Your discussion regarding Wolters and a Biblical view regarding the academic
discipline created a solid framework to help me imagine the structure and order
of creation along with the direction to/opposing redemption. You described the
tangled webs of truth and the brokenness of relationships and how the academic
discipline could be used to bring redemption and restoration in the workplace,
through a corrected lens of a creation view.
I believe academia and other disciplines were ordered from the beginning of
creation (after the fall in the Garden of Eden) since the command was given to be
fruitful, to multiply and to replenish (MEV, Gen. 1: 28). d I speak that, because even
though God rested, the bible states later God gave different responsibilities and
called some to be teachers (MEV, 1 Cor. 12: 28).
One discipline that is constantly needing to be multiplied is worker. Workers are
needed in the education field and they were needed in the bible. The bible states
Jesus sent out disciples and prayed for more workers (MEV, Luk. 10:2). However,
multiplication must be based on quality of harvest and not just quantity. This also
aligns with the Biblical view that in order to grow, some branches, in Jesus, must
be pruned to produce more fruit (MEV, John 15: 2). This is similar to Wolters
(2005) view that history is not to be destroyed but reformed in Jesus's
redemption.
Only by taking the truth of the Biblical view into the workplace as the disciples
took the word into the world can the brokeness within the institutions must be
transformed from the inside out. In doing this, we must recall God looks at the
heart and motivations of the people.
Biblical leaders of unsaved institutions (governments) gave favor and promotion
to many such as Shadrach, Meschach, Abednego, Daniel (MEV, Dan. 2: 49) and
Joseph after their institutions prospered from following creation advice (MEV,
Gen. 41). However. biblical leaders such as Saul d used his infuence to reject
David and his government received demotion and ultimate death (MEV, 1 Sam 16:
1).
The Grand Narrative provides the modern view of order that was created in the
garden of Eden to appeal to the masses. d I heard a saying that if doing the same
thing is not giving the desired results, do something different. The goal in the
workplace is not to destroy history and create a new blueprint. The goal is
ultimately to bring creation into the workplace and provide new wine for new
wineskins (MEV, Mat. 9:17).
References
Modern Evangelism Version, Breakthrough Jubilee Bible, (2014). Military Bible.
Wolters, A. M. (2005). Creation regained. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. Eerdmans
Publishing Co.
