Christian World View – Adult, Graduate, & Online Studies

July 28, 2023cwilkins No Comments

Building a Vibrant Online Community by Dr. Cindy Wilkins

I hope you’re all doing great! Today, I’m excited to chat about how to make our online community a truly Christ-centered and supportive space for our students. Here are some ways we can nurture our connections and grow together!

Let’s Embrace Love and Respect

One thing that’s super important in our faith is love. So, as we interact with our students, let’s ensure we show genuine care and respect. When they feel valued and heard, they’ll feel more comfortable opening up, leading to meaningful connections. When I have something critical to say to a student, I’ve started entering my response into ChatGPT and asking it to revise so the message is “firm but compassionate”. The ChatGPT response is usually much longer than my submitted response, but the wording is excellent! I tweak some of the phrases to make the message more personal (for example: “our institution” becomes “Belhaven”) and make other changes as appropriate, but I use most of what ChatGPT presents as my message. One big bonus to taking this extra step: I find the ChatGPT response filters out any emotion I might have put into my response (I know none of you ever get exasperated with your students and struggle with how NOT to let that show in your response) but relays the same message in a kinder, gentler way.

Support Each Other Through Prayer

Life can be tricky sometimes, and that’s why it’s essential to create a space for prayer in our virtual classroom. We can let our students share their prayer requests; as a community, we can pray for each other. It’s a beautiful way to show support and care for one another. In the “Course Resources” section of your course, there are “Prayer Request” and “Questions for the Professor” discussion options. Student submissions to these areas are not automatically triggered by your “To Do” notifications, so you must check them regularly to avoid overlooking a student needing help. But, if you habitually check regularly and respond to student concerns, word spreads rapidly among students in your class, and they start posting more frequently. As a bonus, you develop a cohort of loving, caring individuals who pray for each other and support each other through the rough patches.

Be All About Servant Leadership

Do you know what makes a real difference? Being a servant leader! Leading by example and showing our students how serving others is at the heart of our faith is an effective way to spread the message of love. When they see us putting others first, they’ll be inspired to do the same, creating a caring and supportive atmosphere. Offering grace whenever possible is also a visible testimony to servant leadership. While we must maintain the academic integrity of our courses, programs, and university, we must also support our students when they need exceptions. I know that many times I’ve had to swallow my feelings of “but this is a graduate program, and we shouldn’t need to . . .” when dealing with student issues or demands, sometimes exceptions are warranted. If you have a sticky issue with a student and don’t know what options you may have, please get in touch with me so we can discuss different ways to address the situation. Sometimes bending the rules is the right approach, but please work with me before you try to bend them too far!

Celebrate Together and Give Thanks

Whenever something extraordinary happens, let’s remember to give thanks and celebrate! We can acknowledge that our achievements result from God’s blessings. By sharing our joy and gratitude, we’ll strengthen the sense of community among us We can use this blog to celebrate together and give thanks. You can use the announcement section of your course to celebrate and give thanks for your students’ achievements and successes.

Disclaimer: I used ChatGPT to help identify potential topics for my blogs, including this one, but the thoughts and ideas expressed are mine. Upcoming potential topics, as identified by ChatGPT, include the following: enhancing online learning, improving course design, supporting diverse learnings, fostering academic integrity, leveraging student feedback, and sharing success stories.

If there are specific topics you would like me to address, please let me know in the comments section below. I look forward to seeing our online community flourish with our Christ-centered approaches. Together, we can create an environment where students learn, grow spiritually, and feel supported by their professors.

In Christ,

Cindy

April 16, 2019Rick Upchurch 2 Comments

Round Peg, Square Hole???? I Don’t Think So.

Have you ever tried to fit a round peg into a square hole? Me either, however, the concept grabs your imagination and immediately communicates that trying to do so, won’t work well, if at all. Many people have that same impression about the inclusion of a Christian worldview focus in higher education coursework. The thought is that any attempt to incorporate a Christian worldview into such subjects as accounting, business, psychology, etc. is like trying to fit that round peg into a square hole. From my experience working at other universities, some of them Christian, I discovered that perspective is more common than not.

I think what contributes to this perspective is that most faculty have never themselves been exposed to educational experiences which challenged them to defend and articulate faith in relation to their professional area of study/expertise. Because of this lack, I find that sometimes our faculty are hesitant to raise the issue or open the class up to genuine dialogue about the Christian worldview. They feel uncomfortable talking about their own faith and worldview and so it is glossed over. Belhaven’s curriculum is written with the goal of challenging students to think about the intersection of their course content with their faith and be able to articulate a Christian worldview. But, that assumes the active participation of the Instructor for the full benefit to be achieved.

