Biblical Worldview in Education

Biblical Worldview in Education

A Chinese proverb says, “If you want to know what water is, don’t ask the fish.” The water, in this scenario, is the substance and totality of the world in which the fish lives. The fish may fail to reflect on the environment in which it lives until it is suddenly removed from the water and begins to struggle to survive. At this point, the fish then realizes that it needs the water. The same goes for men. Man was initially created to commune with God, as was the case of Adam and Eve. However, after being cast out of the Garden of Eden, man has had to struggle to live in this world. Nonetheless, Jesus Christ provides a way to enter rest, and this also calls for a person to live in this world by the standards set in the Bible. The Christian worldview has the stamp of reality and reason and stands the test of experience and history. This paper will discuss the Christian worldview in education.

Biblical Worldview

A broad range of arguments against and pro God’s existence can be classified as scientific, subjective, empirical, logical, and metaphysical. In philosophy, the existence of God is a question that involves the disciplines of ontology and epistemology and the theory of value. Ontology is the study of the reality or nature of being, while epistemology is the scope and nature of knowledge, while the value of God has been described in some cases as ‘perfection’ (Goertz & Mahoney, 2012). Religion proposes that there is a preternatural or supreme supernatural being that is the sustainer, ruler, or creator of the universe and everything in it, including animals and humans. According to Oppong (2013), in several religions, God is perceived as unfathomable and perfect, all-knowing and all-powerful, and the ultimate source of the foundation of morality.

Absolutism is the making of normative decisions that are ethically founded on objective rules. Absolutism maintains that some things are always right while others are always wrong. This means that such things are fixed for all people, places, and times. An example of absolutism is Kantian ethics. Relativism, on the other hand, asserts that nothing is intrinsically wrong or right. Relativism has gained popularity in the present day because of the universal agreement that all persons ought to be tolerant of the views and beliefs of others; this notion of freedom of speech implies that there is no such thing as a real and absolute truth (Smith, 2012). There are those that hold that all human circumstances are different, and hence, there should be different moral rules that govern different people.

The Bible bears witness to itself as being the absolute and perfect truth and has no error, as seen in Psalm 119:142 (New International Version), “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.” Also, Psalms 19:7 reads: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”

Core values are a person’s central character and help define who a person is as an individual. These values act as a guide when a person interacts with others and also the things a person chooses to pursue. Core values help a person to navigate through difficult decisions and situations without deviating from the path. One of the core values is courage, which is characterized by confidence and boldness and is commanded in the Bible: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9. Another core value is respect, where a Christian needs to be conscious that God created all persons in His image and hence an individual should show respect to every person as commanded: “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” – 1 Peter 2:17. Lastly, peace is another core value that refers to tranquility and rest and is a gift from God: “Let us, therefore, make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” – Romans 14:19

The difference between the education offered in a Christian school from any other is in the curriculum’s foundation and how the student’s emotional and social needs are met. Christian schools’ vision and mission statements include many of other schools’ life skill training and academic standards. However, Christian-centered living and learning are promoted in the daily school elements.

Application of the Biblical Worldview

According to Kurian & Lamport (2015), the purpose of Christian education is to direct the human development process toward the objectives of God toward man; godliness of action and character. It tends to lean according to 2 Timothy 3:16–17, “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” God created diversity in His creation and more so when it comes to individuals and declares in Psalms 139:14 that man is “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Thus, Christian educators are tasked with ensuring that all students under their tutelage are challenged, motivated, respected, and cherished. Christian educators should assist their students in identifying and utilizing the God-given callings, gifts, and talents for the glory of God and in advancing God’s kingdom (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-7; 1 Pet. 4:10). Therefore, Christian educators ought to seek to foster in their students’ hearts, the thirst after God, seeking to find Him in their disciplines and submit the learning process they go through to the purposes of God.

Implications for Educational Practice

One of the important skills an educator can develop is to ask questions that are effective. Students can be engaged in the understanding process and can also be assisted in identifying and understanding the truths in the Bible. Questions also aid students in reflecting on how the gospel influences their lives and considering ways in which they can apply the principles in the Bible in the present and future. While there are several questions that an educator may ask, these can be categorized into four types that are of particular importance, namely those that invite the students to information searching; lead the students to an understanding of analysis; invite feelings in students, and; those that encourage the application of information (Banke et al., 2012).

Expeditionary learning is a model that includes multiple areas of content so that students can see how problem-solving can be applied in the real world and their individual world. For example, a student studying in a big city can study the city’s pollution statistics, get information on its effects, and visit sites affected by pollution (Klein & Riordan, 2011).

In the student-centered approach to learning, both the students and the teachers have an equal role in the active process of learning. The main role of the educator is to facilitate and coach the learning process and overall student comprehension of the material. The educator also measures student learning via assessment forms, which are both formal and informal such as class participation, student portfolios, and group projects. In the student-centered classroom, there is a connection between teaching and assessment because learning is measured continuously as the teacher instructs the students (Wright, 2011).

Oakes et al. (2015) point out that an educator needs to establish the learning environment as the learning space is critical in the successful management of the class. Before commencing any lesson, the educator needs to ensure that they have everyone’s attention because if only a few students are attentive, the class may need to start over. Every lesson plan should commence with the goals. Educators should provide positive and ongoing feedback while, at the same time, encouraging feedback to be given. Students’ feedback can help educators select the areas that need professional development.

