Education et Royaume de Dieu - Solas Centre for Public Christianity

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Schools: Battlefield
of Worldviews
Luc Bussière
SOLAS. Novembre 2013
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
1) Education: a battlefield
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Battlefield of Worldviews
• Jeremiah 1: 10 “See, I have appointed you this day over
the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to
break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to
plant. »
• Walter BRUEGGEMANN: “The task of prophetic ministry
is to nurture, nourish, and evoke a consciousness and
perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture around us” (The Prophetic
Imagination, Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2001, p. 13)
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Education = Teaching Worldviews
“Education never takes place in moral or
philosophical vacuum. If the larger questions
about human beings and their destiny are not
being answered within a predominantly JudeoChristian framework, they will be addressed
from within another philosophical or religious
framework – but not one that is neutral”
Richard A. Baer, 1984
A war between two kinds
of Wisdom
• James 3. 15; 17 : “This wisdom is not that which comes down
from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic (…) But the
wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without
hypocrisy”.
• 1Co 1. 19-21 “For it is written : “ I will destroy the wisdom of
the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the
debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of
the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through
its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well- pleased
through the foolishness of the message preached to save those
who believe”.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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2004. Curriculum for Excellence.
Scottish Executive. Goals of education.
• “To enable all children to develop their capacities as
successful learners, confident individuals, responsible
citizens and effective contributors to society. The
starting point for this process of change is the set of
values which should underpin policies, practice and the
curriculum itself. Wisdom, justice, compassion and
integrity: the words which are inscribed on the mace of
the Scottish Parliament have helped to define values
for our democracy.” (www.educationscotland.gov.uk)
Christian Schooling: other foundations,
other ways, other goals. Luc Bussière
SOLAS Nov 2013
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The first task of the church ?
• « The great commission is the second most
important task of the church. The first is for
believers to be prepared spiritually to spread
the message.” TOZER
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
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A war between two trees,
two sources (Gen 2. 9)
the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil.
The tree of life
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1 Samuel 13. 19-22
• « Now no blacksmith could be found in all the land of
Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews
will make swords or spears.” So all Israel went down to
the Philistines, each to sharpen his ploughshare, his
mattock, his axe, and his hoe. The charge was two- thirds
of a shekel for the ploughshares, the mattocks, the forks,
and the axes, and to fix the hoes. So it came about on the
day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in
the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and
Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son
Jonathan ».
• Blacksmith « charash » = masons, stonemasons, workers,
carpenters, artisan, (Zacharie 1)
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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To teach: a weapon
• To teach = « Yarad » in hebrew= « to send arrows «
• Deuteronomy 6 : « These words, which I am
commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You
shall teach them diligently (= sharpen) to your sons
and shall talk of them when you sit in your house
and when you walk by the way and when you lie
down and when you rise up »
• Psalm 127. 4 « Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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2) Where are the Signs ?
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
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Where are the reference points,
the signs?
• Change of definitions: the word « Family » for example. What about
the words « Father » and « Mother »?
• UNIVERSITY OR MULTIVERSITY ? The word « UNIVERSITY». The
modern idea of the school, in particular as it comes in focus in the
university, is very plainly Christian. The classical world had a few
academies, but the idea of the university was alien to it. The
presupposition of the university is a universe, a unified entity. This is
clearly the world created by one God, with one law, and one universe.
From top to the bottom, there is a unity. Truth is the same everywhere,
because God created all things. Mars and Venus do not have another
system of truth than we do. This seems so obvious to us, that we
forget that this concept is alien to antiquity, and increasingly alien to
many in our midst. Clark KERR, as president of University of California,
denied the idea of a universe in favour of a multiverse. He denied a
unifying truth in favour of the equal validity or invalidity of all ideas.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Epistemology: a
battlefield
“To resist this assault of humanism, a Christian must gain
epistemological consciousness; he must be aware of his theological
roots. Christian education presupposes one God, one law, one truth,
one universe. The Christian educator does not claim to have the
absolute truth, but he insists that truth is absolute, and it is real. His
body of truth has its canon, the Scriptures, as the rule of faith and
practice. To teach discipline from a Christian perspective therefore
means to presuppose, not a polytheistic multiverse, but the triune God
as Lord and Creator. It means that the world Is not a product of man’s
will and idea, but of God’s creative fiat. It means that there is a
universe of coherency and meaning, that, instead of brute or
unintelligible and meaningless factuality, we have a universe of total
meaning, because it is totally the handiwork of God. The universe is
not only a universe of meaning but of law. There is necessity in that
law and meaning, violations of which produce unhappy consequences.
