Some Thoughts on Christian Education

1. (a) Introduction to Curriculum Position Papers

These papers are numbered according to their priority/importance. In any building the foundations, though less beautiful and intricate, are more important than the superstructure built on them, so in like manner I have placed those papers which are foundational as top priority (1) (with1 (a) representing the most important of the foundational papers). My reasoning is that if these foundations are neglected then the cultural forces at work in our society will take the rest of the structure away - hence Jesus’s parable about the wise builder (Matthew chapter 7). Once the foundations have been laid then the next most important papers refer to a young person’s identity and their walk with God (2). The next group of papers refer to their understanding of the world they live in (3) and the final group of papers deal with trying to make sense of the past from a biblical perspective (4).  (Group 5 is a set of more speculative papers that are for provoking our thinking rather than set in stone concepts)

1. (a) Truth and the Bible

Embedded in the Coronation service of Elizabeth II in 1953 was this statement about the Bible

‘We present you with this Book the most valuable thing this world affords’

Why was the Bible held in such high regard? We could look to its immense influence on our world, which is the subject of Vishal Mangalwadi’s book, The Book that Made Your World:How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization. However it is Francis Schaeffer’s claim that the Bible provides us with ‘true truth’ that gives us the best insight into its significance.

One aspect of the human condition we can all agree on is the fact we are limited and as a consequence we do not know everything. This fact poses a problem to any human understanding of the world, because if we do not know everything, then we do not know what there is to know, therefore we do not know if what there is to know may in some future time undermine our knowledge of what we think we know. This means all human knowledge is provisional.

The only way to escape this uncertainty is to have access to knowledge that comes from someone who knows everything and who does not lie. The only person who fits that criteria is God and the only document in our possession that gives us that access is the Bible. Therefore, when the Bible clearly states something to be true, it is supported by the knowledge and truthfulness of God which are infallible. Against this even the most erudite human wisdom pales into insignificance.

This issue of the Bible and the truth is vitally important when resisting powerful worldviews that contradict the clear teaching of the Bible. It must be remembered that many worldviews come with great spiritual power, hence Paul’s comment that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12). Resisting these worldviews needs not only clear thinking based on a sound understanding of the Bible but also much prayer and great humility, because the truth that the Bible presents may go against deeply held positions gained from our own culture. Which is why it states that the word of God is like a two edged sword dividing between the soul and the spirit (Hebrews 4:12). Our soul life will always be heavily influenced by our native culture and it is the Bible that will help deliver us from the negative aspects of that culture - that is beliefs that are contrary to the word of God.

The evidence for treating the Bible as a divine revelation of truth comes from miracles and from fulfilled prophecies (also the accuracy of the Bible with regard to history - see the World History booklet). With regard to what constitutes clear teaching, generally the New Testament helps us to understand the Old Testament and the wisdom of the church throughout the ages, though not infallible, is helpful in giving us perspective on issues where our modern culture has drifted significantly from things that were traditionally considered true. With regard to the concept of progressive revelation there is no evidence that either Jesus or the New Testament writers wanted to convey that understanding of the Bible in fact the opposite is more their position. As Paul argues in the first chapter of Galatians if anyone presents another gospel this should be rejected. For Paul as for Jesus the Gospel is unchangeable and comes from heaven and not by human wisdom.

The bottom line is that where there is a clear conflict between a traditionally understood Bible teaching and our current culture there is good reason to believe our current culture, no matter how plausible it may seem, is wrong, and the traditionally understood Bible teaching is correct. Where traditionally understood Bible teaching has been overturned in the past e.g. the Reformation or the Pentecostal experience, the emphasis of those involved has been on fidelity to the scriptures and not compliance to a modern worldview.