Earlier today I spoke with a recent graduate of our MBA program. She had also been an undergraduate student with Belhaven. As we talked she expressed the impact the discussions on Christian worldview had on her, and how impactful it was in her education and personal development. This isn’t the first or even the fiftieth time I’ve heard such comments from our students and alumni. I’ve heard it enough that I’ve become a full convert to the importance of having these discussions in the classroom, regardless of subject, and the need to challenge our students to self-examination and growth in their personal worldview.

So, round peg in a square hole? I DON’T THINK SO. I think the dicussion of a Christian worldview related to any subject is a perfect fit. If you struggle in this area, let’s get together and discuss ways to make it work and connect with others in your subject area to help with teaching ideas and strategies.

If you feel you do this well, let me know, perhaps we can arrange a webinar or a blog post to share your success in this important area.

January 15, 2019Rick Upchurch No Comments

Student Testimonial

Sent by a Chattanooga Student:

To my esteemed instructors & staff at Belhaven,

I want to thank you for the significant impact you have had on my heart, my mind, and my spiritual growth over the past four years during my undergraduate studies. You inspired me to take each subject into my heart, infusing each one with a biblical application that brought meaning and importance never before seen. You helped me to assign words to my Christian worldview, and to embrace my biblical beliefs boldly. You pointed the way for me to look back at my life, to identify how my worldview was formed and to appreciate the gifts I was given in my upbringing. You were patient when life got tough and I needed Grace on a deadline here and there. You directed me to the One who would provide exactly what I needed in every course, every day, and every week. You helped to identify the talents God gave me and encouraged me to believe it is never too late to become the person He planned for me to be. You gave me a safe place to be in community each week, in prayer, in vulnerability with one another, and in trusting friendships.

Because of you, I became a more effective employee, a more compassionate friend and a closer-walking disciple of Jesus. The BSM diploma and the James W. Park award are humbling honors I will always cherish, but they hold more meaning because of the many ways my life was enriched by you.

Thank you, and God bless you,
Susan (Scarbeck) Anderson

September 17, 2018Rick Upchurch No Comments

Worldview and the U.S. Constitution, Part 1

By Dr. Paul T. Criss

In honor of Constitution Day, September 17, 2018, I thought it would be appropriate to write about the worldview from which the Constitution was written. There are a whole bunch of people out there that think the United States Constitution has nothing to do with God. There is even a book out there used in law schools called The Godless Constitution where a couple of professors from Cornell say that we have a secular government governed by a secular document. Modernism is at the root of the problem because it separates history from its context. What was the context of the writing of the Constitution? What did the founders intend by what they wrote? These are the questions we should be asking as we interpret and apply the Constitution. Those who penned the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights did so from a Christian Perspective. There are seven reasons why the Constitution is not a godless document, but rather stems from the Christian worldview.

The first reason the Constitution stems from a Christian worldview is found in Article 7. It is the clause that incorporates the Declaration of Independence into the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence acknowledges God four times, but opponents say that we are not under the Declaration, we are under the Constitution. Eleven years later, the framers left God completely out. Really? That makes the mistake that the two documents were meant to be separated. The Founders intended that the two documents were irrevocably intertwined; they go together. Samuel Adams said, “Before the formation of the Constitution, the Declaration of independence was received and ratified by all states in the union, and it has never been disannulled.” The Declaration has never gone out of force. It was completed before the Constitution and it is a key document. Even the early U.S. Supreme court said, “The Constitution is but the body and letter of which the Declaration is the thought and the spirit…it is always safe to read the letter of the Constitution in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence.” They could not be separated.

The Constitution cannot be understood without the Declaration. John Quincy Adams said, “The Declaration of Independence was the platform from which the Constitution of the United States had been erected. The principles proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence were embodied in the Constitution of the United States.” The foundation cannot be pulled out from under the structure of the Constitution. Consider the Constitution and Declaration as you would the documents needed to call a corporation into existence. Two papers must be created and filed: the first is the Articles of Incorporation; the document that calls the corporation into existence – the reason the corporation is to exist. The second document that must be filed is the Bylaws – this is how the corporation will operate under the Articles of Incorporation. So the Articles of Incorporation provide the purpose and the Bylaws provide the practice; the “what/why” and then the “how.” The Bylaws are never allowed to violate the Articles of Incorporation. The way you operate the company cannot violate the reason it was called into existence. This is why the Declaration and Constitution cannot be separated. The Constitution cannot exist without the Declaration.