That order of necessity comes from God, not man”. Rousas John
RUSHDOONY.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
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Where are the signs?
• Psalm 74 : 3-4. « Turn Your footsteps toward the
perpetual ruins; The enemy has damaged everything
within the sanctuary. Your adversaries have roared in the
midst of Your meeting place; They have set up their own
standards for signs. »
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
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Where are the signs?
• Psalm 74 : 7-9 « They have burned Your sanctuary to the
ground; They have defiled the dwelling place of Your
name. They said in their heart, Let us completely subdue
them. They have burned all the meeting places of God in
the land. We do not see our signs ; There is no longer any
prophet, nor is there any among us who knows how
long.. »
• Judge 17: 6: « In those days there was no king in Israel;
every man did what was right in his own eyes ».
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
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A boat in the midst of a storm. Acts 27
•
Acts 27. 20 « Since neither sun nor
stars appeared for many days, and no
small storm was assailing us, from
then on all hope of our being saved
was gradually abandoned. »
• When we lose signs, points of
reference to drive our lives, we lose.
•
Acts 27. 29 « Fearing that we might
run aground somewhere on the rocks,
they cast four anchors from the stern
and wished for daybreak. »
• Hope is an anchor of the soul.
Hebrews 6. 19
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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In France, Government wants to put
another foundation for the schools.
• Vincent PEILLON, minister of Education, said that the
goal for secular morality is to make students free from
all determinism, family, ethnic, social, intellectual, for
the student to be emancipated, because the goal of the
public school has been always to form free individuals.
• The Minister of Justice, Christiane Taubira said in front
of the Parliament that « in our values, Education has to
make the student free from all social or religious
determinisms to make them free citizens.”
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Gender Theory in all
schools.
• The new foundation for school in France is to teach
about gender’s theory for students who are 6 years old.
• The goal is to fight against all gender stereotypes, and to
destroy this ideology of complementarity between men
and women for more equality in the society.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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To change definitions
• The official instructions say:
• Don’t use more words like « boys » or « girls »,
use now words like « friends » or « children ».
• Stop telling stories to the children with dad
and mam…
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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The Universal Declaration of
Human Rights
• « Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of
education that shall be given to their children ». (Art.
26.3).
• European Convention on Human Rights « Everyone has
the right to go to school. This right is crucial to the
exercise of the other human rights, and to the freedom
and independence of every person. The State has a duty
to respect the right of parents to ensure this education
and teaching in accordance with their religious and
philosophical convictions ». Article 2 of Protocol No.1
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
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3) Greek Wisdom and
Hebraic Wisdom
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The conception of Truth
Greek perspective
Christian perspective
• Truth is a fact.
• Truth is a person, Christ
• What truth do you know?
• What about your relation
with truth?
• Truth is a point
• Truth is a way
• Truth is static
• Truth is living
• Truth can be what we say
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
• Truth is more how we live
than what we say
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Education?
Hebrew point of view Greek/ secular point of
view
Education’s
beginning.
Knowing God
Essential quality
of education.
God’s holiness. To be The exaltation of
« separated » for
knowledge. To have a
God.
good job, to succeed.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Knowing man
Man exalts man and his
knowledge.
Education for…
…For all: boys and
…for priviledged
girls, and not only for persons.
privileged persons.
Education to
develop…
… the whole person, …. Abilities and
body, soul and spirit. talents.
To learn… for what
goal?
To worship God
To understand, to
succeed
The content of
education.
To know God, His
Word, and to live in
submission to him.
To know ourselves
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Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Greek
Hebrew
Reality
What is important is
what is measurable.
Container is more
important than
content. What I can see
is important.
What is important is
content, character,
essence. 1 Samuel 16. 7
«God sees not as man
sees, for man looks at
the outward
appearance » .
Truth
Truth has to be
uncovered. Truth is in
mankind, man has to
remember to find it.
He can identify himself
with God.
Truth has to be
revealed. Truth is not
in mankind, Truth is
not outside mankind.
Mankind is in truth.
Man don’t possess
truth and he is not
dispossessed
Virtue
Virtue is a knowledge.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.To judge well= to do
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Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
well.
All are sinners.
Nobody is righteous.
Man needs to be saved
Individual and person
Individual’s value is to be
part of a whole: nature,
city
Person is created by God,
is an image of God.
Because of that, person
needs respect and love.
What kind of love?
This kind of love is
focused on qualities:
beauty, abilities,
intellect…
This other kind of love is
focused on the person.
