The key aspect behind the establishment of educational philosophy following Christian teachings is centered on the framework of biblical and Christ teachings. The essence is to have an academy and school that follows Christian philosophies that have the teachers and students believing in biblical establishments and better understanding of the life of Christ. Therefore, it is essential to have an understanding of the philosophies behind the Christian education in different school and the influence it has to the society. According to Christian scholar Peterson, education is all about comprehension of the different establishments of discipline and instruction with the aim of enlightening the understanding the habits of the youth and makes them useful in their future stations in life. The additional establishment of education is to have the temper of the youth corrected when it comes to their habits and manners in order to be respected in the society.
The same definition on education also applies to the philosophy of Christian education as it enhances the ideologies portrayed by biblical view of the world. Apostle Paul explains the biblical perspective on education through his treatise on authentication and values of scriptures. He explains that all the scriptures instigated in the world are an inspiration from God and should be applied in teaching, reproofing, correcting and training individuals in a righteous way in order for the man of God to feel adequate in doing a good work. The Christian teaching and philosophy is thoroughly explained in the teachings of Apostle Paul. The scripture defines and reveals the aspect of Christian education to be the very heart of knowledge and understanding of the world in order to live better within the society. Different aspects can explain the tenets of the Christian education philosophy.
The Christian Education is built on Biblical World View
The biblical teachings establish that the individuals following the Christian teachings should not follow the patterns of the world and refrain from conforming to the patterns of the system. The teachings indicate,
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and perfect and acceptable.” Romans 12:2
The Christian education is built on the bible being the primary source of learning. It gives a proper guideline on truth and foundation, which helps the learners to reason out on different subject areas of life. It is the same biblical teaching that indicates that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Therefore, one needs to understand what is required by God in order to make the right decisions in life. The Bible does not give the necessary aspect and knowledge of other areas of education but rather the Christian philosophy. Additionally, the principle indicated the Christian philosophies as per the biblical teaching indicate that one has to develop wisdom and understanding of the world through acknowledgement of God and teaching from his book.
Development of a Christian Character through the Education Process
The art of education works external and internal. It explains that the mind of an individual has to be renewed after the heart has been regenerated. After the person has changed, they will be in a better position to walk in a manner worth ‘calling’ as per the Christian teaching. If one does not act in accordance the Christian teaching, then he or she will be rendered to act in accordance to secularism. Secularism has always been witnessed throughout the globe. According to Edlin, the ideology of secularism has always been imposed in the western modernity where religion if the main focus. This liberation is supported by the religious metaphysical values which have been imposed to the people in the community and the practical lifestyle of man. There have been claims that individuals should find ways of expelling the entire concept of religion from their beliefs. This is a materialistic viewpoint that the poem induces into the cultural divinity, which transcend across the globe in the supernatural principality. The revelation gives the term, which refers to isolation and restraining objective.
The concept of having God in the picture cannot be explained as it is beyond the human understanding which makes it irrelevant in the life of human beings. It is true to say that majority of human beings are familiar with secularism and they have been able to experience it in one way or another. The modern culture is filled with secularism and majority of the people do not believe in the existence of a supernatural being. In accordance to Edlin, there are numerous injustices and prejudices that are done to people through hostility and attitude of indifference. These are normally governed by the behaviors of individuals. The same has been applied to God as people have different viewpoints towards him. It is not a matter, which is exaggerated as there are different spectacles towards God, which have been embraced by individuals in the modern culture.
Commitment to Christ in Life and Teaching
The society has been made to believe that the modern culture is the driving tool, which makes people, live a better life. The modern culture has embraced secularism to be one of its driving factors. This has been occasioned by different behaviors, which are uncouth and despicable in the religious domain. There are numerous tragic events, which the believers have been exposed to even in their territories. The biggest question that normally lingers in the minds of the religious individuals is if the perpetrators of criminal activities towards the believers were created with the same God.
