Leading Question: Why are the Arts and Sciences a focus of special attention in these lessons?

I must admit that I became increasingly intrigued as I began working on the study guide for this lesson. Our situation today with the “Arts and Sciences” is quite different from that of the biblical era. But we should address the question of why these two disciplines are a special focal point and also, what the Bible might have to say about them.

From my own perspective, I suspect that the reason why these disciplines have been singled out, is that they easily represent the ...

Leading Question: If for some, the church is for believers and the school for thinkers, where can we go in Scripture to provide a more balanced perspective?

Theodore Hesburgh, at one time President of Notre Dame University, said that “the university is a place where the (Catholic Church) does its thinking.” Would that mean that the saints assembled for worship are not to be in a thinking mode? The members of the church at Berea might have something to say about that. Acts 17:11 highlights the role of the members as both believers and explorers.

Acts 17:11 (NLT): And the people ...

Leading Question: How can “redemption” appeal to a secular age?

Key issues/puzzles:

For Believers:

Does God make our decisions for us? – predestinarian Calvinists

Do we make decisions for God? – free-will Wesleyans and Arminians

For Secularists: No sense of need, no sense of the presence of God. Since secularists see little value and no authority in the text of Scripture, we will touch on this question at the end of our discussion.

Key biblical passages:

Isaiah 11:1-9

1 Corinthians 2

2 Tim. 3:14-17

Of the various titles/tasks for Jesus, the official study guide has focused on the idea of “Redemption.” That is one of the ...

Scripture: 1 Chron. 16; 1-36; Daniel 1, 3; Psalm 8, 73

Leading Question: Why should worship belong to a discussion of Adventist Education?

In the secular world, the goal of education is to train one’s critical capabilities, to learn how and when to ask the right questions, and to nurture one’s sense of curiosity. That stands in sharp contrast with a typical view of worship where one loses oneself in the sense of the divine presence. Speaking of music and art, Albert Camus made this striking comment:

“Truly fertile Music, the only kind that will move us, that we truly appreciate, will ...

Scripture: Mark 5, 7-8; Luke 5

Leading Question: Did Jesus as “Master Teacher” always follow the rules?

In this lesson we want to look at the some of the creative, even unorthodox, methods used by Jesus, the “Master Teacher.” But before we look at examples from the Gospels, we should look at a remarkable “education” quote from Adventism’s charismatic founder, Ellen White:

God never designed that one human mind should be under the complete control of another. And those who make efforts to have the individuality of their pupils merged in themselves, and to be mind, will, and conscience for them, assume ...

Scripture: Heb. 1:1-4; John 1:1-18; 14:1-14

Leading Question: At what age is a child likely to begin questioning the divinity of Christ or the existence of God?

When schools are founded by devout Christians, it is because they want to nurture their children in the faith that is so precious to their parents. As we think of Jesus’ method and message in the light of the challenges of our secular world, is there any way to tell when a child might become vulnerable to doubt?

Just as the book Ecclesiastes in Scripture represents someone who is full of questions, and the book ...

Scripture: Prov. 15:3

Leading Question: What is a “world view”?

The official study guide has selected Proverbs 15:3 (NKJV) as the “Memory Verse” for this week: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Is that passage intended to convince someone of the biblical worldview? Probably not. But we need to back up a step and look for a definition of “worldview.”

Among thoughtful evangelical Christians, James Sire is a scholar who has been active with InterVarsity Fellowship. His The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog (InterVarsity, 4th edition, 2004), has been ...

Scripture: Deut. 4:5-8; 13-14; 5:22-33

Leading Question: What is the role of “law” in education?

Given the secularizing impulse in higher education, it may seem surprising to see a lesson with the title, “The Law as Teacher.” The author of the standard study guide develops a view of law which will be helpful for some, but less so for others. Here we will seek to develop a broader view of law that can be more inclusive.

For most of us, the word “law” is not a particularly helpful word. I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say, “It’s the law” in ...

Scripture: Eph. 5:21 – 6:1-4; Deut. 6

Leading Question: From an educational perspective, where can one go in the Bible to find he ideal family setting and the ideal family in action?

In both Testaments, but especially in Old, one is likely to learn more about family models by contrast than by comparison. In our age, we have moved to an individualistic model rather than a communal model. And from what we find in Scripture, we are likely to learn more by contrast, that is, how not to behave as a family, rather than by seeing a family in an ideal ...

Scripture: Genesis 2-3

Leading Question: What can the Garden of Eden teach us about what how we are to go about education today?

Our new series of topics for this quarter focus on the topic “Education.” Seventh-day Adventists are a remarkable and nearly unique community of believers in today’s world, for we are a people who believe in God as creator, in the incarnation of God on earth in the person of Jesus Christ, and in his return in the clouds of heaven. In short, we are a faith-based, miracle-believing people, but still have founded a full spectrum of K-16 schools. ...