The Idea of a Christian College

Arthur Holmes1975 (rev. 1987)

Chapter 1: Why a Christian College?

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Common ideas about educationWhy do many students attend

college?Vocational goalsSocial aspirations

Why did you attend college?

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The Christian College—Defender of the Faith? Is it the “defender of the faith” to

protect against the liberal teachings of non-Christian colleges? Indoctrination vs education safe environment vs learning

environmentThe questions vs the answers

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The Christian College—Education + Faith? Is the Christian college a place to

get a good education as well as biblical studies in an environment of piety?

How does this differ from being at a non-Christian college and being involved in religious adjuncts?

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The Christian College—Training grounds for church-related vocations? Is the Christian college designed to train

people for full-time Christian ministry? Training versus education

Evaluate this statement:“The educated Christian exercises critical

judgment and manifests the ability to interpret and to evaluate information, particularly in light of the Christian revelation” (p. 5)

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The Christian College—a social extravaganza? Is the Christian college supposed

to be a place for social and extracurricular activity?

Is it the place to find your life partner?

Is it the place to develop your leadership skills?

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Then why a Christian College?

Evaluate this statement:“Its distinctive should be an education that cultivates the creative and active integration of faith and learning, of faith and culture.” (p. 6)

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All truth, God’s truth?

Evaluate this statement:

“All truth is God’s truth, no matter where it is found. . . ” (p. 7)

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What’s the difference?

What is the difference between a Christian who is a scholar and a Christian scholar?

What is the difference between Christianity alongside education and Christian education?

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The educational distinctive

Integration vs conjunctionNon-Christian universities + adjunctsBible institutes and collegesSeminaries

Education vs vocation

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The religious distinctive

Dualism vs the Christian worldviewCompartmentalization vs integrationEvaluate this statement:

“. . . Underlying it all was the basic conviction that Christian perspectives can generate a worldview large enough to give meaning to all the disciplines and delights of life and to the whole of a liberal education” (p. 10)

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The Christian College—a Christian education

Evaluate this statement:

“Christian education is a Christian calling” (p. 6).

Chapter 2: Theological Foundations

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The Foundational Premise

Evaluate this statement:

“As a Christian I will be guided by what I believe about God and his purposes for us” (p. 13)

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The Biblical/Theological Mandate for Christian Education

CreationThe human personTruthThe cultural mandate

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The Biblical Mandate from Creation Gnosticism

DualisticMind vs matterSacred vs secular

Results: Anti-nature, body, matter, worldTension between faith and culture, anti-

intellectualism Doctrine of Creation:

Sanctity of nature, human history, & culture

Command to preserve and develop

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The Biblical Mandate from Human Nature The image of God

To preserve and developTo worship GodUniquely human: rational, moral, artistic

Fallen and corrupted, but the mandate remains unchanged

Evaluate: “The educator’s task is to inspire and equip

individuals to think and act for themselves in the dignity of persons created in God’s image” (p 16)

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The Biblical/Theological Mandate from TruthGod has perfect knowledge of

everything we inquire about2 principles:

1. “All truth is God’s truth, wherever it is found” (p. 17)

2. There is a unity of truth. Truth does not contradict and is not to

be feared

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The unity of truth

Truth does not contradict and is not to be feared

Biblical revelation is not the exhaustive source of all truth

There should be no tension between reason and revelation

Faith is not a source of knowledge

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The unity of . . .

There is a unity of truth.

There is also a unity of GoodnessConcern for social justiceBeauty

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The Cultural Mandate

Humanity’s task at creation: preserve and develop

Source of our cultural responsibilities Hebrew Bible examplesJesus – his first 30 years

Culture was ordained by GodPsalm 8Hebrews 2

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The power of “common grace”

The sun shines on the just and the unjust

God preserves a measure of civil justice, social order, and human love and compassion

There is also a unity of GoodnessConcern for social justiceBeauty

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The Biblical/Theological Mandate Evaluate this statement:

“Implicit in the doctrine of creation is a cultural mandate and a call to the creative integration of faith with learning and culture. It is a call, not just to couple piety with intellect, nor just to preserve biblical studies in our school, but more basically to see every area of thought and life in relation to the wisdom and will of God and to replenish the earth with the creativity of human art and science” (p. 21)

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Coming up . . .

October 4: Fall Break (enjoy!)

October 11: Holmes, Chapters 3-4