Educating Our Children in the Ways of the World
“The ways of the world” typically carries a negative connotation. The Bible often refers to “the world” in a negative sense and, consequently, we often associate “the ways of the world” with that negative connotation. But at a more fundamental level, the Bible clearly affirms creation and “the world” in a very positive and God-given way. If we learn anything from Genesis 1, it’s that God created the world as a “good” place for humankind. This is repeatedly affirmed through all of Scripture.
A Pagan View of Reality
It’s a shame that Christians often associate God’s creation with a non-biblical view of the physical world in which we live. We have, in many instances, adopted a pagan view of physical reality and then concluded that only the spiritual realm is good while the physical realm is evil. This is pure heresy.
Unfortunately, we often allow this pagan notion to influence how we educate our children. Rather than affirming the goodness of creation and the value of studying it, we treat the physical sciences and even the “liberal arts” themselves as something second rate or merely necessary to make a living. I would contend that Christians need to be leaders in advocating for educational strategies that train our kids “in the ways of the world.” That is, we need to be diligent in studying “the world” and all of the varying aspects of the life that takes place in it.
A Biblical Foundation
It’s not difficult to see how the Bible provides a solid foundation for this perspective. The very existence of the Bible (a physical book containing written communication) implies distinction (some words mean one thing while other words mean something else). Distinction is a good thing. God Himself is distinct.
But the notion of distinction also means that reality is fixed and stable. An object cannot be something it is while also being something it isn’t. This means it can be studied. A reality that is fluid cannot be studied. The very existence of an objective, divine revelation (the Bible) provides a foundation for recognizing that the world and all of reality (the ways of the world) CAN be studied. But does that mean it SHOULD be studied?
The “Dominion Mandate”
Within the earliest verses of the divine revelation, we learn that God has placed humankind within the distinct, objective, and observable world He has created to “rule” over it. In order to fulfill this “dominion mandate” and rule the world in which we we have been placed, it is absolutely necessary to understand it, at least to some degree. This requires observation, reflection, theorizing, testing, and, within a community, communication. In short, ruling the world in obedience to God’s mandate requires study. It requires an education in the ways of the world God has called us to rule.
As we pursue a robust understanding of the world and reality, we quickly discover that something is wrong with it. Not only does the world function in a way that is often not “good” for humankind, there is clearly a malevolent presence within the world and even within humanity itself. There is evil in the world and within us. How are we supposed to understand this evil and what, if anything, can be done about it?
Divine, Objective Revelation
Once again, the objective revelation of God Himself provides both an explanation of evil as well as a divine remedy for the problem. But this objective revelation cannot be grasped without… education! This is why education was so important to the Hebrew people following the giving of the Law (the Torah). In order to live according to the Law and be the people God desired, the people and their children had to learn to read. That is, they had to be educated and they had to educate.
But the Law (the first five books of the Bible) was more than a book of religion. It explained how the world came to be and how it came to be broken (principles important to the sciences). It also had things to say about the arts, civil law, governance, health, business, and more. When the Hebrew children studied the Torah, they were studying all of life. They were, in essence, studying the ways of the world and acquiring a “liberal arts” education.
We Live in a Big World
Interestingly, God has created a world (universe) that is so vast and so complex that it is well beyond the comprehension of any single person. Much like the Bible itself, we have only begun to scratch the surface of what there is to know. And, as with the Bible, we should dedicate ourselves to diligently studying and teaching the ways of the world. It is a big world. And, it is a GOOD world, and God’s people need to understand it.
Rather than fearing the sciences, the arts, and the mysteries of God’s good creation, we should embrace the exploration of the world (and life itself) and allow that exploration to inform how we educate successive generations. Christians need to be leaders in educating our children in the ways of the world!
You can find other articles addressing a biblical worldview on the site.
Rick Edwards
Author, Speaker, Bible Teacher
See a list of other articles by Rick Edwards.
