For the everyday person living in a world of confusion and darkness, the Bible is often
seen as unappealing or intimidating, but for Christians it is the pillar for life. Having a Biblical
worldview indicates that one's perspective and rationale of the world is understood through the
lens of the Bible. In terms of educational practice, a Biblical worldview not only allows for a
deep understanding of God's word, but also allows every subject that is taught to be pointed
towards God and cultivates an environment of developing godly character. “If truth is one, that is
if truth has unity, then Christian education means understanding, and being excited by, the
associations between the disciplines and showing how these associations are rooted in the
Creator's existence”(Schaeffer, 2018). The Bible can and will always be relied on as the standard
for having a Biblical perspective.
To start off, the basis for reality based on the existence of God originates from the Bible
itself. Starting in the first book of the Bible in Genesis, the first couple of verses establish that
God is the creator of everything. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The
earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of
God was hovering over the face of the waters”(Bible Gateway, 2016, Genesis 1:1-2). From this,
God institutes His creation and authority over the earth and His omnipresent Spirit. Because of
this establishment, the Bible can be viewed as the basis for all truth. Throughout the Bible God
often recalls that He is the truth, indicating that truth is absolute. “Jesus said to him, I am the
way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”(Bible Gateway,
2016, John 14:6). By having a relationship with God it ensures that those who believe in Him
will be set free from their sin and live an abundant and everlasting life. Therefore by setting the
standard of having a relationship with God and knowing that all truth for life can be found in the
Bible, the Bible should be the anchor for making life decisions. “There is such a thing as moral
truth; God is its source; God desires us to know that truth and thus reveals it to us”(Dockery,
2002). The values that Christians live by can always be found by referring to the word of God.
Because of God's love for His creation, He gives instructions on how to live a life that glorifies
and honors Him. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you
with my eye upon you”(Bible Gateway, 2016, Psalm 32:8). For example such values as honoring
your mother and father, not lying, and treating your enemies well all come from the Bible.
Christians can count on the word of God to lead them on a righteous and trustworthy path.
Furthermore, having a biblical worldview in education is just as important. The purpose
of education from a biblical view is to discover where God is present in different academic
subjects. “In the Bible we do not find specific research procedures to track chemical reactions,
for instance. Yet the Bible does offer a view of reality and principles for interacting with that
reality, that is, a general framework for how one thinks about life, thought, inquiry, and the
implications of research”(Dockery, 2002). A Christian perspective allows students to sort
through the information they are learning with the truths of God in mind. It truly gives students
an opportunity to take in what they are learning and understand that everything has a deeper
purpose and meaning. “It is teaching them in a framework of the total Biblical teaching,
beginning with the tremendous central thing, that in the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth. It is teaching in this framework, so that on their own level, as they are introduced to all
of human knowledge, they are not introduced in the midst of a vacuum, but they are taught each
step along the way why what they are hearing is either true or false. That is true
education.”(Schaeffer, 2018). As a Christian educator the further motivator of education goes
beyond just the subject being taught. Not only does a biblical view in education allow for
discovering God in different subject matters, but it also achieves helping students develop godly
character. As a result of having a Christian teacher, the educational outcome would hopefully
lead to instilling a godly perspective and characteristics that will lead them in their further
educational endeavors. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not
depart from it”(Bible Gateway, 2016, Proverbs 22:6). Through providing an education that
demonstrates the love of Christ, teachers have the ability to leave a lasting positive effect on their
students.
Moreover, the implications for educational practice from a biblical worldview should
always represent Christ like attributes. With this in mind there are two teaching practices that
effectively address the needs of the students from a Christian perspective. The first effective
method is through connecting with students. “When teachers systematically implement classwide
interventions, teacher-student interactions become more positive, students become more
engaged, and teachers are able to focus on teaching appropriate behaviors- all these result in a
positive classroom environment that promotes student learning and engagement”(Magsuga-Gage
et al., 2012). Not only does this method create an overall positive classroom environment, but
also represents a loving, godly atmosphere. It is important that the students feel loved and cared
for and this can be done through building relationships with them. “Therefore encourage one
another and build one another up, just as you are doing”(Bible Gateway, 2016, 1 Thess. 5:11).
The second effective method is cultivating a classroom environment that supports all students.
This can look like having additional support for students who need extra help or finding ways to
deal with difficult behaviors. No matter what the challenge may be, the teacher's job is to support
students so that they can succeed. “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for
such sacrifices are pleasing to God”(Bible Gateway, 2016, Hebrews 13:16). No matter what
student population a teacher is working with, both of these teaching practices can be used. These
methods are effective because the heart of Christ is at the root of both of them.
In conclusion, having a biblical worldview in the educational world empowers learners to
understand that God is intertwined in all subject matters of education. It also offers the
opportunity to learn about God's intentional creation and plan for each person's individual life.
Although some may think that having a biblical worldview is unimportant, the Bible addresses
that God is the absolute truth and creator of everything, deeming God to be the most important in
this world. “While Christianity is believed by faith, it is most definitely a reasonable and rational
faith. It answers the questions of the mind and the heart”(Wayne, 2023). The word of God
provides the perfect foundation for receiving a quality education and living a plentiful life.
References
Bible Gateway. BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50
languages. (2016). https://www.biblegateway.com/
Dockery, D. S., & Thornbury, G. A. (Eds.). (2002). Shaping a christian worldview : The
foundation of christian higher education. B&H Publishing Group.
Magsuga-Gage, A. S., Simonsen, B., & Briere, D. E. (2012). Effective Teaching Practices That
Promote a Positive Classroom Environment. Beyond Behavior,22(1), 1–11.
Schaeffer, F. (2018). On Education . The Lost Tools of Learning. https://gbt.org/text/f.html
Wayne, I. (2023, January 1). What is a Biblical Worldview?. Christian Worldview.
https://christianworldview.net/
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