God’s love is free. God
loves man because he is a
person, and not because
of qualities or abilities.
To be and to do
To do is more important
than to be. Man has to
dominate and possess
nature. He can be saved
by works.
To be is more important
than to do. Focused on
identity first.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Knowledge. Two points
of view.(a)
Secular point of view
Biblical point of view
Knowledge = more
informations
Knowledge is active, and needs an
answer to God who is speaking
through his creation. 1Jn 1 :16. Revel
22 :15.
Knowledge is deeply linked with love.
God knows us in His love. We know
people when we love people.
Knowledge has nothing to
do with love
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Knowledge. Two points
of view (b)
Knowledge is impersonal
Knowledge is personal
Knowing God is not the same thing as
knowing about God.
Knowledge doesn’t need a frame
Knowledge and Covenant are linked
Knowledge’s sources are sense,
reason, intuition, authority.
Knowledge’s source is also revelation
Knowledge doesn’t need a concrete
application.
Knowledge and practical application
are linked
Knowledge doesn’t engage my
responsbility
Knowledge engages my responsibility
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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4) The goal of education: to
impart wisdom!
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David and Solomon
•
1Chro 22:5: « David said, “My son Solomon is young and
inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the
Lord shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous and
glorious throughout all lands. Therefore now I will
make preparation for it.” So David made ample
preparations before his death. »
•
1 Chro 22: 11-12 « Now, my son, the Lord be with you that
you may be successful, and build the house of the Lord
your God just as He has spoken concerning you. Only the
Lord give you discretion (= WISDOM) and understanding,
and give you charge over Israel, so that you may keep the
law of the Lord your God »
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
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Solomon’s prayer
• 2Ch 1:10-12 « Give me now wisdom and knowledge,
that I may go out and come in before this people, for
who can rule this great people of Yours?” God said to
Solomon, “Because you had this in mind, and did not ask
for riches, wealth or honour, or the life of those who
hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you
have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you
may rule My people over whom I have made you king,
wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I
will give you riches and wealth and honour, such as none
of the kings who were before you has possessed nor
those who will come after you »
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Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
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Wisdom’s manifestation
• 2Ch 9:3-6 « When the queen of Sheba had
seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which
he had built, the food at his table, the seating of
his servants, the attendance of his ministers and
their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and
his stairway by which he went up to the house
of the Lord, she was breathless. Then she said to
the king, “It was a true report which I heard in
my own land about your words and your
wisdom. »
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What about WISDOM?
I ) Wisdom’s “seat”.
II ) Wisdom has three main aspects.
III ) Wisdom’s foundation
IV ) Wisdom and Kingship
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I ) Wisdom ’s « Seat »: human heart
• Proverbs 2: 10-11 « For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be
pleasant to your soul; discretion will guard you, understanding will watch
over you »
• Psalm 90:12 « So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You
a heart of wisdom. »
• 1 Kings 3: 9-12 : « … I have done according to your words. Behold, I have
given you a wise and discerning heart,… »
• Jeremiah 24: 7: “I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and
they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me
with their whole heart.”
• 1 Kings 5: 9-14: Wisdom interprets reality
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Think about:
• Education’s heart is the heart of education
• It’s because of the choices of my heart I
believe in this philosophy or in this
pedagogy, I interpret creation like this or
like that.
• “Education is simply the soul of a society as
it passes from one generation to another”.
Gilbert K. Chesterton
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Heart is:
• Will’s seat
• Intellect’s seat
• Emotional life’s seat
• Ps 51: 12 «Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and sustain me with a willing spirit (= heart)».
• Mat 5. 8 « “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God. »
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II) Wisdom has three
main aspects
a) Practical, experimental aspect
a) Didactic aspect
a) Theological aspect
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a) Wisdom: Practical, experimental aspect
• Proverbs 1: 5 « A wise man will hear and increase in
learning, And a man of understanding will acquire
wise counsel »(= tachbulah= guidance, to guide a
boat for example)
• 1 Kings 7:14 : « he was filled with wisdom and
understanding and skill for doing any work in
bronze. »
• Exodus 31: 3 « I have filled him with the Spirit of
God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge,
and in all kinds of craftsmanship”
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b) Wisdom: Didactic aspect
• Proverbs 1:8 : « Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake
your mother’s teaching »
• Proverbs 4:1-2: “Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention
that you may gain understanding, for I give you sound teaching; do not
abandon my instruction.”
• This didactic aspect speaks about a content of wisdom more systematic,
more intellectual.
