Teaching a Biblical Worldview
A seminar presented by Chris Madlena
Seminar Overview:
1) Definition of a worldview.
2) Questions all worldviews must answer.
3) Common worldviews that affect our families and students.
4) The Christian Worldview and its Foundation.
5) Integrating and teaching to develop a Christian worldview.
6) Incorporating the seminar information into your units-ideas.
Colossians 2:2-3:
“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love so that they may have
the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God,
namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
*Definition of a Worldview:
“A set of presuppositions that may be true, partially true, or entirely false which we hold about
the basic makeup of our world”. (Adopted from James Sire)
*Questions all worldviews must answer: (adopted from James Sire)
1) What is the prime reality, the really real?
2) What is the nature of the external reality around us?
3) What is a human being?
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4) What happens to a person at death?
5) Why is it possible to know anything at all?
6) How do we know what is right or wrong?
7) What is the meaning of human history?
*Common worldviews that our families and students bring into our schools
(even Christian students and families!)
A) Naturalism-There is no God or supernatural reality, matter is eternal.
B) Relativism-All truth is what you want it to be, there are no absolutes.
C) Postmodernism-Mystery is superior to reason. There may be truth but we cannot know
with certainty so we tolerate all “truth”.
D) Apathesim-Denies the importance of belief or disbelief in God.
E) Nihilism-Life has no meaning or purpose, morality does not inherently exist.
F) Pantheism-God is everything and everywhere-all of creation is “God Stuff” (New Age).
G) Moral, Therapeutic Deism-God created the world and our goal in life is to be happy as a
Christian.
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*The Biblical/Christian Worldview and its foundation:
“Every good and true Christian should understand that wherever he may find truth, it is the Lord’s”
Augustine
Definition: A comprehensive understanding of reality based on the teachings in the Christian
scriptures. It is based on the existence of absolute truth as revealed by God and is to be used
as a basis for our ethical decision making and interaction with the world around us.
Some Key Points:
a) Absolute truth is defined as being true for all people, at all times, and in all situations.
b) Everything that flows from God’s moral character and attributes is absolute.
c) God’s revelation is our source of absolute truth: (see appendix)
Revealed in nature (Psalm 19:1-6)
Revealed in scripture (Psalm 19-7-14)
Is planted in our hearts so that all are without excuse (Romans 1:18-2:16)
d) A Biblical/Christian worldview requires that one knows what the Word of God teaches-
do you as an instructor have a strong Christian worldview?
--In Christian schooling, understanding the importance of a strong Biblical
worldview leads to what should be our goal for instruction: Biblical
Integration--
*Biblical Integration: Developing and Teaching it in our Christian Schools
(It is not just the Bible Teacher’s Job!!)
a) Biblical Integration: What it is not-
It is not praying with your students during a lesson.
It is not having student or teacher led devotions.
It is not adding Bible verses to a lesson or topic.
(All of the above are important but are not Biblical integration!)
b) True, effective Biblical integration has two goals:
1) First-To have instructors teach from a Biblical perspective/worldview.
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Some key points:
Design unit plans and lesson plans with intent- How do the lesson topics
presented reveal the nature of God, God’s role in creation, the clash of
Christian values and secular/worldly values, mankind’s purpose, etc.
--Develop interactive and engaging lessons with integration in mind.
--Develop activities where students process the material.
--Develop meaningful assessment to help evaluate the spiritual view of the
student regarding the topic.
Your lesson plans should acknowledge and demonstrate that all truth
wherever found is of God, whether it be found in art, math, science, history,
music, literature, etc.
The instructor needs to develop and grow in their own Biblical worldview so
that he/she can apply their own understanding to their lessons.
The instructor must take care to be balanced between open-mindedness and
dogmatism in doctrine. How?
--allow for differences in like minded Christians but avoid an open-mindedness
that leads to syncretism (the combining of the Christian worldview and a secular
worldview)
--avoid being dogmatic in all doctrines which can lead to denominational
indoctrination (focus on the non-negotiables of the Christian faith and avoid being
dogmatic on secondary doctrine.