1) (a) World Priorities

To determine which issues have highest priority we need to multiply the number of people affected by the level of suffering they experience.^[1]

1 Damage caused by being treated badly (eg patchy discrimination) 0.1

2 Damage caused by being legally discriminated against 0.2

3 Harm caused by being unjustly imprisoned 0.3

4 Harm caused by being unjustly killed 1.0

5 Harm caused  by being eternally separated from God 1000.0

A Teaching of evolution and militant secularism that destroys Christianity 1000 for those who fail to receive salvation because of this.

B Sexual revolution that promotes divorce, adultery, fornication and uncleanness at least 0.1 for those families damaged by this and potentially 1000 for adults involved due to eternal judgment.

C Legalised Abortion worldwide since 2000 1.0 for each abortion and potentially 1000 for adults involved due to eternal judgment.

D Absolute poverty 0.3 Relative poverty 0.1.

E Persecuted Christians 2019.

F Racism in Europe and the USA 2019.

G The Covid 19 Pandemic - At least half the world's population adversely affected 0.1 and up to 2 million will die and a further 4 million will experience bad long Covid.

The outcome of this analysis of world priorities is to emphasise that most pertinent of Biblical truths that the most important priority in any person's life is the gospel. As Jesus said ‘What does it profit a person if they gain the whole world but lose their soul’. Interestingly it also points out the significance of the sexual revolution and considering the key part that plays in the first chapter of Romans that makes sense.

1. Authority or Oppression

Authority is an important function from the biblical perspective and consistently in the New Testament those in authority were to be treated with respect even if they were less than perfect. Even the Angels when contesting with Satan had to do so appropriately (Jude 8-9). If we remember the original sin was rebellion against God’s authority, then it will come as no surprise if ‘prince of the power of the air’ who controls the world's thinking (Ephesians 2:2) will blind people to this truth because his aim is lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Therefore we should be very sceptical of a worldview that concentrates on the rights and wrongs of oppression and categorizes people into those that are oppressed and those that oppress. Instead ‘Godliness with contentment is great gain’ (1 Timothy 6:6), which means meekness and submission to legitimate authority is to be highly valued and esteemed. Fighting for one's rights should be a last resort not a first resort. Jesus was highly commended because ‘He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death’ (Philippians 2:8) and we are encouraged to be of a like mind.

1. Decision Making about New Ideas (Tale of Two Kingdoms) (CFS)

The main reason our school has been cautious about embracing new ideas is a strong desire to seek God’s wisdom regarding any change. Whilst we acknowledge that humans are made in God’s image and therefore are problem solvers who have access to a conscience, we are also aware that the overwhelming testimony of scripture is that the world is in darkness, ignorant of God and His ways, blind to spiritual realities and ultimately under the authority of the prince of this age. Therefore we are understandably cautious when confronted with a new idea or way of doing things, particularly when its authors have no apparent fear of God - especially since we are repeatedly told in scripture that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).

Paul warns us that ‘in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God’. He also reminds us in Ephesians 2:1-2 that ‘we who were dead in trespasses, in which we once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience’. Not only do our fleshly lusts pull us away from the truth, but there is also a spiritual power at work with a different agenda. As Paul states in 2 Corinthians 10:4 ‘the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty to the pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ’. Therefore it should not come as a surprise if the wisdom that comes from the world will be potentially unhelpful to the pursuit of godliness, therefore a cautious approach to such wisdom is appropriate no matter how reasonable it may appear. Most worldly wisdom needs to be put into the intellectual equivalent of quarantine to see what its fruits are. As Jeremiah puts it ‘Do not learn the way of the Gentiles … For the customs of the peoples are futile’ Jeremiah 10:2-3