The Supreme Court pointed out that you cannot understand the Constitution without the Declaration. They said that if you want to understand the intent of something in the Constitution, then “determine the evil which was intended to be remedied.” If you want to understand why the Second Amendment was added, then determine the evil or abuse they meant to prevent. They wrote this material down to ensure that these abuses never happen in America. Within that framework, look at the articles in the Constitution. If you go to Article 1, Section 5, Paragraph 4: “neither house during the session of Congress shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days to any other place in which the two houses shall be sitting.” Why? Go back to the Declaration and look in the 27 grievances, where they pointed out 27 abuses that Great Britain enforced upon the thirteen colonies. Grievance four in the Declaration discusses how the King would adjourn one body of Congress for months or move their meeting location away from needed resources to frustrate their progress when they were proposing something against his will. This was designed to prevent a specific problem going on at the time. Article 1, Section 4, Paragraph 2: “Congress shall assemble at least once a year and such a meeting shall be on the first Monday in December unless they shall by law appoint a different day.” Why? It is the solution to grievance five in the Declaration. Article 1, Section 8, Paragraph 4 says “the purpose is to establish as uniform rule of naturalization and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcy throughout the United States.” Why? This is the solution to grievance seven in the Declaration. The grievances stated in the Declaration directly correlate to what is stated in the Constitution; therefore, the two documents cannot be separated. It is the only way to understand the two documents.

For the same reason Article Seven, the last line of the Constitution, says, “done in convention by the unanimous consent of the states present the seventeenth day of September in the Year of Our Lord, one-thousand seven hundred and eighty seven.” But then there is another clause: “and of the independence of the United States of America the twelfth.” Why did they date the Constitution back to the Declaration? They did not believe they had created a new document, they were expressing that it was an extension of the Declaration from 1776. To this day, Constitutional Acts signed by the President do not date back to 1787, rather they date back to the Declaration and 1776. That is why it cannot be separated and the first reason we can know it stems from a Christian worldview. Article Seven connects the Constitution to the Declaration; the Declaration acknowledges God four times and sets forth the value system under which America is to operate which is “the law of nature and of nature’s God” – natural law and the Scriptures.

The second reason the Constitution stems from a Christian worldview is the source of its ideas. The Constitution contains ideas that had never before been set forth in a previous government’s documents. A full republic with checks and balances – a marvel among humankind. Where did they get these ideas? Political science professors at the University of Houston collected representative writings out of the founding era (1760-1805) and analyzed who they quoted to find out where they got their ideas. They collected fifteen thousand writings and identified 3,154 direct quotes of the founders; it took them ten years, but they took every quote back to its original source and discovered the top one hundred sources. They published their findings in a book called The Origins of American Constitutionalism. Out of all the writings that were out there – Rousseau, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Hume, Hobbes – the one that was quoted more than any other was Baron Charles Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws at 8.3% of the quotations. The next quoted source was Sir William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Law at 7.9%. The third most cited individual is John Locke’s Two Treatise’s of Government at 2.9%. These are the top three cited individuals, but the number one source cited was the Bible at 34%. That is a good indication that they did not think this was a secular document because this was their primary source. Article 1, Section 8 about immigration compares with Leviticus 19:34. Article 2, Section 1 says the President has to be a natural-born citizen from Deuteronomy 17:15 which says the head of your nation has to be born from among you. Article 3, Section 3 deals with witness for capital punishment for treason, but two people must testify to it in open court; this compares with Deuteronomy 17:6 says you cannot be put to death unless it is established in the mouth of two to three witnesses. Article 3, Section 3 prohibits bills of attainder; Ezekiel 18:20 prohibits these in the Scripture. You can see the Bible throughout the Constitution, but because secularists never read the Bible, they are blind to these connections.

More reasons to come…

Recommended Resources used in this blog: GOD and the Constitution and Original Intent by David Barton. www.wallbuilders.com

July 9, 2018Rick Upchurch 1 Comment

Context: A Required Fundamental for Hermeneutics and Analysis

by Jon Pirtle, Full-Time Instructor, Atlanta

Recently I was invited to speak at a local church gathering on the biblical worldview with regard to some hot button issues in our culture. That’s a pretty common request, so I did not expect anything unusual to come of it. Boy, was I going to be surprised. About forty adults, forty to eighty-year-olds, assembled monthly to discuss current events. I knew several people in the class on a casual level. We shared a passion for history, so I was excited about being with them in their current events class. The evening arrived. I entered the church, greeted folks, engaged in small talk, and then the class leader introduced me and asked me to pray. After that, we distributed printed agendas so the class would have a road map of topics for the evening’s discussion.