--Non-negotiable doctrine (that which is necessary for a saving faith):
--Secondary doctrine (doctrine that one may hold to but which is not necessary
for saving faith):
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2) Second Goal of Biblical Integration:
--“To teach our students to think critically and with true Biblical discernment
regarding the world around them, acting accordingly with behavior in line with their
Christian beliefs and values.”
We as Christian educators want…
a) …our students to know what they believe and why they believe it.
b) …our students to understand the concept/reality of absolute truth, that it is knowable,
that its source is God, and be able to use it when challenged by other worldviews.
c) …our students to look at all topics, information, decisions, etc. the way that God does
(and we need to design our lessons to foster this thinking).
d) …our students who profess Christ as Lord to understand that they need to lead a
connected life between what they believe and how they live.
*Incorporating the seminar information into your units: Idea starters-
“The purpose of a Christian education would not be merely to make men and women pious Christians…A
Christian education would primarily train people to think in Christian categories.” T.S. Eliot
Science/Math: The absolute truth of physical/natural laws (God as creator and sustainer), God’s
design in nature (God’s role in creation), Chemical bonding, cell structure, complexity of living
organisms, mathematical laws and formulas, origins and beginnings, cosmology, etc.
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Social Science/Humanities: The sanctity of life (abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, etc.),
the family structure and marriage, sexual standards/homosexuality, role of authority, role of
government, civil disobedience, race relations, civil rights and civil liberties, economics,
capitalism, socialism, the welfare state, the occult/new age, duty centered (deontological) vs.
end centered (teleological) ethics, etc.
English/Literature/Art/Music/Health and PE: specific values presented in art and music, care
for the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, worldview comparisons in literature (genres and
styles), worldview character analysis in literature and poetry, character decision making, author’s
worldview as presented in their prose/poetry, etc.
Some tips as you begin-
Don’t force the integration. It can be either major or minor, a little or a lot, it
depends on the content-be wise and be guided by the Holy Spirit.
Relax when working on the integration: plan for it but do not press. The more
accustomed you become in planning for it, the easier it becomes.
Don’t try to do it all at once. Try one topic in one class and build on that and
then expand. Like teaching and learning, it is a never ending process!
*Some Final Thoughts and Reminders:
--Biblical integration does not just happen-it must be planned, developed, and purposefully
implemented.
--Biblical integration is a job for all educators, no matter the subject-not just for the Bible
teacher.
--The instructors who Biblically integrate their instruction well are themselves growing more
mature in their own Christian worldview. They are the models for the students of a Biblically
oriented, Christ-centered life.
--Collaborative planning as discussed at this conference is vital to successful Biblical integration
school-wide.
--The battle for the hearts and minds of our students is what is at stake in Biblical integration. It
is more important than academics, athletics, or programs because it is eternal.
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For Further Reading
-A Passion for Learning: The History of Christian Thought in Education by D. Bruce Lockerbie
-The Pattern of God’s Truth by Frank Gaebelein
-The Universe Next Door by James Sire
-Understanding the Times by David Noebel
Books and essays by Kenneth O. Gangel
“A mere department of religion may be relatively insignificant. The teaching of
Bible is good, but it is only a beginning. What is far more important is the
penetration of the central Christian convictions into the teaching of physics and
chemistry and English and anthropology and history and sociology and
philosophy…The penetration of total life which we seek will come best by men who
have both conviction and intellectual humility, and the gift of passing these on to
their students”.
D. Elton Trueblood
“To be a schoolmaster is next to being a king. Do you count it lowly employment
to imbue the minds of the young people with the love of Christ and the best of
literature, and to return them to their count, honest and virtuous men? In the
opinion of fools, it is a humble task, but it is the noblest of occupations.”
Erasmus
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Scripture Appendix
Psalm 19 For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
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Romans 1:18-2:16- God’s Wrath against Sinful Humanity
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who
suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God
has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power
and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are
without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking
became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds
and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of
their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served
created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual
relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and
were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in
themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them
over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every
kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are
gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they
disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know
God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very
things but also approve of those who practice them.
Romans 2-God’s Righteous Judgment
1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge
another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know
that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being,
pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you
show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is
intended to lead you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself
for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person
according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and
immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow
evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:
first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the
Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be
judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who
obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature
things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show
that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their
thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day
when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
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Notes
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