20 years ago when I first arrived at our school we operated under a concept described as ‘common grace’ which enabled us to access new initiatives on the basis that God had given to all humans the common grace of a certain ability to acquire knowledge and wisdom without necessarily requiring that source to be Christian. This grace I suspect was the product of three elements. Firstly as mentioned before we are made in the image of God. Secondly we benefit from being in a culture that has been significantly impacted by the gospel and thirdly as a consequence of this second point God extends His particular grace to nations that promote righteousness. However all of these benefits are significantly diminished when a culture deliberately rejects its Christian heritage. As 2 Thessalonians 2:7 points out there is a principle of lawlessness at work in our world and Romans 1:18-32 clearly states that a culture that deliberately rejects God as creator will be given over to moral confusion. The last 20 years suggest we are no longer operating under ‘common grace’ but under what I would call ‘common disgrace’. This means we need to treat with real caution not only the content of the curriculum, but also the other aspects of school life such as initiatives in mental health, aspects of safeguarding, environmental initiatives, the equalities agenda, the push for increased use of IT and issues to do with pedagogy that diminish the role of the teacher. It is not that these are all wrong, but they must not be accepted without first being judged according to God’s wisdom as revealed in the Bible. After all as it says in Colossians 2:3 ‘all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ are hidden in Christ.

1. The ‘Arrow of Time’ or ‘Human Progress’

(which is the correct narrative of the arc of history)

The Bible presents the past as having a direction - starting with creation and culminating in the second coming^[2]. Throughout this record of history there is a progression from a person who is chosen (Abraham), then a nation is chosen (Israel), then finally the church is chosen to express God’s truth on earth. The church age was inaugurated by Jesus, who is the fullest expression of truth that we will have this side of the second coming. Therefore there is no expectation in the New Testament that we will know progressively more truth about God over the passage of time. Indeed Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 encourages the saints to ‘stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught whether by word or by epistle’. It is worth noting that attempts to reform the church normally involve returning to the truth of the New Testament rather than trying to go beyond these truths.

By contrast the modern view of the past assumes explicitly or implicitly that we have, in moral and social issues, made progress from a primitive and ignorant past - you might call it the ’Horrible Histories’ approach to history. (This narrative is not consistently applied since there is often a sentimental approach to primitive cultures (eg Pocahontas) that avoids the often brutal realities of these societies - their endless tribal warfare and the fear created by their animistic religions). Whilst it is true that in technology our current society has made outstanding progress^[3], the Bible gives us no indication that a godless society should increase in moral wisdom, rather the opposite is the case. Proverbs 1:7 states that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Furthermore, Romans 1:24 states that if we reject God as our creator then He will give us up to uncleanness and to lust. Likewise 1 Corinthians chapter 1 describes a situation where the wisdom of this world is seen to be at odds with the wisdom of God. If there is moral progress in our world it will be the product of God fearing cultures and not the product of God rejecting cultures.

1. The Human Condition - Image of God, the Fall, Holiness and the Charismatic Gifts

Using the creation, fall, redemption, consummation template we can examine the human condition from a Christ Centred perspective. In creation we were made in the image of God - which is an extraordinary statement rich in meaning and significance. Among other consequences this means we have a divine purpose and calling, we are also equally the object of God’s love and care - especially if we are in a covenant relationship with God. Furthermore when dealing with the consummation of the human condition as we are told in John’s first letter chapter 3 verse 3 ‘it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is’. This hope also explains Jesus’s high priestly prayer in John 17 where he desires that we should be ‘one in us’ v21.

With regard to the fall it is clear from Jesus’s statements that we are not good. He tells the rich young ruler that no-one is good except God. He tells the crowd that if they being evil know how to give good gifts how much more will their Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Jesus would not accept kingship from the crowd because he knew what was in their heart and when asked to comment on the death of those killed during the collapse of the tower of Siloam he remarked that unless they repented they too would be destroyed. These statements are consistent with Paul’s claim that none is righteous, no not one. Given this evidence of the thorough going nature of our fallen condition it is not realistic to expect humans to perfect themselves outside the grace of God. This explains why attempts to create utopia’s by human effort are not only doomed to failure but often turn out to be dangerous failures eg the terror of the French Revolution and the deaths resulting from the communist regimes of the USSR, China, North Korea and Cambodia. Both systems of belief not only rejected God but also claimed the human condition could be perfected by human effort.