We were in a political season in GA. The primary elections for governor and other state offices had been held just days before. Arguably, like much of our nation, the class divided when it came to social issues and politics. The atmosphere had been cordial, respectful, and dignified when I entered. But when the topics of politicians’ stances with regard to illegal immigration, special “rights” for the LGBTQ demographic, liberation theology, and “social justice” engagement came up, the atmosphere changed. Some of the men’s voices grew louder. I watched three of the women’s faces grimace. Several wives squeezed their husbands’ hands as if to say, “Patience.” I was hearing Solomon’s admonition in my mind (ESV): “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29). In short, I sensed things were going south … quickly, and I had not even spoken yet. What was I going to do?

Then something happened that made me realize I had an opportunity to hopefully bring calm to the room and draw the focus to the biblical worldview. One man cleared his throat and said loudly enough we were all sure to hear, “You know, it’s not our place to judge! Jesus told us to ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’” He then sat back in his chair as if he’d settled every issue for the night.

What shocked me was this: the class as a whole seemed knocked off their positions due to one man’s quotation from part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Suddenly I felt like Esther. Was I here for such a time as this? I believe I was, so I raised my hand. The class leader looked at me and said, “Jon, you have something?” “Yes, I do. May I ask a few questions and then just make a comment or two?” I asked. “Sure,” he said.

“I heard someone say that we are not to judge. Is that right?” I asked.

“Yes,” came a wave of affirmations from the class.

“Do you know what the Lord says in the following verses?”

Silence filled the room.

“Jesus tells his followers to not throw pearls before pigs. Isn’t he judging? Isn’t he making distinctions? He called some people pigs—foul animals to his first-century Jewish audience.”

Again, silence.

“Furthermore, Jesus tells us in that same sermon to not condemn sanctimoniously but to remove the logs from our own eyes. Does that not require us to judge, to discern, our own shortcomings? Isn’t judgment involved there?” I pressed.

I knew I might make some enemies by drawing them to the text, but the text of Scripture must be interpreted correctly. Otherwise, all sorts of misapplications can occur with supposedly biblical grounds. Proper context is key.

This is the way I ended, and for the remainder of class I just listened.

“Folks, may I suggest something to you? You are in a current events class. You spent half an hour excoriating politicians with whom you disagreed. Some of you condemned the president for wanting American sovereignty and laboring to build a wall to protect legal American citizens; others of you recognized that social justice is encroaching, and even overtaking, some mainline Protestant denominations. You condemned your political and theological enemies, and you lauded those with whom you agree. How can you misapply Jesus’ words about judging? Your whole class is designed to have you think biblically—to judge, to discern, what God would have you think and do. Does that make sense?”

I share this story from my own life only to reiterate what we need to do with our own writing and when we teach writing to Belhaven students. When we quote Scripture, context is key. Explaining and understanding the whole and proper context of a verse/passage/book, etc. of Scripture is essential in our vocation as educators and Christians. When Paul neared the end of his life, and was about to be executed for his Christian witness, he wrote to Timothy crucial words for all of us, too, to heed: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

June 13, 2018Rick Upchurch 1 Comment

Our “In” is Christ

by Dr. Kotina Hall, Dean, Belhaven-Atlanta

Never before have universities witnessed such generational diversity inside the classrooms. Such a mix should foster a wealth of exchange and variety, including complex experiences. I personally believe that such settings extend beyond the academic walls, lending themselves to the complexities that exist in our society. Interactive exchange affords students opportunities to not only learn from others and to respect their insights, but it also ignites them to critically think to best ignite the application of their own knowledge, spawning the hope for an environment for systematic engagement. Yet, amid this rich mix, there is also an “increase of failing institutions” (Lederman, 2017). I am deeply concerned.

As I often share, during my daily commute I pass more than six colleges and universities. The average student lives more than 40 miles away and can travel up to one or two hours to attend Belhaven University-Atlanta. These statistics reveal that Belhaven University-Atlanta is indeed a university of choice and have caused me to ponder greatly about the survival of our campus in a mecca of ivy-league schools in the south. What makes Belhaven University unique? What is our “in”?

