate, and in fact, I should also make sure that I am a good model myself by knowing and taking to heart all the lessons I teach. In other words, the instruction must be thorough. To ensure that I am fulfilling my role as teacher, I must provide an opportunity for the students to respond to the lesson. According to the Richards and Bredfeldt, when a student discovers a relationship between himself and the lesson, the “pathway to personal response stands open.” By making the lessons individually applied, decentralized and student-centered, but teacher-oriente...