There are a lot of criminal activities being perpetrated in the world and go unpunished by the law of the land and majority of the believers would claim that they will be punished by God. These bad experiences have divided the beliefs of many people causing division amongst them. There are those who do not understand the reason why they can always live their entire lives dedicated to God while at the same they are hurting. On the other hand, their counterparts who dedicate their lives into secularism will live happily even if they are engulfed in crime and bad habits in the eyes of the believers. For instance, the drug dealers and hardcore criminals will always live a lavish life with everything they want compared to the lives of the priests.
Commitment to Know the Content
These are some of the things confusing the youths in the modern culture. They are interested in having a life full of success and have everything they have always wanted. According to the secularism, the ideology of success is all about living lavishly and having the money that you want. This makes it impossible for the believers to understand the world. According to the scriptures, nothing is important in the entire world if one does not believe in the bible. This makes it impossible for the youth to understand, as this is not the norm. They would opt for engaging in criminal activities in order to be successful rather than believing the good life, which is normally achieved after death. Individuals who want to be cool and be accepted in the society do criminal activities. The youth have also embraced songs that are similar to secular music so as to make the church to be cool for them. The traditional setup of the church has been destroyed and individuals no longer respect the religious settings.
There are other religious beliefs that the Christians have termed to belong to the secularism. This might not be true but according to the scriptures, all these people who believe in another god that is not the same as theirs will be termed as seculars. For instance, the Buddhists believe that they are the true worshippers while at the same time, the Muslims and Christians term them to belong to secularism. Their scriptures depict that one will be sinning if they are worshiping other gods that can be seen in form of idols. In accordance to the Buddhists, they know they are right and their scriptures allows them to do so.
There is also a conflict of interest between the Christians and the Muslims as they both look at each other as secularists. The Muslims accuse the Christians for misleading their people while the Christians allege the same acquisition. Their leaders also raise these issues. One of the issues that the Islamic community does not agree with their Christian counterparts is the existence of Jesus as the son of God. They believe that he is not the son of God as he does not have a wife let alone having a child.
The Christians on the other hand claim that the Islamic teachings are wrong and the modern society have corrupted the entire concept. The modern teaching on Jihad has been corrupted and turned the Islamic believers to be terrorists. Numerous cases of terrorism around the world being perpetrated by Muslims are claimed to be jihadists’ battle. These actions have been seen to be murder and not in accordance to the religious teachings. Believers have a notion that their God supports life and there is nobody mandated to take it.
The non-believers do not understand the meaning of prayers as they have nothing to believe. The religious people will have to engage in prayers whenever they are depressed. On the other hand, the nonbelievers will end up to substance abuse whenever they are depressed. This is what controls them while the believers will end up in prayers. These are two worlds apart whereby all the parties involved justify their actions in what they believe. The secular believers will go for conventional medicine whenever they are sick and would be involved in other practices in order to relieve themselves. They have never experienced any supernatural powers, which makes it impossible for them to understand the reason why an individual should believe in something that does not exist.
In conclusion, the philosophies of Christian education have the capacity of enabling parents commit their children to Christian teaching. The bible indicates that the children are supposed to be taught the Christian way so that they live by it when they are old. There has been a decrease in the number of people joining priesthood and religious practices, which require full commitment. The type of lifestyle the believers are living has occasioned this. The believers have been made to believe that one has to be boring in order to be seen to be holy. The people in the secular world have their own way of expressing fun while the believers view their ways of fun to be sinning. For instance, one an individual wants to get married, they would hold a bachelor’s and bachelorette parties where by the couples will have the last moments with the unmarried men and women. There are issues such as getting drunk and partying for the last time, which will fill the entire party. The drinking and dancing according to the believers is sinning. The Christians believe that the body is the temple and it is not supposed to take in things, which are not recommended by the bible. The bible is the only things that drive the Christians and this makes them have laws, which make them to be morally upright. This would mean that anything that the bible does not expect them to do, they would refrain from it.