BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW IN EDUCATION
Introduction
Have you ever wondered what kind of worldview you have and if it is a biblical worldview?
This paper is going to introduce to you the meaning behind a biblical worldview. A biblical
worldview is when you live your life based on the word of God and believe him to be behind
everything you do in life (What’s a Christian worldview, 2020). This paper is also going to
discuss Christian philosophy of education and how a Christian philosophy fits into the
educational system. Lastly, I will discuss the implications of a biblical worldview and a
Christian Philosophy and how they both play a part in the classroom. At the end of this paper you
should understand the importance of a biblical worldview and a Christian philosophy of
education.
Biblical Worldview
Before we can talk about what a biblical worldview is, we need to understand what a
worldview is first. A worldview is the way we view reality and make sense of the world around
us (What’s a Christian Worldview,2020). Our worldview can be constructed from many aspects
in our life, such as, our education, the way we were raised, books, television, and the culture we
!2
BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW IN EDUCATION
live in (Home, 2021). There are many different worldviews but today we will talk about a
biblical worldview. A biblical worldview is when a person lives their life based on the word of
God and believes him to be behind everything that one does in life. People with a Biblical
worldview believe that God has created everything that exists in the world and that the Bible
comes directly from God himself. “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were
created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). They also believe that God can be depended
on no matter what. Our health, job and education can all fail us but it is God that we can always
depend on (Home, 2021). People with a Biblical worldview also believe that following the word
of Jesus Christ is the only way to be reunited with God when we die (Home, 2021).
Christian Philosophy of Education
The main idea behind a Christian philosophy of education is based on a biblical worldview.
A Christian philosophy approaches education from a Christian point of view. This means that
they apply the word of God into the way that they teach and how a student learns. This does not
mean that the students are being taught to be a Christian but that they are to learn through a
worldview that follows God. Many teachers are unaware that they can even teach a Christian
philosophy within a public school. “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness”( Timothy 3:16). A Christian philosophy
is student-centered, which means that the learning of each student is put above anything else
(Barlett, John 2007). In this philosophy it is important that the teacher builds a relationship with
the student before anything else. “Kids do not care how much you know until they know how
!3
BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW IN EDUCATION
much you care” (Barlett, John 2007). There are two branches of philosophy that are important
within a Christian philosophy.The two branches are metaphysical and axiology. While these are
important within a Christian philosophy of education, they still present some issues. The
metaphysical branch focuses on our purpose and meaning in this world. They believe that there
is more out there than what we can see. This is important within a Christian philosophy because
they follow God, who we cannot see physically. “The fear of the lord is the beginning of
wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy one is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). The issue with
metaphysics is that in a public school it is very hard to teach about things beyond the physical
world. The curriculum within a public school is based upon things that happen or have happened
in the physical world. These teachings include concrete subjects, such as math, history and
science. Axiology is the study of values and this comes with its own set of issues with the
education system. Although teachers can set good examples and be good role models to their
students, it is hard to teach students about values. Each student has their own set of values that
may not correspond with the values set forth by God. Every student is their own individual and
comes with their own set of values, it is hard to teach about values when everyone believes in
something different.
Implications for Educational Practice
The implications that a biblical worldview has on the practical application in the field of
education is that because they believe that God is the creator of everything that exists, they
believe him to be very important in the field of education (Home, 2021). When teaching from a
biblical worldview you are not trying to get your students to be Christians but to use the
!4
BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW IN EDUCATION
underlying message of God in the way that you are teaching your students. The implications of a
Christian philosophy of education is that they are using a student-centered approach. This is
important because it allows the teacher to build a relationship with the individual children in
their class. Once the teacher has a good relationship with their student then they will be able to
teach them and have the students care about what they are being taught. Also it is important for a
teacher with a Christian philosophy to be a good role model to students and to set forth good
morals. The implications that a Christian philosophy and biblical worldview have on content area
teachers is that it drives them to understand that it is not all about getting the student to absorb
the information but is also about creating a safe and warm environment for the student to want to
learn in. The student is not going to want to learn from a teacher that cares about themselves
more than their students. When I am finally a content area teacher in an elementary school, I am
going to make sure that I use a student centered approach and create that relationship with all my
students individually. I want to be a good role model and can share good morals with my
students. “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from
it.” (Proverbs 22:6).
Conclusion
In conclusion a biblical worldview is when you live your life based on the word of God and
believe him to be behind everything that you do in life. A Christian philosophy is based on a
biblical worldview which approaches education from a Christian point of view (“What’s a
Christian worldview”, 2007). Both a biblical worldview and a Christian philosophy are
important and have many implications to the field of education. Teachers that teach with this
!5
BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW IN EDUCATION
philosophy do so by not trying to get their students to be Christians but to use the word of God in
the way that they teach. They use their philosophy to create a safe and warm environment for
their students in order to have a relationship with them. It is important for teachers to be good
role models and set good examples for their students.
References
Bartlett, John C. (2007) "A Christian Philosophy of Education of a Public School Educator,"
Christian
Perspectives in Education, 1(1).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cpe/vol1/iss1/7
Gutek, G. L. (2014). Philosophical, ideological and theoretical perspectives on education.
Boston: Pearson.
Home. (2021, February 04). Retrieved February 12, 2021from
https://christianworldview.net/
What’s a Christian worldview? (2020, June 23). Retrieved February 12, 2021 from
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/whats-a-christian-worldview/
!6
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
