Rethinking Christian Education

Just a note: due to the length of this essay, I am posting my paper on education in two parts. Today's section is on a biblical theology for education.



One of the most challenging issues facing Christian parents today is the question of how to educate their children. Should they send them to the public schools, training them in Christianity at home and hoping that their children will be missionaries to the other children at school? Should they instead send them to a Christian school that follows the format of most public schools, but in a Christianized fashion? Would a classical education, based on the philosophy of Dorothy Sayers be better? Then there is the whole realm of home schooling that is as varied as the individuals who decided to attempt it.
Evangelicalism in America is rife with all sorts of opinions on what it means to raise Christian children. These opinions extend from keeping children in the public school to church schools to home schooling. Within all of these, there is a spectrum of philosophies and methodologies. So, why write yet another essay, contributing to the melee of such variant positions? To be honest, much of the purpose of this paper is to help me think through and clarify what I believe about the educating of children. Secondly, it is my hope that the reader may be encouraged also to think through what it means to “train up a child in the way he should go.” Whether you agree or disagree with my conclusion, I hope that you will know why you are convinced of your own opinion. It is an enormous task with much responsibility to raise children; therefore, much thought and care must be given to the task, even before it is attempted. This paper will be divided into two sections. The first section will address the theology and motivation of a Christian education. The second will construct a methodology that is conducive to achieving the goal.
A truly Christian education must be built upon a biblical theology. As Ben House states in his essay:
In an age of cultural rootlessness, moral relativism, religious pluralism, social disintegration, and future uncertainty, how can we expect anything other than educational chaos? Unstable times call for a return to theological foundations and historical forms. Many Christians mistakenly think that the cultural and social mores of the 1950s provide the answers. But the families, churches, and schools of the 1950s produced the 1960s. The rediscovery of theological foundations and historical forms must go further back in history.
The theological foundations must be established upon the Scriptures. In education, Christians have too often seen the Bible either as a book to be studied in a separate subject, i.e. Bible class, or as a devotional book. Christian education must teach not only Bible details, but biblical systematic theology.

It is not enough merely to add a Bible class to a secular education or to develop a “biblical worldview” that does not have Christ at its center and as its goal. Too often, Christian circles, especially circles that wish to desire an appearance of intellectual acumen search the Bible for answers on all social issues, ranging from democracy to abortion to evolution and beyond. Though their answers to these questions may in fact agree with Scripture, what they lack is Christ. This will be explained later on, for the author does not wish to give a sweeping condemnation of the construction of a biblical worldview, for it is a good thing, a necessary thing to have one’s life ordered by Scripture. However, we will find from constructing a biblical theology what the goal of that Scripture-ordered life will be.
For the purpose of this paper, we will begin with creation. Genesis 1 tells us that God made man in his image and for the purpose of being fruitful, multiplying and having dominion over the earth. Man would be God’s representative on earth, sending forth his image into all parts of the world. This image consists not only of the substance of man. Contrary to some views, the image of God, or Imago Dei, is found not only in a part of man, but is part of his whole being. This substance would work out through the function that man would fulfill. Nevertheless, in Genesis 3, Adam failed in fulfilling his God-given duties by sinning against God and seeking to make a name, a law for himself apart from God. From that time, the substance of the Imago Dei remains, though it has been distorted. However, we continually fail in the functional aspect of the image, for we seek continually to have dominion for ourselves, making a name for ourselves. We determinedly pervert the creation mandate. A prime example of this is found in Genesis 11 and the building of the Tower of Babel. The sin of the people was not primarily in building a big tower; their sin lay in their refusal to be dispersed throughout the earth and in their decision to make a name for themselves. As a result, God forced their dispersion through the creation of many languages, confusing the order that they had created. A brilliant counter-example of Babel is found the next chapter over, in Genesis 12. Whereas the rebellious people of Babel sought to make their own name, Abram was promised a name through the work of God, and it would be through Abram that all nations would be blessed. Even this promise of a great name was not an end unto itself, for through the greatness of Abram‘s name, God’s own name would be made great. The blessing that was promised was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. It is by him, through him and for him that people from every tribe, tongue and nation are brought into one family.
However, Jesus did not come only to save souls, as important as that is, but he is bringing about the perfect fulfillment of the creation mandate. This is the fulfillment: that the one in whom the image of God is fully and perfectly seen (Colossians 1) is the one who has perfect dominion over the earth and is bringing everything under subjection to himself. This does not negate the command for the rest of humanity. Rather, it directs and focuses the command. Why is this so? The command no longer looks back to Eden. It has become eschatological in nature, for Christ is taking creation forward to the new creation. How then does this still apply to normal sinful people? Very simply, God has chosen to extend his dominion through the salvation of his people. Those who have been saved are in Christ and are being conformed to his image. We are commanded to preach the gospel to every tribe, tongue and nation. This is the means that God has established to bring about his kingdom. It should also be the goal and desire of every Christian parent to constantly proclaim the gospel to their children in every context, setting forth the beauty of Christ and the majesty of his glory. The next question that arises is why should we not then teach only the Bible? God is not merely interested in giving a pass key to heaven. He did not create body-less spirits, but people who are bodily and who live in a material universe. Romans 8 tells us that creation groans in eager expectation of its redemption. Much of the gospel is not only the preaching of forgiveness but also the real demonstration of the justice, mercy and love of God in the here and now. James 1:27 says this, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Isaiah 42:1 tells us “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” Isaiah will not allow those that claim to desire God to refrain from participation in this justice. In chapter 58, Isaiah declares what religion is acceptable before God. “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” Micah, too, repeats this theme: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you God?” (6:8).
Do not mistake the point—I am not saying that the two approved careers for Christians are vocational ministry and the various forms of social justice. The point is this: that God is radically concerned with the whole of his creation and desires his character be manifested throughout all the earth in seemingly mundane and ordinary ways. Remember Romans 8, the whole creation is waiting to be freed. We must then avoid Gnostic or Platonic notions of the material. Positively:
"From that theology, Christians must develop a worldview that applies biblical concepts to every area of life. Thankfully, this has been done numerous times in the history of Christianity. The historic forms or examples can be found where Christians produced educated, biblically literate, discerning students. "
Our task, then, is to develop a methodology that harmonizes with such a theology.