• Wisdom here shapes culture, interprets it (1 Kings 4). Cf Jesus « You have
heard… but I say to you » (Matthew 5)
• Ephesians 3: 10 « so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made
known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly
places»
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Wisdoms interprets reality
• 1 Kings 4. 29-34 « » Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very
great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on
the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all
the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was
wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and
Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the
surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his
songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in
Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke
also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish. Men
came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all
the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom”.
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C) Wisdom: Theological aspect
• Wisdom belongs only to God :Job 12 :13, Job 28: 21
- 28 ; Es 31 : 2 ; Dn 2 : 20-23, Romans 16: 27 «to the
only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory
forever. Amen.»
• The universe and mankind have been done by this
creative wisdom (Ps 3 : 19; 8 : 22-31; Jeremiah
10 :12; Job 10 :8 ; Ps 104 :24 : « O Lord, how many
are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all;
the earth is full of Your possessions. »)
• Natural and historical processes are governed by
God’s wisdom. (Es 28 :23-29; Es 31 : 2 )
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III ) The fear of the Lord:
the beginning of wisdom
• Pr 1: 7 « The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge »; Pr 9:10…
• Three meanings:
• Religious : faithfulness in front of the God of Covenant
• Moral : a personal behaviour
• Meaning linked to the law : obedience to the Law
• The fear of the Lord is not only the beginning of
wisdom, it teaches also wisdom. Prov 15:33. “The fear
of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom” ,Wisdom
teaches.
• Job 28:28: « Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is
wisdom »
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What Reformers said
about the fear of God and education.
• Martin BUCER : “Teachers don’t only teach reading
and writing to their students, but they educate
them in the fear of God, discipline and good
manners.”
• Guillaume FAREL : “teachers needs to have the gift
of teaching with the fear of the Lord”.
• John KNOX: Earl Morton at Knox’s funeral
pointed to his grave and said, “There lies a man
who never feared the face of any man”. Was that
not the secret of his great success? He feared
nobody because he feared God.
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IV) Wisdom and Royalty
• Pr 1 : 8 « Hear, my son, your father’s
instruction and do not forsake your
mother’s teaching ; indeed, they are
a graceful wreath to your head and
ornaments about your neck. »
• Pr 8. 15 « “By me (wisdom) kings
reign, and rulers decree justice. »
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Proverbs 4: a generation of
kings and Queens
• Pr 4: 1-9 « Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father, And attend
to know understanding: For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye
not my law. For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only
beloved in the sight of my mother. And he taught me, and said
unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my
commandments, and live; Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget
not, neither decline from the words of my mouth; Forsake her
not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all
thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote
thee; She will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will
she deliver to thee »
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IV ) Mordecai and Esther:
how to prepare queens?
• The book of Esther in the
Bible.
• Mordecai, the WISE man
• Esther: the training of a
queen.
• Pr 21. 22. « A wise man
scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the
stronghold in which they
trust.
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Two crowns
The crown of wisdom
A crown of thorns
•
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A glorious exchange
• 1 Corinthians 1 : 30 « But of him are ye in Christ
Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God,
and righteousness and sanctification, and
redemption »
• James 1. 5 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let
him ask of God, who gives to all generously and
without reproach, and it will be given to him”
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5. The Sign of Immanuel
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God’s answer: Immanuel
• Isaiah 7. 14 « Therefore the Lord Himself will give you
a SIGN :Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a
son, and she will call His name Immanuel. »
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Christ, the cornerstone, the Sign.
• In THEOLOGY, Jesus Christ is « the fullness of Deity » (Col 2 :9 ) ;
• In PHILOSOPHY, Christ is the LOGOS of God, the Word of God,
(Jn 1. 1)The WISDOM (1Co 1. 30)
• In ETHICS, Christ is « the light » ( Jn 1 :9 ; 3 :19-20 ) ;
• In BIOLOGY, Christ is « the life »( Jn 1 :4 ; 11 :25 ; Col 1 :16 ) ;
• In PSYCHOLOGY, Christ is the « Saviour » ( Luke 1 :46-47 ; Titus
2 :13 ) ;
• In SOCIOLOGY, Christ is « The son »(Luke 1 :30-31 ; Isaiah 9 :6 ) ;
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Christ, the cornerstone, the Sign.
