Christian Education Defined (pt.3)

Philosophy of Christian Education, con't.

Metaphysics

Metaphysics is the philosophical term used to incorporate all that is considered to be real. Throughout history the two primary sides in the debate of metaphysics have been on opposite extremes.

Idealists believe that in its most basic sense, the nature of reality is spiritual instead of physical (Mullenix 30 January 1990). They place the emphasis on what we think we see, not on what we see. Because the mental is more real that the material, idealists believe that the purpose of education is to induce greater harmony between the student and the spiritual, or as they prefer, the universe (Oryshkewych 1966, 90). The chief problem with this is that, even if the teacher has a proper concept of the spiritual realm, and that is not very often the case, the education has little or no practical value.

The opposing viewpoint belongs to the realists, who believe that the physical world is all that really matters. There have been variant forms of realism throughout history, but as a rule they are persuaded that what can be seen is truth. Usually they rely on either reason or experience or observation and testing to determine what is to be considered part of reality. Because God cannot be observed or physically experienced, He is not believed to exist. In education, science is stressed as a way to discover what is real. This type of education would tend to lead the students to materialism and a here-and-now mentality because of observation and experience.

Neither idealism nor realism is the proper approach for the Christian educator. I believe that the Bible clearly teaches that both realms, the spiritual and the physical are a part of reality, as such.  John 4:24 says that “God is a spirit;” and therefore, the spiritual must exist because the infallible Word of God simply assumes that He is. God, nor the human writers, felt as if they had to prove His existence. Genesis 1:1 proclaims that God created the physical world as we know it: both worlds, spiritual and physical in one verse.

There are many similar examples of this fact found through­out the Bible. Just a few are the act of salvation, the indwelling of the believer by the Holy Spirit, and the believer's home in heaven, as we cannot see heaven, but we know it exists.

Just as the Christian’s view of metaphysics differs from that of everyone around him, so his view of metaphysics relation to education is different also. I believe that the chief difference between Christian education and public education is the handling of God; is He exalted as Colossians 1:18 commands, or is He ignored as secular humanism demands? A Christian school that is Christian in nature as well as name ought teach the truths of God with all the emphasis of the normal academic subjects. God, creation, salvation, all must be taught as truth in a Christian school, because the Bible gives them as truth, not theory. Above all, the Christian must realize that the Scriptures provide ultimate truth, not reason, experience, observation, or experimentation.