week 7 final paper

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN THE 20TH CENTURY 13

Topic: Christian Education in the 20th Century

Research Paper Draft

Arnita Norman

Liberty University

CLED-720 Biblical & Theological Foundations of Education

Dr. William England

November 29, 2020

You have skillfully incorporated your sources with your own ideas! Thanks for your hard work! 96 out 100

Christian Education in the 20th Century

Introduction

Christian education is the idea of controlling and confronting Christians with the gospel. It includes the endeavors of the Christian community to control both the young and elder people toward an ever-more extravagant ownership of the Christian partnership (Maitanmi 2019). Christian education is supposed to be both individual and social in nature. According to Dreher (2017) the biggest percentage of Christian education concentrates on the past as it tries to acquaint people with their strict legacy, with the present since it expects to make strict a fundamental power in each reaction to life, with the future since it develops innovative experience prompting development in stature and wisdom and in favor with God and man. Christian education in the 20th century has its contribution in how the present day Christian teachers (Anthony & Benson, 2011). Many Christian educators of the 20th century influenced and shaped the contemporary Christian education in their own way. In this case, well informed Christian educators should understand the contribution that the past educators had in the ministry. Emphasis should be given to the past concepts that have shaped our understanding of Christian education ministry now and in the future. This research will argue that the 20th century Christian education contributes to how well Christian educators understand the contemporary Christian education.

Historical Overview

For the most part Christian education in the twentieth century was portrayed by a quickening secularization of Western culture, which had started in the nineteenth century, and by the spread of Christianity to non-Western areas of the world. Simultaneously, state-advanced agnosticism in socialist Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union carried abuse to numerous Eastern Orthodox and different Christians (Cameron, 2008). Numerous Orthodox came to Western Europe and the Americas, prompting enormously expanded contact among Western and Eastern Christianity (Shenk, 2011). In any case, church participation declined more in Western Europe than it did in the East. The Roman Catholic Church organized numerous changes to modernize.

Moreover, religion was embraced as a subject among the humanities in the twentieth century. State colleges in countries like Australia, Canada and the United States not have religious resources on account of the partition of church and state, established divisions of religion of an interdenominational nature and included non-Christians as scholarly teachers of religion (Cameron, 2008). The fundamental standards and establishments for state funded education had just been set. The ideas of free, widespread, and necessary education had grown profound roots (Massey, 1999). States could convince parents to give education to their kids, despite the fact that they could not expect parents to send their kids to government funded schools. Parents kept on having the choice to decide to send their kids to strict schools, tuition based schools, or government funded schools. Christian education in colonial America was secular, but public schools offered religious education (Anthony & Benson, 2011). Some parents in colonial America preferred their children to receive secular education, which was offered mostly in private school. It was only in public school where religious education was available during the colonial America.

In spite of the fact that the essential standards for government funded education shaped the structure for educational development in America, private endeavor in education kept on thriving (Estep, Anthony, & Allison, 2008). Truth be told, under the Establishment Clause, the private parochial schools kept on getting public monetary help. The Establishment Clause is an arrangement of the First Amendment that denies the public authority from making any law "regarding a foundation of religion" (Lawson, 2003). This statement not just precludes the public authority from officially setting up an authorized religion, yet additionally disallows government activities that unjustifiably favor one religion over another. According to Sommers (2007) likewise denies the public authority from unreasonably favoring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion. The multiage, multi-grade, single-room school building had for all intents and purposes vanished toward the beginning of the twentieth century yet at the same time existed in various little country regions. During the early long stretches of the twentieth century, the common model of tutoring was an 8-year primary school and a 4-year secondary school.

Teaching Religion in the 20th Century

The 20th century was a revolutionary period of Christian education. As Anthony and Benson (2011) articulates, religious education the 20th century began with a liberal dominance as enlightenment thinkers with naturalist worldview controlled the agenda o theological teachings. Generally speaking, liberal Christians accept historical and scientific information that calls into question the literal truth of some biblical stories, while conservatives are typically less convinced that such knowledge is relevant to faith (Lawson, 2004). For example, liberals typically acknowledge the theory of evolution as a credible explanation of life’s origins, while conservatives adhere to a literal interpretation of the biblical account of creation. According to Filson (1944), educators have a great contribution to the work of the church where better teaching methods have been found in addition to the interests of different age groups.

