Christian Studies Classroom Analysis

In schools, the place where Americans first learned critical fundamentals and values of freedom, religion is separated from home life to school life. In the United States, 89% of public school teacher’s cannot lead a class in prayer, 36% can teach a class comparing religions in different countries, and only 23% can read from the Bible for examples of literature (citation). Without religious instruction in schools, students are not granted with the option to display their faith and practice their religion in a school setting. Despite the advantages, some Americans argue that teaching religion in public schools can be dangerous and harmful to students. Schools disapproving of students practicing

The more I get closer to my graduation, the more I know that I want to continue to grow in a Christian environment. I go to school at Northwest Christian, and I have recently been grateful for my experience as I am constantly surrounded by peers and teachers who love the Lord. Fortunately, I have gone to a Christian school my whole life. Nonetheless, my spiritual life is not finished growing, which I can continue to grow in a Christian College. The reason I want to continue my academic journey in a Christian Environment not only to make myself grow in Christ, but also so I can surround myself with those who have the same beliefs as myself. Due to having teachers who have the same beliefs, I do not have to be forced to believe something I do

Education plus God equals success. While this statement is true, the job of incorporating the truth about God into everything taught is becoming increasingly more difficult. Schultz charted public education’s view of reality, truth and value throughout the history of the United States to show how an unbiblical worldview has increasingly taken hold of society, the educational system and

Providing students to explore one’s religion or spirituality can begin to bridge the separation that exists between faith traditions in institutions. Dr. Casey mentions repeatedly that “the term religion is problematic,” and although this is true, this perspective can change. Religion is so deeply engrained in individuals and this does not have to form a type of “war zone,” but instead, it can provide us with an opportunity to learn about other citizens, rather than creating a sense fear or anxiety within us. Although we may be living in “an age of chaos today,” building understanding amongst global citizens is the prominence of religion in this

This emphasizes the importance of proper teacher education, objectivity, and transparency. In order to effectively teach this class, instructors must have a general knowledge of the religions highlighted in the course. This could be achieved by partnering with the Wake Forest Divinity School. This relationship would allow high school teachers to learn about teaching religion objectively while also giving them background knowledge and a mentor to contact if questions should arise. In order to alleviate parental concerns, educators should be transparent about course material. Also, teachers should be informed of the laws that delineate the appropriate way to teach religion in public high schools. Overall, when approached academically, it is the duty of educators to inform students about topics that affect the community, such as

Their beliefs and understandings of faith are being challenged and questioned in order to strengthen their understanding. Rather than having the adults in their life tell them what to believe, they are now responsible for forming opinions about everything in their lives. For this reason, it is vital that students stay connected to God during their college years. If they are not firmly grounded in truth, the controversial ideology that college courses may bring will easily sway them. If a spiritual foundation is not there, a student will face a “spiritual struggle: an experience with which many students are familiar, particularly those who concern themselves with deep reflection on faith, purpose, and life

In the assigned reading, Dr. Wilkens has outlined the “Not-So-Great Divide” that exists between the University and the Church. This divide is the incompatibility of practical education and the theological connections between an institution and a church. Dr. Wilkens has proposed that the contradiction is “not” so great, and it only exists because of miscommunication. Institutions tend to encourage doubt, which harms a student if he or she is trying to avoid questioning his or her own faith. Expectations that do not align with the outcome also leads this division between a student’s faith and education. Students who grew up in a Christian community will attend Christian universities, expecting to encounter a similar environment. The process

In their book ‘The Sacred and Secular University’ John H. Roberts and James Turner thoroughly discuss the role of religion in nineteenth century American University in their Chapter “Religion, Science, and Higher Education”. The Christian faith played a prominent role within higher education, and defined the daily routine at American University. During the nineteenth century the importance on science depended on its valuableness and closeness to Christianity. Religion defined people’s live, especially business lives. All aspects of life could be associated to Christian religion, especially at Universities. Roberts and Turner stress that colleges, prior to 1870, all functioned “as the intellectual arm of American Protestantism” (Roberts and

