A THEOLOGY OF EDUCATION

By
Edward Aligula

July, 2016
Nairobi, Kenya

Contents
A THEOLOGY OF EDUCATION........................................................................................ 2
Introduction................................................................................................................ 2
Theological Foundations of Education................................................................................2
Reality (Metaphysics).................................................................................................... 4
Knowledge................................................................................................................. 5
Rational Method........................................................................................................ 7
Empirical Method...................................................................................................... 7
Intuitive Method........................................................................................................ 7
Conclusion on Epistemological Methods..........................................................................8
Human Beings (Anthropology).................................................................................... 10
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................... 11
References................................................................................................................ 12

A THEOLOGY OF EDUCATION
Introduction
The author of this paper seeks to write about a theology of education. His viewpoint gives
a careful attention to Christian world and life view on key aspects of the education process. We
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exist in a pluralistic society with various theories. All educators have models or paradigms that
guide their thought and practice. Christianity is old and over the years and over the years, it has
developed educational models which have guided the churchs education and the society.
We are living in an era when science is playing an increasingly important role in our
everyday lives. Scientific knowledge is closely tied to empirical findings, and always remains
subject to falsification (to be disapproved) if new experimental observation incompatible with it
is found (Stanovich 2007, 123; italics by the author of this paper). The position of contemporary
scientism maintains that scientific inquiry, is the only reliable way of knowing (Knight 1980,
161-62 in Pazmino 1986, 88). What about the Christian position?
By almost any measure, the pace of change is staggering. Postmodern ideologies,
inventions and new technologies are having profound effects on our educational, religious,
economic, political, and social systems. In fact, most educators of today tend to rely much on
scientific inquiry as the only reliable way of knowing. However, the author of this work is in
opposition to this statement because of several reasons discussed in this paper.
Theological Foundations of Education
The Christians thoughts have influenced the educational thoughts and practices of the
church and the society. The Christians thoughts are rooted in the Holy Bible. Therefore, from
biblical sources, Christian educators have developed models for doing education. From these
sources, transcultural and absolute truths have been determined. These absolute truths influence
educational thought and practice.
One classical biblical reference is found in Deuteronomy 6:1, 2, 4-9. According to this
passage. The people of Israel are exhorted to remember Gods activities in their history, to teach
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Gods commands, and above all, to love, fear and serve God. The passage provides insights
about goals, the teacher, the student, the content and the setting of education.
The New Testament has built on the educational groundwork established in the Old
Testament. One major important thing in the New Testament is the emerging of the Master
Teacher, Jesus, who became the greatest Teacher of humankind. His teaching was dynamic and
became very powerful and successful. He has set a model that may guide educators in their
educational efforts.
From Hebrew times in the Old Testament to Jesus Christ in the New Testament, and
throughout the early Christians, church fathers and reformers, Christianity has come up with
insights which have formed a Christian philosophy that continues to influence educational
thought and practice.
The Christian philosophy has therefore, become the roots on which education stands to
nourish the educational curriculum, objectives, content and methods. Like any other philosophy,
the Christian philosophy must be clear on the four most important things, namely, Reality, Truth,
Value and People.

Reality (Metaphysics)
A persons notion of what is reality influences his or her educational decisions. Reality is
a question of Metaphysics Ontology. What is the nature of ultimate reality? Notably, different
writers and thinkers have varied interpretation of reality.