Conclusion

The Bible teaches that though Christians are in this world, they are not of this world. Christians are commanded not to store up their treasures, which mean their wealth, strength, and resources in this world, but instead, they should do so in heaven. Educators are tasked with helping students view the world from the top-down perspective, that is an eternal life perspective. Educators should also aid students in learning how to solve problems around them, such as pollution, with the Bible’s commands forming the foundations.

References

Banke, S., Maldonado, N., & Lacey, C. H. (2012). Christian school leaders and spirituality. Journal of Research on Christian Education, 21(3), 235-264.

Goertz, G., & Mahoney, J. (2012). Concepts and measurement: Ontology and epistemology. Social Science Information, 51(2), 205-216.

Klein, E. J., & Riordan, M. (2011). Wearing the “student hat”: Experiential professional development in expeditionary learning schools. Journal of Experiential Education, 34(1), 35-54.

Kurian, G. T., & Lamport, M. A. (Eds.). (2015). Encyclopedia of Christian education (Vol. 3). Rowman & Littlefield.

Oakes, J., Lipton, M., Anderson, L., & Stillman, J. (2015). Teaching to change the world. Routledge.

Oppong, S. H. (2013). Religion and identity. American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 3(6), 10-16.

Smith, M. (2012). Naturalism, absolutism, relativism. Ethical Naturalism: Current Debates, 226-244.

The Holy Bible, New International Version.

Wright, G. B. (2011). Student-centered learning in higher education. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 23(1), 92-97.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

---

Biblical Worldview Paper Instructions

Rationale

Instructions

Write a 3 – 4 page paper in current APA format that conveys your understanding of what is meant by a biblical worldview and a biblical philosophy of education.  Also, discuss the implications of these principles in their application to educational practice.  Page length requirement begins with the introductory paragraph and ends with the conclusion; it includes neither the title page nor the reference page.  An abstract is not required.  Use Times New Roman 12 size font.

No more than 15% of the paper is to include direct quotes; therefore, you should do much more summarizing and paraphrasing than quoting.  Citations are required both for direct quotes and for summarized ideas drawn from references.  In addition to the Bible, cite a minimum of four references that represent the body of literature supporting and explaining biblical worldview and biblical philosophy of education.

Capitalize Bible and Bible-based.  The word biblical must be written in small case.

Submit the document in both Blackboard and in LiveText.  It will not be graded until it is submitted in both locations.  In Blackboard, it will be checked by SafeAssign for plagiarism. The paper must adhere to the following outline.

Title Page

Introduction

What is a biblical worldview?  Present a strong, clear thesis statement regarding the value of a biblical worldview.  The remainder of the paper will build application from this initial thesis.

Biblical Worldview

Based upon readings of the Bible and literature on the topic of biblical worldview and writing completed in the Biblical Worldview Pre-Assignment Template in the previous module/week, convey a basic understanding of the elements of a biblical worldview.  Do not focus on the field of education in this section. Write responses with cited biblical support to three philosophical questions.

• What is the basis for reality based on the existence of God?
• What is the basis for truth, and is truth absolute or relative?
• What values should anchor life decisions?
• Biblical Philosophy of Education

Apply your biblical worldview from the previous section to the purpose for education by answering the following questions.

• What is the purpose of education from a biblical view?
• What educational outcomes should be achieved in the lives of students as a result of being taught by a teacher who teaches from a biblical worldview?

Implications for Educational Practice

Discuss the implications of a biblical worldview and biblical educational philosophy to teaching methods.

• What methods effectively address the basic nature of the child?
• How would you use these methods to motivate student learning in diverse student populations?
• How would you use these methods to enhance classroom management?

Conclusion

An effective conclusion affirms the biblical worldview thesis statement and summarizes the use of the biblical worldview life lens in viewing the purpose for education and educational practices.

Reference Page

Cite the Bible in the body of the manuscript, but—per current APA—the Bible is not to be listed on the reference page.  List a minimum of 4 references other than the Bible.

All references must be written in current APA style and format.

Writing Tips

Point of View

In writing this worldview paper, as a general rule, you should not use first person pronouns such as “I” and “me,” but an occasional use will be accepted.  Do not overuse them.  Do not use the word “one” as a pronoun, such as “One believes….” Do not use “this author” or “this writer”. Instead of writing “I believe,” “for me,” or “to me,” just write a declarative statement omitting the reference to yourself. This is a position paper; therefore, it is assumed that every statement is the writer’s belief, so you do not need to redundantly state that. Also, statement become stronger without these constant qualifying phrases.

Pronoun Usage

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents.  It is incorrect to write, “Each teacher [singular] should manage their [plural] own classroom.” To assist in avoiding this problem, it is recommended that you write in plurals as consistently as you can.  For instance, use students, teachers, parents, schools, etc., instead of their singular counterparts: “Teachers should manage their classrooms.”

Biblical In-Text Citations

For the first quoted verse in-text citation, identify the version used and spelled out.

• End of sentence example: “For God so loved….” (John 3:16, New International Version)
• In sentence example: In Psalm 36:1 (New Jerusalem Bible), David…

After the first citation, only include the scripture reference, unless you switch versions.  Example: “For God so loved….” (John 3:16).

This assignment is to be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 5.