When one chooses, to attend a Christian University, you expect to be met and challenged by the word of God and those who believe in the Christ, but I was not prepared for the amount of integration biblical principles would have in my weekly assignments. Through the adult studies seminar II course, I have learned to rest in the truth

Many freshmen experience different changes in their life once they get to college. These changes vary from a student's study habits, social life, attitude, and faith. In today’s world, where technology is relied on for almost everything, many incoming freshmen rely on popular culture for a glimpse of what college is about. In my anticipation for college, I turned to movies and books in order to have an idea of what college life would be for me, especially what my faith would look like in college. These films, God’s Not Dead, A Matter of Faith, and The Genesis Code, illustrate the challenges that many Christian students face in college. In the movie A Matter of Faith, a Christian freshman starts to doubt her beliefs when she starts learning about evolution from her biology professor. Most of the elements portrayed in this movie are both accurate and inaccurate, and I base that on my own experience as a biology major and a Christian. In the movie God’s Not Dead, a freshman has to defend his faith in front of his class and an atheist professor who tells his students that God does not exist. Some of the content in this movie may be exaggerated, for instance, the professor informing his students that they would need “to disavow in

One of the biggest obstacles as Christian educators is to integrate biblical principles into our teaching philosophy without being accused of indoctrinating students. Therefore, it is important for me to embrace a personal philosophy of education grounded in my Christian worldview which is that everything I do in both my personal and professional life will be inspired by God which will be demonstrated by my dedication to student learning and advancement of my own knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to discuss this philosophy in support of my most valued goals as an educator. First, I will be in the service of students, their individuality, and support them in their success. Second, I will keep current on the latest news, discoveries, and research in my content area(s). Third, I will encourage my students to be good stewards of the planet. I feel that by using these goals as my guide, I

At the time of the Privatized age, religion was commonly shifted into the private scope of personal choice as learning and teaching began to target impartiality and practicality. The third section (Multiform) is the current age we live in. In this current age there are many sorts of religions that are prominent in cultural discourse. Jacobsen and Jacobsen (2012) observed that, “religion’s “return” has been facilitated by several broad developments within higher education, including new emphases on multiculturalism, professional studies, and student-centered

Education is a matter of discovering what is ultimately real and learning to live in relation to it in a way that produces a life marked by meaning, freedom, and even happiness. Education presupposes truth, even in the most relativistic contexts, because teachers are concerned with correspondence between thought and reality. But from a Christian perspective, truth is not just a label applied to the successful representation of reality in thought, but comes to personify that eternal reality itself. And that personification is neither metaphorical nor abstract, but is found in the person of Jesus Christ, as he says in John 14.6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

The story of Robert Ziegler has left many people with puzzled faces and heavy hearts over the past nine years. As stated by the Omaha World Herald article discussed in class, the 24-year-old math teacher was fired from the Papillion-La Vista school system back in 2004 after repeatedly talking about Christianity. He was warned several times to stop bringing religion into his everyday classroom, but these warnings didn’t stop him from discussing Jesus Christ with his students. Ziegler knew that students in his classroom needed God and wasn’t about to overlook this dire need. Many of the staff members and students that were involved with Ziegler claimed that he was one of the best teachers they had ever come across, but his inability to stop discussing Christ led to his dismissal from the school district. While studying this case, it can be hard to understand. It is clear that Ziegler loved God more than anything; he was even willing to risk his job to “do the right thing.” But many wonder if his behavior was appropriate in a public school setting, because after all, rules are rules. To help clarify this sticky situation, it may help to study God’s left-hand and right-hand strategies.

Some teachers may have a personal bias against certain faiths or religion in general. These problems can be dealt with. According to this article, “To address the challenge of teaching about religion without proselytizing, we must explore the assumptions and causes underlying each set of factors…” (Passe, J., & Willox, L. 2009). We should ask ourselves what lies beneath the problems of teaching religion. We should look to see if prejudice and impartiality are factors motivating against religious teachings.