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Lesson OneAn Introduction and Overview4 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TwoThe Big Questions of Life3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ThreeBasic Philosophical Categories and Their Relationship to Education3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FourCentrality of Scripture3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FiveA Biblical Worldview3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SixThe Importance of Parents3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SevenThe Importance of Teachers3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson EightNurturing in the Christian School3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson NineResponsive Discipleship in the Christian School3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TenThe Importance of a Coherent Curriculum3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ElevenChristian Philosophy Under Attack3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TwelveChallenges and Opportunities for Christian Educators6 Activities1 Assessment
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion2 Activities1 Assessment
Participants 557
Discussion Questions
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The lecturer states she “would contend that only a believer is able to truly love wisdom as God created us to love.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
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I agree with that because only believers in Christ are spiritually alive and in tune with the true God of the universe who at His core is love. The love He gives us for Himself, for His word and His world and for others is a gift of His grace. He alone can open our eyes to truly see Him and His wisdom and to understand and appropriate it. Wisdom is knowledge applied correctly as God intended it to be applied. There is a “wisdom” of the world, but it is limited, short-sighted and tends to be self-centered. Many philosophers and sages down through the ages claimed to be wise or had others call them wise, but only those who knew and loved God had the depth of wisdom and the loving presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives to use that wisdom for the good of others instead of just “navel-gazing” or “pontificating.” The Word of God says that we are “dead” spiritually – “And you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him…” (Col. 2:13) One who is spiritually dead is not able to understand or comprehend God, and since God our Creator is the source of all wisdom, it is only in Him that we can truly have the wisdom He wants to give us.
He warns us through Paul to “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8) Philosophy and wisdom of the world is corrupted, deceitful and leads us away from God because it does not submit itself to the truth of God, but is in rebellion against Him. Yes, there is the “common grace” all people share since we are all made in the image of God, so there may be touches of His truth in what people without God think, say and teach, but without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, it falls short of God’s Wisdom. His children love Him and therefore love His wisdom in a way that others cannot. -
Yes, I would agree. Our philosophy is the lens in which we perceive the world. As a believer we have God’s perfect word as our bedrock or our lens that we build our philosophy around. It is how we navigate worldly views and the closer we draw to God the more we can separate from the world. If we love wisdom and God, we should share our knowledge not just academic but God and how God loves us.
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I would agree with this statement. There are many wise people in our world some are believers and others not. God has gifted us with wisdom to be able to discern the truth and make choices that reflect Him. A person may have wisdom, but without loving God their use of it might be corrupted and faulty. As a believer, wisdom would help guide me on the narrow path of following God’s plan. My choices as a believer would be a reflection of the wisdom God has gifted me with. Just as Solomon asked for wisdom from God, the richest gift he could have asked for, we too must used the love of wisdom as God created to make decisions and advise others; imparting the knowledge, values, and truth of God and God’s Word to others and the next generation.
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It seems to me that this is supported by the Scriptures, especially Proverbs. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). There is a clear connection between a proper relationship with God and knowledge, wisdom, and instruction.
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I agree with this statement because, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom”. Wisdom is not the same as knowledge, or something we can know and understand in the natural. Wisdom is knowing what to do with natural knowledge. A person who does not know the Lord can not know wisdom in its entirety and fullness. Solomon asked God for wisdom above all else, and God was pleased, and gave it to him. Wisdom is from God, so we must know Him to have true wisdom.
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What do you hope to gain from this course? In what specific areas do you hope to grow as a Christian educator?
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Since God has called me into Christian education, I want to gain a greater in depth understanding of what the world philosophies are, and how they have been integrated into education as a whole, so that I may continuously grow in Biblical/Christian Philosophy to impact my students as an educator in all disciplines of learning.
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Personally I hope to gain a real understanding in how our philosophy of education can change the culture of our school. My hope is to grow into my role to uphold the mission , vision and values of our school. I hope to be intentional in shaping the students and directing them towards a relationship with Christ.
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I hope to gain a deeper appreciation for the implications that a Christian Philosophy of Education has on every aspect of education. All day-to-day decisions should go through the filter of God’s Word.
As a Chrisitan Educator, I want to grow in the following areas. I want to take my students to the Word more. I was challenged to open the Bible itself and talk with the Bible, not around the Bible. I want to show students that we are to love the Lord with our heart, should, MIND, and strength. The mind aspect is foundational to education. Finally, I do not want to contribute to a generation arising that does not know the Lord.
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Through this course, I would like to know how Christian philosophy is connected to the classroom. Also, as a Christian school teacher, I would like to see a more realistic model that how the truth of the Bible affects secular education such as science, math, English, and so on.
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My hope is to be able to inspire my students to want to know God. My hope for them as a Logic teacher would be for them to love wisdom and to love their fellow man. My hope as a Latin teacher would be for them to love history and learn of covenant time – to see how much our culture is like that of ancient Rome where Christianity eventually flourished.
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Why is it imperative that Christian educators have a Christian philosophy of education?
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It is important for a Christian educator to have a Chrisitan philosophy of education because it is the educator’s foundation for his or her theories, methods, principles, statutes, and perspective as it relates to their educational style, when instructing others in the “ways and truths” of God, via Math, English, Science, History, etc. Since He is the creator of everything, all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding flows from Him, revealed through Christ to men, by His Spirit.
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It is imperative for Christian educators to have a Christian philosophy of education to build a foundation for the classroom and future teaching. Christian education needs to be built on a Biblical foundation. This can only be accomplished when a methodology is used infusing all areas of learning with biblical truth.
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Christian Educators must have a Christian Philosophy of Education. If they do not, the question is where does the basis for the truth and knowledge that they are teaching come from? Are they relying on their own opinion or the world’s standards?
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We must view all of life through the lens of Scripture. The purpose of education is to know God and to honor him. Knowledge for knowledge’s sake will only puff up and lead to arrogance.
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Having a Christian philosophy of education is important because Christian educator are responsible for biblical truth mixed with spiritual transformation. On one hand, we deliver truth God’s truth which can be found in what we define as “secular” and what is sacred. Gravity is God’s truth; it is a force He created. On the other hand, the truth found in scriptures are true as well, because it is the very breath of God. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3: 16-17, ESV). Jesus himself is the embodiment of truth and the co-creator of the natural laws. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6) And, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:1-3, ESV).