Have you ever asked yourself about the meaning of Thanksgiving in America? As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, remember to retain the original gratefulness to God that has always been the spirit of the oldest of all American holidays. (Below are representative examples of the scores of Thanksgiving proclamations penned by various Founding Fathers.):
[Congress] recommended [a day of] . . . thanksgiving and praise [so] that “the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and join . . . their supplication that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, to forgive [our sins] and . . . to enlarge [His] kingdom which consisteth in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Continental Congress, 1777 – written by SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION SAMUEL ADAMS AND RICHARD HENRY LEE
[I] appoint . . . a day of public Thanksgiving to Almighty God . . . to [ask] Him that He would . . . pour out His Holy Spirit on all ministers of the Gospel; that He would . . . spread the light of Christian knowledge through the remotest corners of the earth; . . . and that He would establish these United States upon the basis of religion and virtue. GOVERNOR THOMAS JEFFERSON, 1779
[I] appoint . . . a day of public thanksgiving and praise . . . to render to God the tribute of praise for His unmerited goodness towards us . . . [by giving to] us . . . the Holy Scriptures which are able to enlighten and make us wise to eternal salvation. And [to] present our supplications...that He would forgive our manifold sins and . . . cause the benign religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be known, understood, and practiced among all the inhabitants of the earth. GOVERNOR JOHN HANCOCK, 1790
The late Dr. D. James Kennedy said it well when he said that we should remind ourselves of and remember to give thanks for “all the good and pleasant gifts from above that we enjoy, one thing becomes evident: If God has done so much for us, there is no need to be anxious about anything. Not only does thanksgiving dissolve anxiety, it transforms the commonplace into the sacred. When we give thanks, we remind ourselves of the presence of God.”
Your gratitude often determines your altitude, and that my friend is an attitude! An anonymous once wrote that “Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessing.” I say Amen to that! So on Thanksgiving Day remember that “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Chris Jesus for you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18) From my family to yours have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Educating to Produce a Christian Worldview
Christianity and Culture outlines key elements in educating to produce a Christian worldview and includes an evaluation on the nature and integration of Word centered(Bible-based)learning across the curriculum. What is a worldview? In its simplest form, a worldview is an all-inclusive perception or view of the world; hence, a collection of beliefs about life. A thorough analysis of the relationship between worldview, knowledge and practice helps us to understand or reflect on our thoughts about God, man, humanity, philosophy, spirituality, religion and everything that pertains to life and godliness.
How can the people of God (Christians) honor God with their minds? In order to achieve the God-centered goal of teaching to produce the Christian worldview, the Christian church must adhere to the call to “study to show yourself [ourselves] approved unto God.” The words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-3 and Colossians 2:8 are relevant for today: “…And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God…” (Romans 12:2) and “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8) often echo in my mind.
As I studied the above scriptures and examined various texts related to the history of education, Christianity and culture; and it was then that I realized the connection between conflicting worldviews in our time. According to Church history, Rome conquered the world militarily, but it is said that the Greeks conquered Rome intellectually. This is precisely what has been occurring in America and the western world for the past century. America has conquered the world militarily for the cause of freedom, but has lost the greatest battle of all, that of the minds and souls of what was once considered a Christian nation. In many ways, the moral decline and ethical scandals that we have recently witnessed are all a result of our acceptance of secular humanism and secularism as a nation. Consequently, the infiltration of various liberal philosophies is evident in our schools, our courts of law, our scientific endeavors in medicine, our culture as a whole and even within the fabric of our churches and houses of worship.
It is my hope that this book would serve as a catalyst for change and an antidote to the current trends in our society beginning in our educational institutions. Human philosophies and secular worldviews are often spread through the vehicle of teaching and learning. No society has ever experienced change (transformation) without the active contribution of Christians within the moral fabric of the culture. Jesus commanded us to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28: 19 – 20); and He said to “…Do business till I come” (Luke 19:13). The reader will find that this book conveys a commanding sense of purpose, passion, and appreciation for the teaching profession.
How can the people of God (Christians) honor God with their minds? In order to achieve the God-centered goal of teaching to produce the Christian worldview, the Christian church must adhere to the call to “study to show yourself [ourselves] approved unto God.” The words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-3 and Colossians 2:8 are relevant for today: “…And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God…” (Romans 12:2) and “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8) often echo in my mind.
As I studied the above scriptures and examined various texts related to the history of education, Christianity and culture; and it was then that I realized the connection between conflicting worldviews in our time. According to Church history, Rome conquered the world militarily, but it is said that the Greeks conquered Rome intellectually. This is precisely what has been occurring in America and the western world for the past century. America has conquered the world militarily for the cause of freedom, but has lost the greatest battle of all, that of the minds and souls of what was once considered a Christian nation. In many ways, the moral decline and ethical scandals that we have recently witnessed are all a result of our acceptance of secular humanism and secularism as a nation. Consequently, the infiltration of various liberal philosophies is evident in our schools, our courts of law, our scientific endeavors in medicine, our culture as a whole and even within the fabric of our churches and houses of worship.
It is my hope that this book would serve as a catalyst for change and an antidote to the current trends in our society beginning in our educational institutions. Human philosophies and secular worldviews are often spread through the vehicle of teaching and learning. No society has ever experienced change (transformation) without the active contribution of Christians within the moral fabric of the culture. Jesus commanded us to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28: 19 – 20); and He said to “…Do business till I come” (Luke 19:13). The reader will find that this book conveys a commanding sense of purpose, passion, and appreciation for the teaching profession.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Rationale for my book on Christianity and Culture
The idea for Christianity and Culture: a Christian Perspective on Worldview Development first came to me from my involvement in the educational enterprise starting with my participation as a lifelong learner, academic/ career advisor, youth mentor, minister and Christian educator. Over the course of my educational journey, I came to the realization that higher education in America, has had, and continues to have, a great impact on the worldviews in our culture. As I began to do the research for the manuscript, I could not help but notice how the minds of most Christians are filled with the philosophies and worldviews of the secular world, even though they were inside the Church! My research questions were driven by a desire to contribute to the body of knowledge concerning spiritual formation and worldviews in academia, namely how education can shape the minds and hearts of college students concerning their views of God, man, nature and the world.
If you or someone you know has been inundated by humanistic, liberal and secular indoctrination, the redemptive solutions in this text will impart the tools necessary to produce a Christian worldview. It seems that if developing a Christian worldview is dependent on an ever-deepening knowledge of God and His Word, then our educational experience plays a major role in the spiritual formation of our deepest convictions. The findings of this study supported the notion that worldviews are correlated to our philosophy of life as formed by the furnishing of the mind (for better or for worse). In that case, the implications support an educational ministry context that helps people grow spiritually, not just intellectually. Consequently, the Christian student will be blessed, knowing that his heart is planted by the rivers of water, like the man who walks “not in the counsel of the ungodly” (Psalms 1:1-3); but is continually rooted and grounded in the Word of God (Col. 2:7-8).
For further information on purchasing a copy of Christianity and Culture: A Christian Perspective on Worldview Development, visit my website www.christianityandculturetoday.com
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