Our “in” is the fact that we not only have a Christian worldview embedded into our curriculum, but the fact that we have an opportunity to openly and boldly live out our creed throughout the day. All institutions have the same 24 hours, but we are distinct in that we have 24 hours to work where we are equipped to live out, speak out, teach about and meet about an all-knowing, all-powerful and awesome Christ. That’s our “in”! No other institution can say that.

As we go out into the fields to create maximum shareholder value, we must do more than post billboards and pass out postcards or heavy-weight business cards; we must boldly share our “in!’” We cannot sell our curriculum if we do not mention Christ. We cannot build solid alliances if our stakeholders do not understand our mission. Our unique and diverse student body cannot appreciate and value our differences if they do not understand the foundation upon which our great institution was built.

The world is constantly changing. Too many are hungry for short-term solutions and less concerned about the welfare of humanity; and sadly, many institutions have moved from “ministry to business” in order to survive. In doing so, they have taken their focus off of Jesus Christ and placed it into systems and business practices.

I am praying that Belhaven University will not change. It is my hope that Belhaven University will continue to promote diversity and encourage heightened, differentiated thought, and transformation learning. In doing so, it is my belief that Belhaven University will posture herself to continue to reevaluate her organizational focus – stand in righteousness, stand up for excellence, stand out from the crowd and stand firm for Christ. Each stance will continue to be our hallmark, but the latter will always be the one to take Belhaven University to unanticipated levels as we follow His prescribed plans.

April 4, 2018Rick Upchurch No Comments

Webinars to Inform and Improve

Greetings,

We are working on a re-design for the Faculty Resources tab of our site and in the process the webinars, which have been listed there, have all been moved to YouTube for easier access. As I was compiling these links I reviewed some of the webinars and was reminded of the wealth of information these contain. I’m posting that information below and encourage you to look over the list and review a couple yourself – I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Don’t forget to register for the upcoming Webinar of the Faculty’s Role in Student Retention – see the calendar link on this page to register.

APA and Grading Writing Across the Curriculum. Presenter: Dr. Everett Wade https://youtu.be/HFeLIpg2lUk

Bring Life to Your Classroom. Presenter: Dr. Ed Garrett https://youtu.be/urKi7DGVGQM

Christian Worldview: Practical Applications for the Classroom. Presenter: Dr. Paul Criss https://youtu.be/jFm9nNoFoXc

Effective Use of Library Resources. Presenter: Dr. Kim Priesmeyer https://youtu.be/CxpBGF8AHAs

Introducing Critical Thinking into the Classroom. Presenter: Rosemary Foncree https://youtu.be/HotogEC0PEc

Plagiarism: Helping Your Students Avoid It. Presenter: Dr. Kim Priesmeyer https://youtu.be/jFmhBggVdzw

Student Engagement Strategy: Experimentation. Presenter: Dr. Thomas Randolph https://youtu.be/vvOAQl2Q_48

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Foster Critical Thinking. Presenters: Dr. Jerald Meadows & Elizabeth Juneau https://youtu.be/Qdt7Mu5sGno

Using Canvas to Facilitate Team Projects. Presenter: Dr. Rick Upchurch https://youtu.be/RWuMnPtAvZA

Millennials in the Classroom. Presenter: Emma Morris https://youtu.be/0kgNsVN3SDs

Canvas Updates 2017. Presenter: Joe Villarreal https://youtu.be/0wWkVfKNNbA

Andragogy: Adult Learning Theory Applied. Presenter: Dr. Rick Upchurch https://youtu.be/KnDc3zfpvrs

Accessing Case Studies from Belhaven Library. Presenter: Charles Gaudin https://youtu.be/3k_X6RQ5jvM

January 30, 2018Rick Upchurch 1 Comment

The Soul of the University

I’ve just started reading Restoring the Soul of the University by Perry Glanzer, Nathan Alleman, and Todd Ream. In the introduction they state, “Redeeming the Christian university’s soul starts by recognizing that if we are made in God’s image and the world is made by God, we must first know God if we are to truly know who we are and what the world is.” (p.10) As I reflect on this quote and the title of the book, I am thinking about both in the context of Belhaven University. What I see reassures me that, at least at Belhaven, there is no need to restore the Soul to the University, for Belhaven can truly sing “It is Well With My Soul.” You no doubt have heard of the upcoming retirement of Dr. Dan Fredericks, our Provost. Due to his efforts and, many others, the Soul of the University has been carefully strengthened and nurtured over the years. The emphasis on fully incorporating a Christian World View into every aspect of Who and What Belhaven is has impacted lives, and through our graduates, their communities and the world.