First, metaphysics serves as an alternative way of knowing because it deals with

theology, anthropology, ontology and cosmology. Evangelical theology stresses the authority of
the Scripture which functions as the basis of all authority. Theology provides the essential ground
or foundation of a thoroughgoing Christian philosophy of education. Second, anthropology
inquiry helps to gather information concerning the people as Gods creatures in relation to their
society and culture. Third, ontology inquiry poses the question of being and life. God is the
primary being while persons being is secondary derivative from God. Fourth cosmology raises
the questions of the cosmos, the universe and the world. Cosmological inquiry explores the
nature of persons as inhabitants of the cosmos and the purposes and goals of education in relation
to human responsibilities for the cosmos (Pazmino 1988, 83-85).
From the early Church, Christians have continued to affirm that the Scripture teaches that
God exists. The existence of God is a first truth and must logically precede and condition all
observation and reasoning. Who is God? The human mind can never define God or define His
being (1 Timothy 6:16). Only the infinite can comprehend the infinite. The nearest approach to
define God is the I am that I am of Exodus 3:14 which assumes His existence implying that
His essence can be known only to Himself. So, God can be known to us only through a
revelation of Himself. In our limited conception, we can see His revelation and our minds can
attribute some definitions to God. On the basis of what God Himself has revealed to us through
His creation, our conscience, the Scripture and Jesus, we can attempt imperfectly to define God
as a Spirit, holy in nature and attributes, absolute in reality, infinite in efficiency, perfect in
personality, and thereby the ultimate ground, adequate cause and sufficient reason for all finite
existence (Wiley 1940, 218). He is the Creator and Preserver of all finite existence. He is at once
immanent in creation and above and separate from it.
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Knowledge
All education is rooted in the idea of knowing (epistemology). The problem posed for the
Christian educator is how to maintain in creative tension those truths discerned through in a
discipline such as science with the truths revealed in Scripture while at the same time being
guided by love for God, others and the creation. In contrast to this, scientism denies the truth
that can be discerned through the revelation of the Christian faith and presupposes that
empirically based reason is the only medium for understanding. No wonder Huston Smith
observes that there are dangers of limited epistemology of scientism. Science values control,
prediction, objectivity, numbers, and signs while faith values surrender, surprise, subjectivity and
objectivity, words, and symbols (Smith 1979, 419-45).
Furthermore, Smith continues to say that, whereas science deals with the instrumental
values of utility, usefulness, service and control, faith deals with the intrinsic values of wonder,
awe, reverence, creativity, imagination, and promise. Whereas becoming is the dominant focus
of science, being/becoming is the focus of faith (Knight 1980, 161-62 in Pazmino 1986, 88).
Based on the above views of Smith, Pazmino (1985, 89) makes it clear that,
The faith perspective of Christianity provides an alternative way of knowing that
expands upon, but is not contradictory to the truths of science given that all truth
is Gods truth. The Christian is free to explore the insights of science discerned or
discovered through the use of reason and empirical observation in relation to the
natural world of Gods general revelation. But the Christian must be aware of the
potential forces of evil that would seek to exalt science inappropriately.
Joseph Spradley, supports that a Christian view of the physical world and nature
maintains that nature is real and good thus amenable to experimentation; therefore, empirical
science can be affirmed. A Christian view also maintains that nature is ordered and intelligible;
therefore theoretical science is appropriate. Finally, a Christian view maintains that history and
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culture have meaning and purpose. Thus applied science and technology can be fully affirmed
(Spradley 1985, 59-69).
Nonetheless, a Christian view of the physical world sees nature in the light of Scripture
and with a concern for culture. This involves a creative view of nature that recognizes the world
as real and good. It includes a critical view of scientific ideas and methods that looks to
Scripture for guidance, and for faith in the order and intelligibility revealed in creation. In
addition, it attempts a constructive view of culture that finds purpose and meaning in seeking to
improve the world for the good of humanity and the glory of God (ibid).
A person has to know what is reality and deal with how that reality is knowable.
Some truth must be there before a person tries to know something. No teacher will help anybody
to know what cannot be known. The process of knowing begins from where a person is towards
up. A person begins subjectively (epistemologically subjectivity) and proceeds up to the
objective reality (metaphysical objectivity).
From the starting point, educators must be convinced of the possibility of knowing
reality. Since truth exists, can I know it? God is real. His truth can be known. Truth itself
originates from God and it is objective and absolute. In its objectivity and absoluteness, truth is
complex. The human minds cannot reach all Truth. Yet human beings are able to think, to judge
and to know some ways which reflects Gods thoughts and knowledge. On this basis, truth is
knowable. People can know something about God and His created universe. But the complexity
of truths implies that there is no single way to discover all the different truth. Various truths may
be better discovered through different ways of knowing. Epistemological methods (methods of
knowing): Three methods are often are often used in attempting to know something.

Rational Method
Rational method focuses on the logical thought in knowing. Plato (427-347 B.C.).
Believed thank that knowledge was inborn and that this inherent knowledge emerges through
reasoning. Other thinkers such as Malebranche and Descartes have maintained that, we can
acquire information that cannot possibly be false by the use of our reason alone.
Empirical Method
The empirical methods begins with the actual situation of human life and examines the
kind of information we have, where we get it from and what degree of reliability it may have. Its
promoters include John Locke, ideas are to be regarded as elements that make up the mind. A
person may understand the mind and how it functions by analyzing its elements.
Intuitive Method
The intuitive method focuses on the human insights, feelings and emotions. For example,
the reality about love, faith, happiness, anger, etc. cannot be tested by empirical evidences. Only
by intuitive way can these be known.

