on or dogma.[4]
Christian educators believe that some concepts, like union with the divine, can only be experienced through praxis because of the inability of the human mind to comprehend the infinite. Many secular educators also adopt the view that language has limits in expressing the infinite. In this sense, the theoretical world grounds the world of praxis, but in the world of praxis theories that are tasted and considered to be invalid or dogma either evolve or become extinct through the process of education. It is through tasting diverse theories and putting them into action that individuals become educated and, ultimately wise, reconciling the worlds of truth and action.
Assumptions about God, Human Nature, and Society
I have a number of assumptions about God that apply to my personal philosophy of education. One coincides with Anthony and Benson's claim that "God's word is preeminent."[5] Another assumption is that God's word as written in the Bible is sufficient for the moral development of all human beings. This aligns with Christian Catechism that "God's word contained in the Bible has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct."[6] I also believe that as a model or teacher of moral conduct, there can be no teacher greater than Jesus Christ. Only Christ and knowledge of Christ can teach ultimate moral conduct, since all human beings have sinned and cannot know a sinless condition from a Christian perspective. Greater knowledge of Christ can help Christian and secular educators use His example to instruct students in moral conduct.
Where human nature is concerned, I view human beings as spiritual creatures that were purposefully created by God in His image. Human beings exist in a continued relationship with God, with good and evil being defined in human nature by how well humans are able to conform to God's word and the example of Christ. God controls all of ...