Bible Course Philosophy

According to II Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  God has given man the gift of the Scriptures, in which He reveals to man the story of His faithfulness through the promises of the Old Testament and the fulfillment of those promises in the New Testament in Jesus Christ.  Through the work of the Holy Spirit, man is able to study the Scriptures to gain a greater knowledge of who God is, what He has done and will do, and how one should view the world.  It is in the Word of God that we learn the Truths of the Gospel message and see evidence of God’s faithfulness.  

In order for our students to develop a proper, Biblical worldview, they must know the contents of the Scriptures and know how to apply these truths to their daily lives.  The Scriptures were written hundreds of years ago in a specific cultural context, but are useful and relevant for all times and peoples.  Because of the complex nature of the text, (historical context, culture, and language) and the sinful nature of man, it is crucial that our students are taught to approach the Word intently, depending on the work of the Holy Spirit to examine God’s truth in each verse.  

At Heritage Christian School, we strive to equip the hearts and minds of our students by providing teaching that rightly interprets and applies the Word of God.  Through the reading of the Scriptures, modeling a relationship with Christ, and applying Truth in our lives and in our classrooms, we hope to build in the minds of our students a knowledge of the faithful acts of their Heavenly Father both in His Word and in the world today.  Though we desire for our students to be well grounded in content, we also strive to keep Bible training alive with enthusiasm and relevance.  Our desire is that our students will develop a proper, Biblical worldview, that they will know the contents of the Scriptures and how to apply those truths, and that they will be trained to impact people in the places they go with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

History Course Philosophy

God is sovereign over His creation and is working to bring about His plan of redemption in and through all of human history.  History is often thought of as the story of man and his response to God, but it must center on who God is and how He is working through all of man’s successes and shortcomings.  From the beginning of time as recorded in Genesis 1, God has been and continues to be at work in this world showing evidence of His grand plan of redemption through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Without focusing on God’s activity in history as recorded in the Bible, man would be merely searching for meaning and understanding in and through the events of history.  Many philosophers and historians have attempted to explain the events of the past, but it is only through the grace of God that man can see a glimpse of His plan.  Through a Biblical worldview, man can see God as a loving, gracious, and just God who has given hope to this world through redemption in Christ.  Without a focus on Christ’s redemptive work, the study of history becomes a process of speculating about our past, perceiving the present as not having purpose, and holding onto false hope about an uncertain future.  By God’s grace, for Christians, the study of history is not this at all.

God has given man the responsibility to study historical events from a Biblical worldview using a variety of sources to seek to ensure historical accuracy.  Within the scope of history, we find man’s developing understanding of many other subject matters including science, mathematics, economics, art, religion, and culture.  In this, two things about man stand out: his religious nature and his task to exercise stewardship over the earth.  Thus, it is imperative that students are taught to worship God alone and seek to fulfill their Biblical calling of stewardship, for all things were created by Him and for Him and in Him all things hold together. 

Language Course Philosophy

God established the use of language, both oral and written, as a means of revealing Himself to, and fellowshipping with, man.  Being created in the image of God, man was given the use of language as a means to relate with his Maker and fellowship with other people.  

Perfect communion with God, with each other, and with creation was broken when man and woman disobeyed God.  In the Language Arts, this brokenness is evidenced in the misuse and abuse of language in all forms, resulting in destruction of the relationships God created.  

It is by God’s grace that man is able to listen, read, write, and speak with meaning.  In response to this grace and out of a desire to glorify God, students should be taught to listen to instruction, to read with discernment, to speak with integrity, and to communicate logically and clearly in a variety of writing genres.  Within the skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing, student’s ability to comprehend and defend the Truth grows.  Pursuing excellence in the Language Arts should result in the formation of deeper relationships and a better understanding of other cultural, religious, and socio-economic perspectives. 

Mathematics Course Philosophy 

God has created this world with certain mathematical properties and holds it all together.  He has revealed Himself to man through His word and His creation as a God of order, detail, and pattern.  He has established and maintained order and rule, which man can come to see through his experiences with mathematics.  Symmetry, shape, consistency, detail, patterns and His infinite nature can all be discovered in God’s revealed creation.  With a thorough understanding of math, man is able to know more of who God is.

It is by the grace of God that man has been able to organize this knowledge of God’s revealed creation into a set of mathematical principles and methods and continues to develop new ideas.  Through learning these principles in context and applying them to his own unique situations, man is able to further develop the area of mathematics.

As fallen children of God, man is called to obediently pursue righteousness, truth, and justice in his use of mathematics.  This includes recognizing that numbers are not the ultimate source of wisdom and answers, but rather a tool to aid in solving problems.  Mathematics should be used responsibly in context.  Honesty and integrity need to be applied in measurement, statistics, data, financial calculations, and numerical communication.  Man is called to be obedient in his use of numbers in order to reflect the character of God and give glory back to Him.

The study of mathematics should cause man to marvel at God’s detail and careful planning.  He has made known to us some of the mysteries of the universe, has provided a means for understanding, organizing and categorizing that knowledge, and continues to hold the master plan.

 Science Course Philosophy

Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  It is God who has created the universe with specific scientific rules and principles.  In the areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science, man sees evidence of God not only as Creator but also as Sustainer.  God has also created man with the special task to fill, subdue, and rule over the earth.  In order to serve God by obeying that command, man must learn the inner workings of the universe and all forms of life.  Through direct experimentation, observation, collecting data, researching texts, and reviewing what has been done in the past, man is able to deepen his knowledge and understanding of the scientific principles God has created in this world.    

Because our culture is saturated by evolutionist teaching and atheistic beliefs, much time is spent in the science classes critically evaluating the viewpoints expressed by scientists with a variety of opinions.  This provides the students with the opportunity to think critically and logically about scientific theories.  At the same time, it breeds curiosity about the awe-inspiring creation, and as a result, the Creator.  The students are taught to analyze the opposing opinions and to defend the truths as God has outlined in the Bible.

In the study of science, man is led to reflect on the wonder of who God is and how He has planned all parts of the universe.   It is important to acknowledge that only God knows all things about how creation works, and it is only through God’s grace that we are able to learn about His creation.  When asking the questions, “Why does this work?” or “Where does this come from?” man must understand that the answers given through scientific processes hold true only because of God’s provision.  Colossians 1:17 says, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”   Science has a limited place in man’s life, and it is emphasized that it can never become the ultimate authority, falling into the trap of making oneself or science a god.  Science is to be used only as a tool to develop a greater understanding of the creation and man’s role in it based on a Biblical worldview.