Institute for Christian
Teaching
Education Department of
Seventh-day Adventists
INSTILLING
CHRISTIAN VALUES INTO THE EXTRA-CURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES OF
AN ADVENTIST EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
by
Ron du Preez
Professor of Religion
North American Division
Prepared for the
28th
International Faith and Learning Seminar
held at
Babcock University, Ilishan,
Nigeria
June 17-29, 2001
Introduction
When I
entered the 9th grade at a Seventh-day Adventist academy I seriously
applied myself to my studies. As a result, at the end of the first term, I
ended up with straight A's, and at the top of my class. But, when I compared my
grades with those of my fellow classmates, I discovered that the next highest
grade point average was a "C." Since I was merely interested in being
"number one" in class, I decided that I really did not have to study that faithfully. Consequently, there was
a steady and marked decline in my grades, even though I still managed to retain
first place. Unfortunately, in the competitive environment of that Adventist
school, I ended up "proud of my mediocrity"![1]
How
could this have occurred in a school that was set up to teach the virtues and
values of Christian character? Yes, I had faithfully gone to Bible classes,
where we studied about the sacrificial life
of Jesus Christ; how He had consistently lived to uplift others and not
Himself. And yes, I had even attended chapels and worships, where further
instruction was given on being a humble
Christian. Why had I then become so self-concerned?
What had therefore "gone wrong" in my educational experience?[2]
Before proceeding further, it must be noted that this essay is to a large extent a continuation and extension of another one titled "Integrating Faith in the Pre- Post- & Co-Curricular Practices of an Adventist Campus." Thus, since most of the introductory materials, and all of the "Theo-Philosophical Basis" for integrating faith into the peri-curricular practices of Adventist schools has been presented there, it will not be repeated here. Instead, this essay will proceed, keeping in mind the background as provided in the other paper.
By way
of reminder, it should be noted that the term extra-curricular, as used in these essays, refers to the host of
non-classroom practices and policies of an educational institution that, though
unintended, do convey specific values to its students. This concept includes
all officially permitted activities participated in by students, either on or
off campus, which are not part of the institution's planned non-classroom
curriculum; this includes things such as videos and television programs viewed,
student club events, recreational activities, entertainment practices, etc.
This essay will go into depth on a selection of these issues, as they relate to
faith integration.
Quantitative Reports
Even a
cursory reading of the Bible indicates that on various occasions records were
taken of the growth and development of God's people.[3]
Unquestioningly, record-keeping is useful and frequently necessary in order to
assess improvement and progress. This is clearly visible from figures such as
the 3000 baptized after the preaching of Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts
2:40). Furthermore, there is nothing inherently evil in setting targets or
goals. However, there is all too frequently a dangerous downside to this
elevation of success–pride in personal achievement.[4]
This abominably arrogant attitude is quintessentially epitomized in
Nebuchadnezzar's braggadocio: "'Is not this great Babylon that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?'" (Dan 4:30, emphasis
added).[5]
The result? With the swiftness of an eagle he was reduced from a boast to a
beast!
One of
the more subtle dangers in this focus on figures is faced by those who are
involved in full time "work for the Lord." It seems so easy to take
credit to ourselves for providential blessings and divinely-bestowed successes.
I will probably never forget the "global evangelist" I met at an
international airport one day. After our brief chat, we exchanged business
cards. Other than personal data, which I have omitted or changed to conceal his
identity, his card reads as follows:
John Smith, an apostle to the
nations, has preached in more than 55
nations, to tens of thousands of
people around the world, he often preaches at the largest churches in
nations.
He spends 7 hours a day with God...
4 hours a day in prayer and 3 hours
a day in the Word of God.
In 1999 he preached in 40 nations, all in one year, and might be the first
man in the history of Christianity to
preach in 40 nations in one year.
In 1999 he preached in every nation in Central and South
America, all in one year, and might
be the first man in our time to have
done that. (Emphasis added).
All
that, and more personal data, on his regular-size small-print business card.