For us, it is not about restoration. Instead, it is about maintaining and enhancing the ground already gained. This is the charge for all of us in the roles God has called us to play here at Belhaven. For Faculty, you nourish the Soul of Belhaven through your interactions in the classroom: teaching, counseling, and modeling what it means to be called of God and saved by grace. Your faith, your commitment, your discipleship are a reflection of His love into the lives of our students and our University. We cannot rest on the past, as Paul writes, “I focus on this one thing; Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Phil 3:13b,14) I am excited to see what God has in store for the future of Belhaven University.

January 12, 2018Rick Upchurch No Comments

2018:MLK50

by Dr. Paul Criss, Dean – Belhaven University Memphis/DeSoto

2018 commemorates the 50^th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968. As we celebrate the life of Dr. King this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and then prepare to commemorate the tragic day of his assassination, it seems important to reflect on his life and message. I am sure that many of you will have questions raised in your classes and you will want to encourage your students to take some time for reflection. This is especially needed due to the social unrest we have been experiencing in our country and even in academia recently.

Many students and leaders in academia are looking for glimpses of hope and truth within the current social framework. I believe our best source for reflection is history and Scripture, as did Dr. King. In his book on the history of the Civil Rights movement, David L. Chapell describes the movement as not political, but as primarily religious and spiritual. White liberal leaders in the North who were allies of the African American civil rights leaders were not advocates of civil disobedience or of a direct response to segregation. Believing in the goodness of human nature, they supported education and enlightenment to bring about social and racial progress; however, that would not be enough. Chapell argues that African American civil rights leaders were rooted in the biblical understanding of the human sin nature and in the rebuke of social injustice offered by the Hebrew prophets. He also shows that it was their vibrant faith that empowered them to press for justice despite the often violent opposition to this biblical standard. Chapell concludes that there is no way to comprehend what occurred until you see the Civil Rights movement as a religious revival.¹

Dr. Timothy Keller builds on this understanding specifically addressing Dr. King’s living out of this biblical ethic in his book The Reason for God:

“When Martin Luther King, Jr., confronted racism in the white church in the South, he did not call Southern churches to become more secular. Read his sermons and ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ and see how he argued. He invoked God’s moral law and the Scripture. He called white Christians to be more true to their own beliefs and to realize what the Bible really teaches. He did not say, ‘Truth is relative and everyone is free to determine what is right or wrong for them.’ If everything is relative, there would have been no incentive for white people in the South to give up their power. Rather, Dr. King invoked the prophet Amos, who said, ‘Let justice role down like waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream’ (Amos 5:24). The greatest champion of justice in our era knew the antidote to racism was not less Christianity, but a deeper and truer Christianity.”²

That is the key, not only to all intellectual endeavors, but also to all social progress – to become truer as individuals and as a society to a deeper and truer Christianity. As your students inquire and as you reflect on what happened 50+ years ago and on what is happening today, it is hoped that we will personally inch closer to the biblical standard and that we will lead others to do the same.

Resources

¹ Chappell, David L., A Stone of Hope: Prophetic Religion and the Death of Jim Crow (University of North Carolina Press, 2003).

² Keller, Timothy, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (New York: Penguin Random House, 2008).

Helpful Online Resources:

January 9, 2018Rick Upchurch No Comments

7 Laws of the Learner

7 Laws of the Learner is the title of a book by Bruce Wilkinson published in 1984. The focus is on understanding how students learn and ways to enhance student learning. Because Dr. Wilkinson is a Christian, biblical principles are applied throughout the material. He draws out the word for teach in Deut. 4:1 and learn in Deut 5:1 and shares that they have the same root.

According to Hebrew grammar, the fundamental idea … means to busy oneslef eagerly with student’s learning. Do you see how the Bible’s mindset is the opposite of the normal mindset? The Bible says that teaching means “causing learning.” This is the heart of the Law of the Learner. No longer can you or I consider teaching merely as something the teacher does in the front of the class. Teaching is what the teacher does in the student. How do you know if you are a great teacher? by what your students learn. p. 26-27

I know we have great teachers working at Belhaven. I know you are passionate about your students and their success. I know you go beyond expectations to do all you can to achieve student learning. We are blessed by a faculty who recognize the biblical foundations of what they do and strive to do what they do “as unto the Lord.”

May God bless you for all you do and the lives you are impacting by your faithfulness.

Category: Christian World View