Biblical integration

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For more information, see Visual Valet - Personal assistant for Christian thinkers and teachers

"… a full-color magazine filled with insightful articles that present and defend biblical worldview and the importance of training the next generation to know, love, and serve Christ."

Published in ACT Now Spring 2008

Lecturers, teachers and teaching assistants are on the frontline of change in our society. Powerful forces are at work among children and young people. Media and marketing contend for their attention and seize every opportunity to shape their feelings and decisions. Parents, peers and communities buffet them in conflicting directions. And, in the midst, educators – who are, themselves, struggling to cope with clashing expectations of their role – are expected to help their students make sense of the differences, respond appropriately and prepare for the uncertainties of the future.

Who is equal to such a task? Is there a way that Christians working in colleges and schools can survive in such a situation, let alone thrive and make a positive contribution? What difference does being a Christian make?

Finding God in the classroom may be unexpected. We have not learned by instruction or example to find God there. In fact, it sometimes seems His presence is supposed to be prohibited there.

“…a network of Christian mathematicians dedicated to integrating mathematics with faith and to promoting quality teaching”

By Dr. David Naugle

What is the purpose of reading? That is, what is the ultimate end or telos of an encounter between ourselves as human beings and literary texts? A variety of answers from various traditions could no doubt be marshalled in response to this query. St. Augustine, for example, made a very provocative suggestion regarding the final end of reading. On the biblical basis of the ultimate and penultimate commandments, the great Church father believed that the act of reading and interpreting the Scriptures must not rest contentedly at any roadside park until it arrived all the way at its final destination. In reading the Bible, he argued that we travel on a road that leads not to aesthetic pleasure, or mere knowledge, or to moral action, or even to Christian convictions, but rather to the destination of love.

By S. Michael Craven, Center for Christ & Culture, Truth in Culture weekly commentaries, January 7, 2008

I am constantly challenged to discover creative and effective ways in which to communicate the Christian interpretation of reality or worldview into contemporary culture. This is after all a central aim of every Christian—to communicate the “good news” that there is a God who has revealed Himself, who explains where we have come from and what has gone wrong with the world, a loving personal Being who has done something in response to evil and in so doing has provided the only effective remedy to the world and humanity’s condition.

Scott Hayden at the International Community School in Thailand has been instrumental in helping the school think about developing discerning thinkers.

He has very helpful examples of the importance of avoiding assumptive language—a very real problem, especially when assessing students. An important part of the power of education to shape thinking is the assumptive language of the teacher, but it is easy to misuse the power to coerce responses rather than allow individual choice. In all environments, it is easy to misuse the power of teachers to get students to say what the teacher wants them to say. As Christians, we want students to know and love God through Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit unselfishly love others. However, producing “marks Christians” doesn’t honor the God who graciously and humbly allows personal choice even though the majority of His creation reject His love.

Especially in a mixed environment where there is a very wide range of perspectives on Biblical truth, it is important to consider the words that we use. Many teachers find themselves in an environment hostile to the overt presentation of truth, but this video not only points them away from pitfalls, but towards new opportunities for truth to be considered. Christians should be interested in critical and discerning thinking because of our understanding of God’s image in all people. We, of all people, should promote the development of the God-given gifts of logic, understanding and communication. Asking the right kind of questions can open rather than close consideration of controversial ideas.

"Our mission is to empower the next generation to think clearly and critically about what they believe and to take ownership of their faith"

“…provides Christian Education resources for all levels of the Christian school…from an integrated perspective”

By Timothy S. Yoder

A bright orange sunset on the horizon fades into reds and yellows across the western sky. Large puffy snowflakes float down gently from the sky in no particular hurry to their resting place. A couple fuzzy-faced doe keep a wary eye on us humans while they enjoy some corn. …The beauty of God's creation is on constant display….

"… trains teachers in Christian schools to produce graduates with a strong biblical worldview—no matter what subject they teach"

The Bible is like…? The way a person pictures the Bible strongly influences the role it is given in education. Exploring our mental pictures may help us recognize ways we need to adjust how we integrate the Bible when we teach.

You can watch an Office Mix which considers various similies we use to describe what the Bible is like and their implications for Biblical integration. It is also possible to download a video of the presentation.

 "...excellent resources to help students think biblically and critically"

"The WHAT and WHY and some radical implications" in a PDF of a presentation

By Dr. Donald Oppewal, a Calvin College Monograph, 1985

This monography addresses professional educators who wish consciously to relate educational decisions to a biblical world view....It will focus mainly on two matters: a theory of knowing and a classroom methodology which is compatible with it.

By John Hay, author of the Building on the Rockelementary worldview and Bible survey curriculum produced by Summit Ministries.

By John Hay, author of the Building on the Rock elementary worldview and Bible survey curriculum produced by Summit Ministries.

Biblical integration of curriculum—interpreting the Biblical perspective of mathematics

By John Hay, author of the Building on the Rockelementary worldview and Bible survey curriculum produced by Summit Ministries.

A Cedarville University resource