Redemption of the human condition involves, as Toplady observed in his hymn ‘Rock of Ages’, the double cure of sin - both its guilt and its power. Therefore not only do we have imputed righteousness but we also experience imparted righteousness. This power over sin is what Jesus referred to as laying the axe to the tree and why He considered the least in the kingdom of God to be greater than the greatest Old Testament prophet. As a school we believe in personal holiness and have high expectations for staff and pupils. However we realise that this side of the consummation we will still struggle with the flesh and be subject to temptation. Thus whilst we have in the Holy Spirit, the wherewithal to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect, we are well aware that for now we see through a mirror dimly and we need to show grace one to another and not slip into unnecessary legalism or being too judgmental; but in a spirit of love encourage one another.

With regard to the gifts of the spirit, whilst we respectfully acknowledge that some in our community may think these for the apostolic times and not for today, as a school we would teach that they are still available and can be experienced in the church today. However we should be cautious about over emphasizing their importance as we are dealing with young people and this is a matter better dealt with by their local churches.

1. Use of IT

Our world is increasingly dependent on IT and the recent lockdown has confirmed its critical importance. So how should we use IT in our teaching and learning?

Our school has always taken a cautious approach without being unduly negative. As a school we have felt from the outset that in L/S the main vehicle for teaching and learning should be from an adult, from books and from tactile experiences with IT playing a minor role. The aim was to embed these methods of receiving knowledge whilst the young person is at their most receptive. We felt IT could, due to the fact that it can be both a powerful and a very attractive medium for imparting knowledge, undermine a young person’s appetite and capacity for the other types of learning because they can at first sight seem, by comparison, unattractive and require more concentration.

Similarly one of the motivating factors in producing the ETS course in U/S was the desire to combat the power of the Smartphone to rob a young person of real life experiences as they increasingly got absorbed into a virtual world mediated through their phone or laptop at home. (I suspect already social media will be discipling many of our young people much more than we realise.)

Therefore as we rightly look at developing a comprehensive IT/computer studies curriculum it is useful to remember that our school has always had a nuanced approach to this aspect of learning.

Addressing the question of identity

‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ Gal 3:28

‘Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ’

 Phil 3:8

When addressing issues of identity it is good to remember that in Christ we are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). Therefore whilst it is good to celebrate the good in other cultures as well as the good in our own culture (see Phil 4:8) we need to recognise that we have, as Christians, been grafted into a new culture - that of the kingdom of God. Furthermore when celebrating other cultures, in U/S pupils will need to be reminded that all cultures are fallen and some very much so, and sadly this fall will extend to the activities of the church on earth.

As a consequence the aim of our teaching about other cultures is to reassure pupils that their culture is appropriately valued and that they are included in the school community, whilst also pointing them to the important truth that in Christ Jesus we are all one. This will therefore require a nuanced approach that does not either underestimate the significance of culture nor does it over emphasise its importance to the detriment of Christian unity.

 2 Law or Liberty?

(The struggle against the bureaucratization of teaching)

One of the repeated visions of the Bible is that we should enter into rest and that the Lord’s burden is light unlike the Pharisee’s who laid heavy burdens on people. Jesus remarked that the way the Pharisee’s interpreted God’s law ended up with the people straining at gnats whilst swallowing camels. In fact Samuel told the children of Israel that their request to be like the nations and ask for a king would result in very heavy burdens being placed on them. Therefore, as a guiding principle, I have tried to keep paperwork and requests for information to a minimum because all such requests cost time and effort.

This observation is not unique to our school and is being observed across the board in discussions about reducing teacher workload. However, it is easier to observe this than it is to carry it out, because every new initiative almost always comes with associated paperwork. Therefore real vigilance needs to be the watchword in this domain of school life. Light-touch bureaucracy must be uppermost in any new initiative, whether it be safeguarding, recording pupil progress or IEP’s. Teacher time is not infinite and failure to keep bureaucratization under control will either involve a reduction in the quality of teaching or in a reduction in the quality of life for the teacher and their associated family.  

