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Running Head: Biblical Worldview Paper

BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW PAPER

A worldview is a set of beliefs and assumptions that a person uses when

interpreting the world around them. Someone with a biblical worldview believes that their

purpose in life is to serve God and to teach his word effectively. Some say that they have no
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Running Head: Biblical Worldview Paper
worldview but, whether its realized or not everyone has their own single type of worldview. Our

worldview is what motivates our everyday actions and emotions. Its what effects the decisions

we make in our everyday lives. This means that our worldview affects how we respond to

everyday life situations that happens in our lives. It also effects how we teach in the classrooms.

Biblical Worldview

A biblical worldview is a view that is based on the bible which is the word of

God. When scripture is studied who heartedly and, in its entirety, it becomes the foundation for

everything we do and say everyday of our lives. Having this knowledge of the accounts and

situations that take place in the bible helps us to equate them to the everyday situations and

accounts that are happening around us in the world today. Graham says, “The bible should be

used to build a framework for informing and directing our inquiries into any subject.” (Graham,

2009, P.12) For example, Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go and when

he is old, he will not depart from it. (King James Version) This scripture is an explanation of

how we as educators can educate our students to become men and women of God.

Taking the issues and situations found throughout the bible, interpreting them the

way that they should be interpreted and then applying them to everyday life allows the bible to

be applied as an example for the new generation to come as to how they should live their lives.

We are made in the image and likeness of God. Christians and Christian educators have adopted

this concept as a basic principle and controlling belief. But what exactly is meant when we say it

is a controlling belief.

A controlling belief is how Christians view the world and what controls our

everyday actions. “All people operate from some set of controlling beliefs.” (Graham, 2009,
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Running Head: Biblical Worldview Paper
P.14) Most people call these controlling beliefs their worldviews. Our controlling beliefs don’t

always go hand in hand with our professed beliefs. Sometimes our behaviors or actions don’t

always match what we say we believe and the beliefs that control us in an everyday life situation.

Some people are okay with the unbalance between controlling beliefs and professed beliefs. Not

many people would be ok with this unbalance that takes place between their controlling beliefs

and their professed beliefs. This is true of Christians.

Christian Philosophy of Education

Christian Philosophy of education is when you integrate God’s word into your

own teachings and help your students to be able to build their own beliefs and worldviews.

Greidanus stated “the bible should be used for identifying biblical themes, concepts and

doctrines that will help develop a perspective for examining reality. “(Graham, 2009, P.12) By

using these themes, concepts and doctrines, teachers can shape their students into wonderful

children of God and instill in them the values they need and should have to survive in this world.

The goal of Christian philosophy of education is changing people by bringing them to Christ and

forming a relationship with God. Hogg States “a relationship with God is one of fellowship, full

allegiance to him, a love which involves the who personality and a settled disposition of his will;

In such a relationship, man begins to want what God wants, and for the same reasons.” (Hogg,

2012, P.27)

There are five components of the educational process that Graham mentioned.

They are: purpose of education, the learner, the teacher, the learning process and the subject

matter. These components are what we hope to get out of the educational process. But, the key to

look at is the Judeo-Christian perspective. “Christian educating and teaching redemptively

require us to create an atmosphere of grace in which our students can breathe the life-giving air
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Running Head: Biblical Worldview Paper
of the gospel.” (Graham, 2009, P.9) As Christian educators, our students need to live the gospel

that is being taught to them rather than just talk about it.

The foundation of Christian education is outlined in the book of Genesis with the

story of the creation. “In The beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1,

King James Version) So, with a Christian philosophy of education everything starts with God

and his teachings. “The educator’s function is first of all to make God known and the Christians

believes that he is known in nature and in History as well as in the bible.” (Hogg, 2012, P.30)

Implications for Educational Practice

Proverb 2:6 says For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh

knowledge and understanding. (King James Version) As educators we must give our students the

knowledge and wisdom to shape them into God fearing men and women with values that

exemplify and honor God. We do this by having the bible as the main source for teaching and

interpreting it so that our students will understand what the will God of is. One of Greidanus’s

ideas support this. “The bible is written to address the heart of human beings; as it does so, it

opens the eyes of sinful people so that they can perceive God and reality from a truthful

perspective; The bible must therefore serve as a light for a particular academic discipline or field

of inquiry.

One of the most important implications for education is that biblical truth is a

framework. According to Graham, “The bible lights our path so that we can understand reality;

the bible also provides us with the norms and themes necessary to enable us to explore the

academic disciplines.” (2009) The structure of a Christian educator should be center around the

holy bible and Christ teachings. As Christian educators our curriculum should be centered
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Running Head: Biblical Worldview Paper
around all the biblical truths that God has outlined for us in his word. We should rely on the fact

that God’s word is his bond. What he says is he truth and nothing but the truth. We should instill

in our students that when you are in doubt, always lean on God’s word.

One other important implication for education is that Knowledge carries the

burden of responsibility. “True Knowledge involves an understanding of information, the

implications of that information, and a response to both; Knowing is formed in part by doing

something, not just intellectually contemplating ideas and information.” (Graham, 2009, P.190)

As Christian educators, we must first gain full knowledge and understanding of Gods word and

laws before we express it to our students. After we have gained this knowledge and

understanding, only then can we act by teaching and interpreting it to our students so that they

can gain enough knowledge to form their own biblical worldviews and belief.

Conclusion

Having a biblical worldview is very important to Christian educators. Serving

God to the fullest daily and living his word is an ultimate goal in every Christian educators’ life.

Actions speak louder than words. Don’t just talk about what you did or voice what your

controlling beliefs are. But, live by your beliefs and be an example to your students as to what a

Christian is. Educators today would not be where they are today if it had not been for God.

References
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Running Head: Biblical Worldview Paper
Graham, D.L. (2009) Teaching Redemptively. Bringing grace and truth into your

classroom. (2nd ed.) Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Designs Publications.

Hogg, A.C. (2012). The relevance of a christian philosophy of education. Journal

of Christian Education, 55(3), 21-32. doi:10.1177/002196571205500304