A Historical Study of Christian Education

The controversy continues regarding Christian education, secular education, and freedoms of speech and religion as guaranteed by the First Amendment in the United States Constitution. Legal issues and court cases are on the rise all across America in defense of students and parents in pursuit of exercising their individual civil liberties denouncing censorship of religious expression by public school administration. The lack of recognition of students' Christian education rights appears to cut across all academic levels. Attorneys are litigating cases not only on behalf of secondary school students but record cases are reported involving Kindergartners and elementary school students. Recently, the United States Department of Education, on February 7, 2003, reaffirmed and issued its Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. The Department of Education Guidance mirrors what the federal courts have said on the Constitutional rights of religious students. The First Amendments fully protects the free speech rights of students. It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate. The Supreme Court has emphasized that religious speech is entitled to the same protections as secular speech under the First amendment. In light of the federal government's Guidance to state and local educators and the Supreme Court rulings on religion expression, school districts have an affirmative obligation to understand and respect the rights of all their students, including religious students. I believe the majority of school officials strive to honor student liberties, but when they fail to live up to their constitutional responsibilities, students and their families are within their legal rights to pursue the legal system. There is much public debate about the direction of Christian education in which secular education should take in relations to Christian education, as we approach the new millennium. Our national and local leaders are divided over who should govern and be the guardian of education in America. The historical influence of religion and Christian education influence on America's educational process can be a great leverage to inform, and to involve parents in accepting more responsibility in educating their children. The majority of parents believe in some type of higher power, and since they believe that they will be held accountable for the critical years of their children's development, educators and politicians should encourage them to do so. Parents who do not embrace allegiance to a higher power are generally motivated by moral, social, and societal, and cultural influences to seek the best for the children in education. Christian Education in relationship to the church, parents and families are defined as a form of education derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ. Its principles and concepts have shaped the educational arena for the Past two thousand years. Unlike secular education, Christian education principals strongly flavor the whole person. It's primarily concern is centered around teaching and preparing individuals to be able to establish a more effective and meaningful relationship with God. Christian education is viewed as an equipping ministry with the primary task of edifying Christians and equipping them to worship and honor God and to reach out to the world. It is defined by its purpose, building up one another and equipping the church to worship and witness to the world. For centuries, educators have pondered over religion and it's impact in developing effective structured educational skills and goals appropriate for all school age children attending public schools. Many professional development hours are spent brainstorming and developing new innovative goals and objectives in efforts of trying to improve the over all performance of student's achievement trying to focused on the whole student. The Prophet (Hosea: 4:6,) says that God's people are destroyed because they are unlearned in the wisdom of God. God promised that He would heal the people if they would return to Him, (Hos.:6:1). God's people must return to the Word of God. When God's people return to His Word and follow His instructions as they are written, God Will heal the land. The Word of God is knowledge and knowledge is wisdom. To know God is to have Knowledge. God is a God of knowledge (Sam.2:3). King Solomon once wrote, "Wise men lay up knowledge" (Prov.10: 14). In the book of John: 5:39), Jesus says to those who thought they were living according to the desires of the Lord, "Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me" (John5: 39). The Scriptures reveal the knowledge of God, providing enlightenment, wisdom, instruction specifically for the church. The Scripture provides evidence that God stands watch over His Word to perform it. In Ezekiel 37, the prophet Ezekiel recorded a beautiful illustration of God$#39;s ability to breathe life into dead bodies. Ezekiel recorded that he was carried out in the spirit and placed in a valley of dry bones. While in conversation with God, Ezekiel questioned the possibility of the dry bones regaining life. To this question Ezekiel replied, " Lord God, thou knows." God gave Ezekiel reviving power. God recognized that Ezekiel was cognizant of the fact that He was the Almighty God. Consequently, He commanded Ezekiel to prophesy upon the bone that they should the word of the Lord. (Note, God was requiring dry bones to hear) Upon hearing God, He promised to put sinews upon them, bring up flesh upon them, cover the flesh with skin, and put breath within them. Additionally, God promised that the dry bones "shall" live. The word shall denotes "obligation." The implication in this discourse I that one the "dead" hear the voice of God, they unequivocally would be resurrected from the dead. God is yet waiting for Christian educators to speak life into the hearts of spiritually dead individuals. God wants to restore life back into the church. God has that same resurrection power that was demonstrated among the dry bones. God can and will give life to the church. God has already promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church of God. Each Christian should strive to be a present day Ezekiel and become instrumental in restoring life into the churches of God. This is especially true for the leaders in Christianity. It is possible to bring revival to the churches. It can and should be done through Christian education. According to the prophet Hosea, humanity is destroyed because they are unlearned in the wisdom of God. The Lord stated, "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge" (Hos. 4:6). However, God promised that He would heal humanity if they would return to Him (Hos. 6:1). Where should humanity return? They should return to God's Word. When believers study the Word of God and obey what God has written, God will send revival. It is only when believers study the Word of God and begin to allow the Word to live within, that revival takes place in the minds and heart of the church. Wisdom makes an awesome revelation. Wisdom states that to know God is to have knowledge. God is a God of knowledge (lSam. 2:3). King Solomon wrote, "Wise men lay up knowledge." (Prov. 10:14). Jesus gave this admonishment in the book of John to those who thought they were living according to the desires of the Lord, "Search me" (Jn.5:39). The Scriptures reveal the knowledge of God, thus providing enlightenment, wisdom, instruction, and indoctrination for the church. To know God is the beginning of Wisdom.