3) Hymns

At our school we adopt the policy that a wise steward brings out treasures both old and new, therefore we encourage the singing of older hymns as well as modern songs. This is done through the music curriculum, hymn practice and in whole school assemblies where usually there are three songs - one an older hymn, another a modern song and the third usually a chorus/action song that is easily accessible to younger pupils.

One of the reasons we encourage the singing of older hymns is that they contain a perspective on Christian experience and doctrine that represents how a previous generation understood these things. As a consequence we are enriched by this, often challenged and it acts as a means of correcting our own understanding of these issues where that is necessary.

3) Position paper on Israel and ‘End Times’

At our school we are aware that there are different views about the theological significance of Israel in the ‘end times’. In U/S there may be the need to address this by explaining to pupils that Christians hold a variety of views on this subject. This has been researched resulting in the production of a digest of two well known views ‘Christian Zionist’ and ‘Replacement Theology’ (based on a book ‘What do Christians believe about Israel’ by Ruth Keets - which presents both sides of the argument using fictional characters who promote a moderate version of the respective theological positions). This digest will help staff answer pupil questions on this subject when dealing with the subject of Judaism in the new GCSE RS course.

With regard to the rest of the schools teaching on this subject as and when it is appropriate we will continue to rejoice in God’s amazing providence in fulfilling prophecies. Therefore the physical restoration of Israel in 1948 will be seen in the context of Romans 11, Zechariah 12-14 and Ezekiel 37. However when discussing the current political situation in Israel there will be a fair acknowledgement of the grievances and fears of both sides. Likewise there will be no suggestion that there is an alternative form of salvation. Salvation is only through faith in Christ which applies to both the Jew and the Gentile.

‘For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast’

                                                                        Ephesians 2 v 8

3) Sustainable Development

As stewards of God’s creation we are expected to manage and look after the creation with the aim of bringing glory to God. Furthermore, since we are made in the image of God we have the creative capacities needed to solve the environmental problems we face. Therefore the pupils are encouraged to see the issue of sustainable development from our Christ centred perspective based around these two principles. As a school we teach that climate change is real and almost certainly affected by human developments over the last 200 years (however we need to be aware this position is not held by all evangelicals). Alongside climate change we want to teach about a wide range of environmental issues including plastics, deforestation, pollution, resource depletion and habitat protection. Sustainable development is not just about climate change but needs to embrace a wide range of problems to be truly effective. This is covered in science in M/S and in the Y9 exchange program where the notion of sustainable development is extended to consider social, mental and spiritual dimensions. For example censorship of the internet may be considered a desirable objective in promoting a sustainable future with regard to our emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing. Indeed I would argue that holiness is the only way we can live forever in a sustainable fashion.

5) Perspective - The difference between Camels and Gnats!

In Matthew 23:24 Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for straining out gnats whilst swallowing camels. They had lost a sense of perspective by thinking that the tithing of mint, anise and cummin were important whilst being blind to the significance of justice, mercy and faith as found in the law of Moses. Throughout this chapter Jesus repeatedly condemns the Pharisees for their willingness to concentrate on minor points yet failing to consider major issues. For example they thought the gold in the temple was more important than the temple itself, likewise they thought the gift on the altar was more significant than the altar itself.

