Sopheaktra Chan

Notes from Fennema Article

o Introduction:
1. There is no such thing as Christian education; there are only Christian
educators.
2. Only part of Gods Story is being told; Christian educators need to
hear the rest of the story
Statement 1 goes on to explain that curricular for schools around the world
is essentially the same, whether public, private, or faith-based.
Statement 2cited above is based on the truism that ones theology directs
ones pedagogy. All life is religious, and, as stated, our beliefs guides our
thinking about all things including education.
The biblical worldview presented in Section 1 of this book sought to be full-
orbed- all pervasive and comprehensive- in this regard.
Goal #1: (Revelation) To know the Sovereign and loving Father in fullness
through the three-fold manifestation of his World and Spirit and, thus receive
the new life in fullness.
Goal #2: (Response) To seek the coming of Gods kingdom.
Life-response step 1: Seeking the kingdom of God on earth as prophet
with true
Life-response step 2: Seeking the kingdom of God on earth as priests
with true holiness
Life-response step 3: Seeking the kingdom of God on earth as kings
with true righteousness
o The Mandate for Education-in-the-truth
3 Biblical reasons God-glorifying education is a mandate for parents
Because God is God
Because education is to be a testament of truth
Because it is the covenantal responsibility of believing parents
to their children (and grandchildren)
o The Vision for the Nurture of Children:
We desire that our children will-
1) Love God with all their heart, mind and strength
2) Glorify God in all things, enjoying him forever.
o The Mission of education:
The goals we have for our children/students are that they will-
1) Know the sovereign and loving father in fullness
2) Seek the coming of Gods kingdom
1. What does it mean to know biblically speaking?
Biblical knowing is holistic, involving head, heart and hands
Biblical knowing is also relational
This biblical approach to knowing is complementary to a biblical
understanding of truth.
2. What does it mean to know the sovereign and loving father?
Gods sovereignty and love are his two primary characteristics or
attributes.
3. What does it mean to know the father in fullness?
Sopheaktra Chan

If I were to postulate within most professional education circles that a

primary goal of education is to know God the father.
4. What does it mean to know the father through the three-fold manifestation
of his Word..?
Word, the Inscripturated Word and the Word Spoken through
Creation.
5. What does it mean to receive the new Life (Zoe) in fullness?
Zoe is the Greek word for Life from above through the Spirit,
6. What does it mean to seek the coming of Gods kingdom- his emanating and
effectual Presence on earth?
The kingdom of God is his emanating (radiating) and effectual (active)
Presence in and over all things, in heaven and on earth.
7. What does it mean to live life (bios) in fullness?
Life (bios) is biological life, the life we live each day
Fullness of life is more than being born again
8. What does it mean to be Christs faithful presence?
It is mirroring the Presence of God as his image-bearers; it is the
continuing the work of Jesus Christ as his body, his disciples.
9. What is meant by in all ways?
Seeking the kingdom in all ways is to image Christ-our Chief Prophet,
only High Priest, and Eternal king.
10.What is meant by in all things?
All things means: in every of nature, society, and culture- in all of
created reality.
11.What does for his glory things mean?
The ultimate purpose of life and education is the glory of God.

All the notes above are from Chapter 1 of The Fennema article.
Sopheaktra Chan

Reflection on Fennema

This article of Fennema teaches us that every education is meant to glory

God and his name. God is the only true God that created the world and the only true

God. I learned a lots from reading this chapter. I learned that educators are not only

the teachers at school but also the parents. The role of the parents is to help their

children to know God and to seek his coming kingdom, so that those kids can be

the servant of God and help other to come to God as well. Moreover, educators

include teachers as well, teachers supposed to be the image of God and help the

students to be the image of God as well. We all must know that every education and

everything that we do, we must give glory to God because he is our Creator.