Cultivating Christian Character and Conscience
By Dr. Carole Adams
Biblical Worldview Rests on Foundational Biblical Principles: Part Two in a Series
T
HE MISSION of Christian schooling is to form genu-
ine, lasting discipleship to Christ and a comprehensive
biblical worldview in God’s children. Yet many Christian
school graduates succumb to the overwhelming influence
of the secular culture and leave the church and their walk
with the Lord.
While there will always be spiritual attrition in the king-
dom, parents and teachers can be more effective disci-
ple-makers and biblical worldview-formers. The effective-
ness of Christian education depends upon a thoroughly
Christian philosophy, an authentically Christian method-
ology, and a consistently Christian curriculum. If any one
of these components is at odds with the others, the impact
is weakened. Ideally, the methods of teaching Christian
children should be in harmony with the teaching methods
demonstrated in the greatest textbook, the Bible, by the
greatest Teacher, Jesus.
LEADING IDEAS AND THE PRINCIPLE APPROACH
After teaching experiences in both public and Christian
school classrooms, I was uncertain that either fulfilled my
hope for my own children’s education. In seeking answers,
I was introduced to biblical classical education—the Prin-
ciple Approach. This method, the product of the Reforma-
tion practiced in the formative years of our nation, drew my
heart as it places the Bible at the base of every subject of the
curriculum. This foundation causes the student to grapple
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with truth, to reason logically, and to articulate and apply
truth in every area of life.
Based on recurring principles, the Principle Approach
identifies seven bedrock biblical principles applied to all life
and learning. By teaching and learning basic biblical prin-
ciples in every subject and every life situation, we consis-
tently, authoritatively, and authentically turn our children’s
hearts toward God. Such schooling ensures them of the all-
encompassing wisdom of God and His Word as preparation
for a purposeful life and for eternity.
Recurring biblical principles lay the underpinnings of
thousands of leading ideas that relate to every topic of life.
Benjamin Rush said in 1786, “The human mind runs as
naturally into principles as it does after facts. It submits with
difficulty to those restraints or partial discoveries which are
imposed upon it in the infancy of reason. Hence the impa-
tience of children to be informed upon all subjects that relate
to the invisible world. I maintain that there is no book of its
size in the whole world that contains half so much useful
knowledge for the government of states or the direction of
the affairs of individuals as the Bible.” 1
SEVEN BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES
What are those principles, and how are they taught? Of the
seven foundational biblical principles, the first two describe
the personal relationship of the child to truth. “God’s Prin-
ciple of Individuality” and “The Christian Principle of Self-