I believe this lack of perspective is also apparent in how our culture handles certain issues in history and in science. Furthermore I think this accounts for why over the years I have struggled to defend the obvious against sophisticated arguments that would promote an alternative viewpoint. Very often in these debates it appears that the two sides both have their arguments and the side with the most arguments wins. However in that process no attempt is made to assess the weight of significance that should be attached to each of the arguments being employed, and this is important, because each argument does not carry the same level of significance. I became aware of this with the discussion over Michael Behe’s book ‘Darwin’s Black Box’ in which he eloquently and powerfully presented the case for biological life exhibiting the type of ‘irreducible complexity’ that requires a designer. When studying the opposition to his claim I became aware that once one got past the emotional opposition to his position the technical arguments that were being employed were actually about very minor issues and therefore quite incapable of dealing with the major argument laid out by Michael Behe. To overturn the obvious conclusion that incredible levels of design require an incredible designer there should be an equally powerful set of arguments that show how random mutations can create irreducible complexity, and these arguments should be supported by overwhelming evidence. With respect to Michael Behe’s argument the response has often involved detailed claims that one small aspect of a particular biological system could have an alternative purpose that might give us a possible evolutionary pathway but this is a very weak proposition and is supported by very little evidence - these arguments are as gnats to the camel of ‘irreducible complexity’. Sophisticated detailed arguments do not change a gnat into a camel they just make for clever gnats.

I believe this principle of gnats and camels can help us to make sense of a number of issues where our culture seems to adopt a position that seems at odds with the Bible or at odds with the obvious historical conclusion. Below are some examples of positions that have been affected by this confusion. (For some of these examples a more reasonable analogy would be hills compared to mountains, because the opposing position does have significance - and gnats may be too small to give justice to these arguments)

Intelligent Design As noted with Michael Behe there is overwhelming evidence that both at the genetic level and at the macro-level biological systems exhibit incredible features of design and the arguments against this conclusion are as gnats compared to this camel.

Noah’s Flood Not only do we have abundant historical evidence for the flood with tribal legends and ancient histories from around the world claiming that such a flood happened, but we also have significant geological evidence that is either consistent with a flood (eg flat layers of sedimentary rock without signs of erosion found throughout the world, rock layers that span whole continents and beyond etc), or points directly to a recent flood (eg carbon 14 and soft tissue being found in fossils - neither of these can last more than a few thousand years). The alternative arguments may not appear as gnats to begin with but they are far from being robust. For example since the eruption of Mt St Helens it has been clearly demonstrated that many of the geological features that were assumed to require millions of years to form in fact can equally be explained by catastrophic processes. The only significant argument for an old earth is radiometric dating and that does need to be considered seriously, however when considered against the powerful arguments for the flood I think it is still not that significant, as it is reasonable to assume that radiometric dating is not measuring time but is in fact measuring something else since all the other strong evidence we have points to a recent flood.

The Church - Good or Evil? Recently militant atheists have claimed the church is a force for evil yet there is little evidence to backup their claim. Throughout history the overwhelming story is that the church and more particularly the gospel gave us most of what we treasure about the modern world. Vishal Mangalwadi in his book ‘The Book that made your World - How the Bible created the soul of Western Civilization’ is a powerful account of the obvious transformational effect of the Bible on the world. My slightly humorous example is highlighting the changing of  Vikings into producers of Ikea furniture and Lego bricks as a result of 1000 years of the gospel. Yes there have been mistakes and sometimes direct evil perpetrated by the church but that was something to be expected as the church is made up of redeemed sinners and the the apostles along with Jesus were well aware of this aspect of the church. However, compared to the enormous good the church has done in making our world more humane, these evils, though significant, are by comparison hills compared to the mountain of good done by the church.

Reformation In recent years there has been a tendency to see the Reformation as an unfortunate breaking of church unity that needs to be apologised for. Yes there were excesses committed by Protestants, however they were faced with an existential threat and in those circumstances things will happen that may appear excessive. The camel in this situation is the recovery of the word of God and the power of good that did to the world. Up to the Reformation attempts had been made to reform the medieval church but they always failed. In the end the only way to release the full potential of the word of God was through a complete break with the medieval church - something the Reformers were initially reluctant to do - effectively it was the old medieval church that rejected the Reformers and cast them out. It is worth noting that Manalwadi’s book almost always refers to Christians who are Protestants - though that is not a deliberate decision. Ultimately it is the word of God in the hands of people who believe it that can turn the world upside down and release the power of God’s Spirit.