One of the most influential Christian educators in the 20th century was John Milburn Price, a well-known pioneer in the field of religious education. John started by organizing the School of Religious Pedagogy at Southwestern Baptist Theological seminary where he led many students of religious education in the world (Anthony & Benson, 2011). Johns teaching were driven by his observation for the deadness of liberal theology and lack of hope for man’s condition. He therefore sought to find a path that would lead him to rely on the foundation of God’s word.

Another influential 20th century Christina educator was Frank Gaebelein. According to Anthony and Benson (2011) Gaebelein believed that all truth is God’s truth, arguing that id God is the creator of the universe and everything in it, then naturalism has no place. He advocated for Christian teachers and students have an encounter with God if disclosure of truth has its deep revelation basis. As Cannister, (2004) asserts, in the contemporary Christian world, Christians believe in a God who is omnipresent. This God is perceived as both characteristic, or present inside the world, and extraordinary, having a presence a long ways past the world and past human creative mind and experience. Christians accept that singular people and gatherings can appreciate an individual relationship with God, yet that God consistently stays a secret outside human ability comprehension. According to Gaebelein beliefs, there are certain principles that are mandatory for one to achieve Gods truth including: centering Christian education on the Bible, Christian education was to be carried by educators who understand and embrace a Christian worldview, Christian education was to be democratic in a biblical sense, integration through excellence in education.

There were also female Christian educators such as Lois LeBar and Henrietta Mears in the 20th century who were influential in their own way. There are many people who studied under LeBar and left and incredible mark on lives both domestically and internationally (Anthony & Benson, 2011). She was very insightful in terms of bible interpretation, and her discerning and discipling roles helped her to shape Christian education. Throughout his teaching and writing career in the 20th century, LeBar emphasized that intimate personal experience in the Lord should go together with Biblical facts and doctrine. On the other hand, Henrietta Mears made a strong milestone in influencing the evangelical scene in the 20th century. Coming from a rich spiritual heritage incorporating of pastors and ministry leaders, Henrietta was a devoted Christian at a very tender age (Cannister, 2004). Her background helped her understand scripture well and later influenced her writing.

Biblical Foundations

The term Cristian education does not occur in the Bible, but the Bible highlights some of the spiritual and moral instruction that believers should follow. The Bible places a high incentive upon information, both of God and of His works. It depicts the good and profound products of this information and characterizes its definitive reason (Filson, 1944). The motivation behind Christian education is the coordinating of the cycle of human advancement toward God's target for man: godliness of character and activity. It bends its efforts to the end “so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17, NIV). From the second a kid is conceived, certain powers are grinding away impacting his turn of events. As his acquired forces and inclinations surface and interface with his current circumstance and his will, he assumes the qualities of his adulthood. Human development, notwithstanding, does not end with physical maturity.

A few resources of the character are fit for extension and refinement into mature age. Education, regardless of whether of youngster or grown-up, is the coordinating of this absolute continuous cycle of advancement toward explicit targets (Hughes, 1988). The Bible has a profoundly unique reason for life than is educated in many schools. 1 Peter 4:10 says : “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (NIV). Considering this the motivation behind education could be to assist youngsters with understanding their undeniable endowments and capacities to serve Him and others in the public arena. An education which denies God, or tries to lessen His significance misses this chief point (Rico, 2008). Rather it frequently centers on the individual achievement of the person. For a few, achievement is characterized by what we have accomplished or procured. In Matthew 25:23 (NIV), God defines success: “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.”

According to Filson (1944), the Bible assumes a significant part in the educational program of the Christian church. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." In numerous ways parents resemble profound shepherds to their own kids, both today and in the twentieth century. Like a shepherd, parents care for, lead and secure their kids (Setran & Wilhoit, 2020). How we decide to bring up our youngsters, and who we draw in to support us, gives a guide to our kids to follow. As Carson (2008), this Dark Age requires sustained Christians to arm themselves with hope, love, and faith embodied in a renewed church for them to avoid being overtaken by sin. Christian schools are not an approach to escape from other education frameworks, nor assume control over the assignment of home or church. Christian schools are an outflow of Christian parents endeavoring to satisfy their obligation to bring up and train their youngsters in a godly way. They do this by co-working with, or collaborating with, other similarly minded parents.