Conclusion on Epistemological Methods

Due to the complexity of truth, no single way of knowing is sufficient to guide a person
grasp the various truths. Each of the methods of knowing has its strengths and weaknesses. For
example:
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First, rational method is very orderly and systematic, objective and cognitive. It helps to
quickly transmit information. On the weak side, this method is limited only to what can be
analyzed logically. It is less personal and more non-relational.
Second, the empirical method helps to reach verifiable facts and to see the different
elements of the whole. But on the weak side, this method cannot know some aspects of reality
that cannot be measured such as miracles, supernatural and faith. It assumes that the world is
very small and can be reduced into various compartments that can be verified.
Third, the intuitive method encourages personal creativity and is very integrative. It
recognizes the fact that some aspects of reality are empirical. It can help people understand and
experience spiritual matters and it encourages sensitivity to the feeling of others. On the weak
side, the intuitive method is very relativistic and very insensitive to verifiable facts. It is very
subjective and undervalues reasoning.
In summary, God is the source of truth. Wherever truth may be found it comes from God.
Christian thinkers have and continue to affirm that all truth is Gods Truth (Pazmino 1988, 90). It
is correct to state that some truths can be best known through the process of logical thinking
while other truths may be best known empirically and others intuitively.

Value (Axiology)
Both metaphysical and epistemological issues interact with axiological perspectives.
Axiology deals with questions of value involve both ethics and aesthetics. Ethics inquires
knowledge concerning moral principles and practices. Christian ethics deals with the reality of
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sin and the Christian calling of service and sacrifice in the world. Aesthetics is the study of
beauty and the creative dimensions in life. Christian aesthetics is based upon the fact that God
created a world of beauty which implies a personal responsibility to both appreciate and create
beauty (ibid).
People of all generations struggle to reach that which is viewed as the most beautiful and
the best. There are many things we value and declare good subjectively. Because something
will help us in some areas of need, we conclude that the thing is good and valuable to us.
Beauty is both subjective and objective. Subjective, our tastes communicate to us by
telling us that someone or something is beautiful. The greatest beauty is objective. The objective
beauty or value does not depend upon our tastes and does not change. The fact God created all
things and declared them good (Genesis 1:25), assures that all things of God are beautiful.
In teaching, the struggle is often between that which is regarded as good and that which is
viewed as better. Values must be integrated throughout educational practice so that persons can
be encouraged to act consistently in accordance with stated values. Values must be pursued in
communal and institutional context because people live in a communal and institutional world.
Yet our world is polluted by sin and people live in a situation of prejudice of all kinds such as
racial, tribal, national and sexual prejudice. Educational leaders must make efforts to integrate
the objective values in their educational settings. Our educational practice provides a meaning of
what we believe God to be. Learners learn quickly whether the community or institution puts
great value on ethnic harmony, equality of human beings or segregation, racism etc.
What do educators encourage in learners in matters of use of time, life, property? We are
called to a life of refusing efforts, forms and practices that are unfaithful to the objective values
and suggest alternatives consistent with these greatest values.
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Human Beings (Anthropology)

Our Christian understanding of people is that both male and female were created in the
image of God. This view can be summarized as follows:
Basically, the Scripture shows clearly that human beings did not create themselves. We
are Gods creation and He is our Creator. This implies that all human beings were created equally
good and beautiful.
In addition to the above, created in the image of God, people have minds, feelings and
will. This position gives men and women their dignity and their joy to live as a social
community.
Also Genesis 3 shows that sin has come in the world and has marred the image of God in
people. Men and women are sinners. Sin has separated people from God and from their fellow
humans.
Finally, the hope of people is in Jesus Christ. The victorious death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ is Good News for human beings. Jesus Christ came to redeem the rebellious people.
Through Him, people can be brought back to God.

CONCLUSION
In summary from the above discussion, we learn that insights of metaphysics,
epistemology and axiology give us an understanding that scientific inquiry is not the only
reliable way of knowing. Hence, the Scripture serves as the source of truth of which science is
inclusive. The writers conclude that there is a need for each Christian to have a proper
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understanding that natural sciences as part of the Gods knowledge revealed in the Scripture: it
ranges from anatomy, astronomy, botany, geology, physics, zoology, mathematics and others.

References
Stanovich, Keith E. (2007). How to Think Straight About Psychology. Boston: Pearson
Education.
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Smith, Huston, Excluded Knowledge: A Critique of the Modern Mind Set, Teachers College
Record (February 1979): 419-45.
Spradley, Joseph. 1985. A Christian World of the Physical World, in The Making of a
Christian Mind: A Christian World View and the Academic Enterprise, ed. Artur F.
Holmes. Downers Groove: Inter-Varsity.
Knight, George R. 1980. Philosophy of Education: An Introduction in Christian Perspective.
Berrien Springs, Mich.: Andrews University.

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