• In LAW, Christ is the legislator (Gen 49 :10 ; Es 9 :7 ) ;
• In POLITICS, Christ is « the King of Kings, the Lord of
lords» (Rev 19 :16 ; 1 Tim 6 :15 ; Es 9 :6 ; Luc 1 :33 ) ;
• In ECONOMICS, Christ is the owner of all things (Ps
23 :1 ; 50 :10-12 ; 1Co 10 :26 ) ;
• In HISTORY, Christ is the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1 :8)
• In EDUCATION, Christ is the only master: “One is your
teacher”
. (Mat 23. 8)
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Colossians 2. 1-3
• « For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on
your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all
those who have not personally seen my face, that their
hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in
love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the
full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true
knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in
whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge. »
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God’s answer: teach the nations!
• Daniel 12. 3 « And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of
the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars
forever and ever »
• The word “Teacher”, in French, is “ENSEIGNANT” = a “SIGN”
• Matthew 28. 18-20 « And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “ All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. »
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Christ the centre
• Abraham KUYPER: “There is not a square inch in the
whole domain of our human existence over which
Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, "Mine!”
• Francis SCHAEFFER: « Despite our constant talk
about the lordship of Christ, we have narrowed its scope
to a very small area of reality. We have misunderstood
the concept of the lordship of Christ over the whole man
and the whole of the universe and have not taken to us
the riches that the Bible gives us for ourselves, for our
lives, and for our culture ». Art and Bible
• DOOYEWEERD: there is no neutrality in theoretical
thinking. All culture is a product of its philosophy and
philosophy is a product of religious presuppositions.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
55
Christ is Lord of all things
• Francis SCHAEFFER: « Christ is Lord of all- over every
aspect of life'. It is no use saying He is the Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the end, the Lord of all
things, if He is not the Lord of my whole unified
intellectual life. I am false or confused if I sing about
Christ's lordship and contrive to retain areas of my own
life that are autonomous ». (Escape from reason)
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
56
Francis Schaeffer
• Jesus Christ is Lord
over all areas of life:
'True spirituality cannot
be abstracted from
truth at one end, nor
from the whole man
and the whole culture
at the other. If there is
a true spirituality, it
must encompass all'.
(The God who is there)
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
57
Christ Lord of our lives
• We must acknowledge and then act upon the fact that if
Christ is our Saviour, he is also our Lord in all of life. He is our
Lord not just in religious things and not just in cultural
things such as the arts and music, but in our intellectual
lives, and in business, and in our relation to society, and in
our attitude toward the moral breakdown of our culture.
Acknowledging Christ’s Lordship and placing ourselves
under what is taught in the whole Bible includes thinking
and acting as citizens in relation to our government and its
laws. Making Christ Lord in our lives means taking a stand in
very direct and practical ways against the world spirit of our
age as it rolls along claiming to be autonomous, crushing all
that we cherish in its path.
• (Francis A. Schaeffer, The Great Evangelical Disaster, Ch. 1)
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
58
Spirituality covers all of
reality
• True spirituality covers all of reality. There are
things the Bible tells us as absolutes which are
sinful -- which do not conform to the character of
God. But aside from these the Lordship of Christ
covers all of life and all of life equally. It is not only
that true spirituality covers all of life, but it covers
all parts of the spectrum of life equally. In this
sense there is nothing concerning reality that is not
spiritual.
• (Francis A. Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto, Ch. 1)
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
59
Get all the education you can. Master as much of the intensive and
extensive fields of knowledge as possible, but with all your getting, get
wisdom. Remember always that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom.
Know history, and experience the history of redemption.
Study geography, and learn the way to the River of Life and the City
whose Builder and Maker is God.
Study geology, and plant your feet upon the Rock of Ages.
Study zoology, and bow in reverence before the majesty of the Lion of
the tribe of Judah.
Study botany, and yield your soul to the sweet influence of its Rose of
Sharon and Lily of the Valley.
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
60
Study astronomy, and follow the gleam or your soul’s Bright and
Morning Star that has risen with healing in His wings.
Study psychology, and sit at the feet of Him who knew what as in
man.
Study law, and light your torch in the flame that burned on Mount
Sinai.
Study medicine and keep en rapport with the Great Physician.
Study business administration, and be fervent in spirit, serving the
Lord
Study art, and practice the art of fine living.
Study philosophy, and remember always that the highest philosophy
is the formula of a perfect life” Daniel. L. Marsh. « The place of Religion in Education
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
61
Elisha’s anointing
• 2 Kings 4. 34. « And he
went up and lay on the
child, and put his mouth on
his mouth and his eyes on
his eyes and his hands on
his hands, and he stretched
himself on him; and the
flesh of the child became
warm. »
Schools : Battlefield of Worldviews. 2013.
Luc Bussière. SOLAS.
62
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