Christian schools help parents to prepare the cutting edge to comprehend this present reality as God planned it. Their expectation is that youngsters will find their place in God's incredible story, figure out how to serve others and be more ready forever. In Christian schools, parents can do together what they believe they cannot do alone. Other than in the twentieth century, Christian schools today stay dynamic and willing members as opposed to just customers of an educational assistance. Deuteronomy 4:9 says “Be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

Secular education accepts history and our general surroundings can be perceived without reference to God or the Bible. Parents need to comprehend that putting their kids under the day by day impact of teachers who have an essentially unique method of seeing life can impact them forever (Wilhelm & Firmin, 2008). Luckily families who pick a Christian school are still essential for the more extensive society. They can even now make companions and impact others whether through game, kid exercises, neighbors or an assortment of different ways. In the Bible kids are viewed as a gift. We have one occasion to bring up our youngsters. These years will pass rapidly. Christian Schools can help parents in their job. Christian parents joining forces with Christian teachers can assist youngsters with finding and comprehend reality with regards to their general surroundings. Instead of eliminating youngsters from this present reality Christian schools assist them with seeing it unmistakably.

Biblical context of Christian Education in Today’s World

No one can deny the fact that culture has influenced Christian educational institutions. All the same society, the public authority, account, and social strategies have additionally assumed significant functions in lessening the Christian schools (Filson, 1944). These difficulties can be depicted as far as secularism, commercialization, and relativism. Understanding what the Holy book says about Christian education has significant effect on the contemporary Christian education (Pazmiño, 2010). The current Christian school development can be seen uniquely as a piece of the absolute undertaking of Christian education (Maitanmi, 2019). A full comprehension of this development requires an assessment of the premise whereupon it's educational hypothesis and practices rest: its way of thinking of education. Likewise there follows, first, an introduction of the essential convictions of Christian education and, second, a use of these convictions to the particular mission of the Christian school.

For some parents, the frequently implicit objective of a school education is to set up their youngster for a profession (Livingston & Fiorenza, 1971). Going to college is frequently observed as the entryway to this. The motivation behind education would then be able to turn out to be just the making of future representatives and managers (Jones, 2013). Education must be about the benefit of all. In the event that we consider education just as a methods for the youthful to build up their aptitudes, or to accomplish their latent capacity, or to be prepared to prevail throughout everyday life, at that point we have seen just one side of the coin (Maitanmi, 2019). Or maybe, education must do the entirety of that and furthermore serve the whole society. It must be the lungs that inhale soul into the entire network, it must serve its students as well as the entirety of society, it must be as worried about obligation to the world all things considered about the privileges of students. This implies that education is by definition an ethical venture, similarly as the Bible directs and its emphasis is on the psyche as well as the core of the students. The degree to which education is an ethical endeavor is, obviously, a subject where the Bible and the prophets have an observer that our mainstream society cannot hear (Livingston & Fiorenza, 1971). This is so on the grounds that for the Bible-and particularly for the prophets-there is nothing but bad separated from God, no equity separated from the law of God. This point of view likewise proceeds in pieces of the New Testament, too.

Families are the primary spot children find out about their general surroundings. Schools at that point assist kids with seeing more about the world. In the early years families and schools can be compared to giving a nursery climate to youngsters. Consider the motivation behind a nursery or glass house. It is to support plants while they are youthful. A nursery gives a climate where the conditions, watering and nourishment can be better overseen. The hothouse is intended to develop more advantageous plants quicker. At the point when eliminated from the nursery these plants are better ready to flourish in all environments.

Secularism manages the presentation of mass communications (music, TV, films, and the Internet) which is less recognizable in upsetting the three-legged stool. The main broad communications endeavor is to eliminate religion from the public square and consign schools to the private areas. This power ordinarily speaks to confidence as being for morons, and it promotes independence, commercialization, indulgence, and relativism as tempting icons. Then again, industrialism advances that both church and school have gotten one. Accordingly, parents currently need to observe between decisions identified with school confirmation for their youngsters. Christian schools are not absolved in these ideas; indeed, most Christian schools add layers of Christian qualities inside their educational plan. Past the Christian schools, parents currently pick contract schools that underscore family esteems. Other accessible school decisions incorporate self-teaches, virtual schools, and mix and-match schools.

Conclusion

This research argued that the 20th century Christian education highly contributed to how well Christian educators understand the contemporary Christian education. Biblically, the vision of Christian education is all about preparing individuals to live life in such a way as to be salt and light wherever and whatever they do. The goals of any school are usually to teach children about the world, their life, and their purpose on earth. Christian education in the 20th century purposely was meant to educate children about God’s creation, faith, and how they can find life purpose in God’s able hands. In the early church, Christian education was a problem because the state-run schools were not an option due to the different philosophies of Christian education. With famous Christian educators in the 20th century such as John Milburn Price, Frank Gaebelein, Lois LeBar and Henrietta Mears, contemporary Christian educators have relied on the teachings of these early educators to teach in churches even today.

References

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