Industrial Revolution This is an interesting example since it does not involve an event directly related to the Bible, but the same principle of perspective is still needed. It is easy to concentrate on the negatives of the Industrial Revolution - the poverty, poor housing, bad working conditions and the destruction of family life, which was supported in the domestic system but was undermined by the factory system. However, these are hill issues compared to the exponential wealth generated by the Industrial Revolution and this point is one I bring out when teaching this subject. Unless we have a sense of perspective then it is easy for young people to have an unbalanced view. This is not to ignore the problems associated with industrialisation but it means that any discussion will attempt to be proportionate in its conclusions.

I think there are other issues that require this approach e.g. marriage where the mountain of good that comes from this institution is compared to the hills of difficulty that also come with it. By using this concept of perspective there is a better chance of not being driven by the changing fashions of our culture and it will help us to come to a more balanced judgment.

5) The Language of Heaven and the Language of Earth

This is not a position paper - rather it is an observation. As a Christian School we have struggled because without realising it we inhabit two worlds. One which speaks the language of earth and requires us as an institution to conduct our business according to the grammar and vocabulary of secular professional institutions. The other world has a different grammar and vocabulary. As Jesus said ‘render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s’ (Matt 22:21). I think a school such as ours, which genuinely attempts to follow the heavenly language, will always struggle to get the balance right and it is helpful if we acknowledge this problem from the outset.

5) When I am Weak then I am Strong

(Are We part of a Spiritual Drama?)

Also Mercy over Judgment

I have often observed that God chooses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. In running the school I seem to find nothing quite works the way I expect or would like - ill health, disagreements, misunderstandings etc. This could be the result of spiritual warfare but an alternative perspective is that as with Gideon God quite deliberately permits us to be weak so that the glory goes to God. This is partly to help us not become proud but I have often wondered to what extent does overcoming weakness by relying on the Lord demonstrate God’s grace and wisdom before principalities and powers.

Which is why we can say the following:

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

                                                                2 Corinthians 12:10

Also as a postscript to this paper is a recognition that over the years the exercise of wise mercy in a significant number of cases has been the appropriate response as events have shown - whether to pupils or to staff.

Postscript - The airbrushing of Christianity

The following information comes from the ‘Overview Section’ near the beginning of the recent government report on the persecution of Christians. https://christianpersecutionreview.org.uk/report/ ‘The global war on Christians remains the greatest story never told in the 21st Century’ headline from the Spectator. Across the world 80% of religiously motivated discrimination is directed at Christians. 245 million Christians living in the top 50 countries suffer high levels of persecution (up by 30 million from the previous year - 2015) and Christians are targeted in 144 countries (2016) up from 125 in 2015^[4].

With regard to world history we see the same under-reporting of Christianity. For example in an AQA textbook on US history from 1920-73 there is virtually no reference to Christianity or the American church despite 50% of Americans attending church during this period. Likewise in a Y8 textbook on 18th and 19th century Britain there are only two pages devoted to Christianity despite its enormous influence on British society during this period. However probably the biggest omission in our history of this period is the profound effect that missionaries from these two countries have made on the world. The fact that a quarter of the world’s population now consider themselves Christians and that there are churches in almost every country of the world is in part due to the sacrificial lives lived by these missionaries. They laid the foundation of a worldwide church which God has sovereignly brought to life over the last 50 years with amazing revivals in South America, Africa, China, India and parts of SouthEast Asia. Interestingly whilst the missionaries laid the foundation of this move of God in most cases these recent revivals have been led by the local churches, often under significant persecution.

Therefore when we consider the grid set out in ‘1a) World Priorities’ we can see that the salvation of souls is by far the greatest good that can ever happen to a person, therefore this work of bringing the gospel to the world ought to be seen in that light and this should be reflected in our teaching of this period.