Table of Contents
Introduction
A worldview is described as how we perceive the world. In addition, a biblical worldview is based upon the framework or ideas and beliefs of the individual as a Christian and how he interprets the world and interacts with it. Genesis 1:27 states, “God created man in his image; in the divine image, he created him; male and female he created them” (biblegateway.com). Because we bare the image of God, we are called to be truthful, honest, love and compassionate for one another. We should also obtain the wisdom that God provided us and never be fooled by others who adhere to deceiving ways. Throughout this paper, I hope my biblical worldview, Christian philosophy of education, as well as implications for educational practice are brought to light and bring a new understanding to your journey.
Biblical Worldview
There are many people who believe that the Bible only addresses spiritual issues. In actuality, the Bible is used today in schools all over the world as a way of teaching history. The Bible was written over the course of hundreds of years by a variety of people with various levels of educational background. The Scriptures were inspired by God, which can explain the fact that so many different people wrote the books, but it is still consistent throughout. But the Bible, not unlike the US Constitution, is interpreted in a wide range of ways by believers and non-believers. Graham (2009) states that some people take certain texts and passages to teach particular ideas or practices. It is important to note that the Bible addresses many of the issues and difficulties that we will encounter through life. By using the Bible as a bit of a handbook, we can have a view of the world through the biblical lens. We can then have a perspective on life and the world that is based on Scripture. Well-intentioned Christians achieve different conclusions depending on the way they choose to interpret and use the Bible (Graham, 2009). To build a more biblical view of the process and practice of educating, we must determine how the Bible should be used in developing the view that the Bible is part of history (Graham, 2009). It is extremely important for us to realize it can be taught in the classroom just as the history books can. Having a biblical worldview is important for all of us alike. To be the Christians that God set out for us to be, we must view the world as the Bible states and use each book and or events in it as a tool of daily living.
Christian Philosophy of Education
My mentor teacher from my first year of teaching and a pastor’s wife told me this past week that she had one of her advanced students ask her, “Why are we here?” While some may begin to answer that question about the importance of the educational process and schooling, I believe that there is a more spiritual answer for which the student was searching. Graham (2009) states that “Education is not an end in itself; it is a means to develop a response to our calling in life.” We are to be educated in order to fulfill our purpose. Since we were created in the image of the Creator, he has ordained a purpose in our lives. That purpose is to worship Him in all things that we do. Education is a means to that end. We learn the skills to achieve our calling, and then we worship our Heavenly Father through the things we are called to do. The pursuit of knowledge is more than the collection of information. A Christian philosophy on education is based on the beliefs that the Bible is designed to be the guiding light and focus for all aspects of education. Education is the process whereby we learn to act like God and to do His work. As we commune with God in that process, and as we study His creation, we are able to do the work that He has called us to do and do it in His ways (Graham, 2009).
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Educators all have their own interpretation in what the different Bible verses stand for, and how it relates back to education. While preparing for a good education seems a worthy goal, as Christians, we know that we are residents of two kingdoms—an earthly one and a heavenly one. No matter the setting, teachers should be intentional about having children examine and shape their own worldviews through purposeful discussions on the topic and examinations of worldviews found in instructional materials (MacCullough, 2012). Responsibility and loyalty to the school as well as students are significant but not sufficient for the Christian educator. What Christian educators think about human nature, about the content and goals of education, about the roles of teacher and learner, and about the evaluation of learning must begin with a biblical understanding of Gods character and plan (Forrey, 2000).
Implications for Educational Practice
We must remember our purpose in all these things. We were created to worship Him in all things we do, thus we must do all things with excellence. That is our purpose in life and in education, to do all things with excellence as a sign of worship unto Him. Whether in a parochial or public school, we can pass this purpose on to our students that we do all things with excellence. By using the Bible as our instructional manual and finding our God-given calling, we can put the pieces together in order to fulfill that purpose of worshipping our Creator. As Graham (2009) says, “Unless we have communion with God through our union with Christ, the best we can expect with our previously discussed efforts will be a distortion of the real thing.” We can never achieve ultimate success without Christ. Like Jonah, we will not be blessed if we are not in God’s will. We, as Christians, must be consistent in our daily walk as we educate and learn in order to fulfill our purposes. It is imperative for our biblical worldview and our Christian educational philosophy to come together into a practical application in order for the next generations to fulfill their purposes as well. Thus, we must use biblical principles to implement a worldview in education. The Bible is used today in schools all over the world as a way of teaching history.
In the United States, the Bible tells of how the country came to be and how its foundation was built. The Bible is part of the curriculum in many states and across many grade levels. It is important for students to understand the importance of the Bible and its contribution to our nation and society, even if the words they read and study in it are not their beliefs. Practically speaking, biblical integration happens when the teacher connects all the various subjects with the common thread of the worldview provided in God’s word (MacCullough, 2012). As they teach through the Bible, they can share their love of God and their Biblical world view through their faith and knowledge of what is being taught. As educators, they must remember that their personal lives must be biblically integrated before they can hope to effectively integrate biblical worldviews in their classrooms.
Conclusion
One of our responsibilities as Christian is to follow God’s plan and listen to His word. In his book, Core Christianity, Towns (2007) states, “Christianity is an ongoing relationship with God.” It is vital for us to maintain a close relationship with God like we maintain a close relationship with our friends, families, and careers. God does not place things on us to make us stray away from Him. God gave us the Bible and His word to make sure we read it and understand the guidelines he set in place for us. Ultimately, it is up to us to listen to the word of God and live by His word.
It is also important for us to understand our purpose here. Why we were created by our Creator. If we believe that we are here for a purpose that has been given to us by our Heavenly Father, and that purpose is ordained through the Scripture, we must follow through with that purpose. Our purpose is excellence in all that we do, because we are doing those things for our Heavenly Father who cares for us, loves us, and protects us. We are given so little time, and as educators, it seems like we are given even less. We must use that time to show the love of Jesus to our students in order for them to have the truth of the Bible revealed to them. This is the importance of a biblical world view in education.
Reference
BibleGateway. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/
Forrey, J. (2000). Building a Christian philosophy of education.
Christian Education Journal,4(1). Retrieved April 4, 2018, from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/205434067?pq-origsite=summon&accountid=12085.
Graham, D.L. (2009). Teaching Redemptively: Bringing grace and truth into your classroom (2nd. ed.) Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications
MacCullough, M. E. (2012). Developing a worldview approach to biblical integration. Langhorne, PA: Cairn University.
Philosophy of Christian Education. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2019, from http://www.dayspringchristian.com/
Schaeffer, F. (n.d.). Francis Schaeffer on Education. Retrieved September 24, 2017, from http://www.gbt.org/text/f.html
Towns, E. L. (2007). Core Christianity: what is Christianity all about? Chattanooga, TN: AMG.
What’s a Christian Worldview? (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2018, from http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian-worldview/whats-a-christian-worldview/whats-a-worldview-anyway
