The Philosophy of the Christian Curriculum
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A curriculum is not neutral: it is either a course in humanism or training in a God-centered faith and life. The liberal arts curriculum means literally that course which trains students in the arts of freedom. This raises the key question: is freedom in and of man or Christ? The Christian art of freedom, that is, the Christian liberal arts curriculum, is emphatically not the same as the humanistic one. It is urgently necessary for Christian educators to rethink the meaning and nature of the curriculum.
It should be clear then that whether history, science, mathematics, grammar, literature, ecology, civic duty, or law, every aspect of curriculum must be reconstructed along Biblical lines. The overall objective is for Christian families to prepare and equip themselves for service in the Kingdom of God, and this cannot be done without a rethinking of the philosophy of the Christian curriculum. In this study, Rousas John Rushdoony develops the philosophy of the Christian curriculum. It is the pioneering study in this field, and it is important reading for all Christian educators.
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Rev. R.J. Rushdoony (1916β2001), was a leading theologian, church/state expert, and author of numerous works on the application of Biblical law to society. He started the Chalcedon Foundation in 1965. Β His Institutes of Biblical Law (1973) began the contemporary theonomy movement which posits the validity of Biblical law as Godβs standard of obedience for all. He therefore saw Godβs law as the basis of the modern Christian response to the cultural decline, one he attributed to the churchβs false view of Godβs law being opposed to His grace. This broad Christian response he described as βChristian Reconstruction.βΒ He is credited with igniting the modern Christian school and homeschooling movements in the mid to late 20th century. He also traveled extensively lecturing and serving as an expert witness in numerous court cases regarding religious liberty. Many ministry and educational efforts that continue today, took their philosophical and Biblical roots from his lectures and books.
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