Admittedly, this is an extreme example, but the danger must be recognized for
what it really is–the danger of pride in
personal performance, the risk of self-glorification!
Thus,
while we must acknowledge that there is a place for financial figures,
quantitative analyses, and numerical records, is it really necessary to elevate
statistical reports to the "number one" position, as so often done?
The number of new students enrolled;
the number of courses being offered;
the number of books in the library;
the number of faculty with
doctorates; the number of computers
in the lab; the number of graduates;
even the number of baptisms! This
fixation on figures conveys the impression that quantity is of considerable
consequence. Yet, when overemphasized in this way, it may reflect a secular
value system that ignores qualitative development. It might be instructive to
note here that only eight persons were saved in the ark (1 Pet 3:20; cf. Gen
7:13), and that Jesus Himself warned: "Wide is the gate and broad is the
way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is
the way which leads to life, and there are few
who find it" (Matt 7:13b, 14, emphasis added). Notice, that it is only the
few who find salvation!
In view
of the fact that a holistic education seeks to promote Christian values such as
unalloyed quality, unswerving commitment, a striving for mastery and excellence
in all things, altruistic self-sacrificial service, and a Christ-centered
humility, would it not be more congruent with this theologically-sound
objective to reassess the entire concept of "success," and then
report things in such a way as to enhance a faith-based perspective? For example,
in an apparent attempt to focus more on quality than quantity, at least one
Adventist congregation has stopped announcing the number of baptisms. Instead,
they do report how many Bible studies are being conducted, the natural result
of which is baptisms. They seem to be thus more focused on the process and
quality of spiritual growth rather than merely on numbers.
Instead
of a Dean's List (which emphasizes essentially academic achievement), why not
establish a "President's List," which seeks to recognize all students who model a consistent and
harmonious development of all the basic values and objectives of the
institution? Quality growth can also be assessed by means of pre- and
post-tests, improved community relations, the overall tone and general content
of student publications, the growth and success of the work program, improved
methods and results in student retention, the vibrancy and spontaneity of
voluntary spiritual activities initiated and conducted by students,[6]
the growth of spiritual mentoring programs, the improved health awareness and
wellness practices of students and employees, student and employee involvement
in optional community and church-related activities, the quality and relevance
of scholarly faculty publications, the state of the institutional loyalty of
administrators, faculty, staff, students, and even alumni, the exit reflections
of students, as to the perceived quality and value of their educational
experience, especially extra-curricular practices, and the selection of
"Alumni of the Year,"[7]
who live exemplary lives that are "Bible-based, Christ-centered,
service-oriented, and kingdom-directed."[8]
In
brief, the focus should not be facts and figures, but rather an integrated and
comprehensive perspective of the development of dedicated students who seek to
be faithful to the Lord, as they serve the church, the community, and the world
as a whole.
Lifestyle Consistency
While
others have dealt with this issue of modeling more in depth,[9]
the purpose of this section is rather to reemphasize lifestyle, from the
perspective of consistency and integrity, together with a couple of relevant
examples.
Living
as a committed Christian, the apostle Paul could say: "Imitate me, just as
I also imitate Christ" (1 Cor 11:1). Indeed, as Ellen White indicated,
"one example is worth more than many precepts,"[10]
and it "will preach louder than words."[11]
Recent research has now confirmed this very point, indicating that positive
faculty role modeling contributes to "long-term commitment to Christian
beliefs and behaviors by graduates of Christian colleges and
universities."[12]
If this is so, then administrators, faculty, and staff must seek to practice
what they preach, becoming exemplary role models "of the Christian graces
and professional competencies."[13]
Consider,
for example, the case of an SDA educational institution that, while permitting only a vegetarian diet in the
cafeteria, raises beef cattle as one of its main sources of income from its
farm. When students realized this, they quickly charged the institution with
being hypocritical. Paul Brantley aptly remarks: "Students readily detect
faith that is phony and discontinuous rather than integrated. They know when
our deeds fail to match our creeds."[14]
Thus, while the "Total Commitment Document" calls "the faculty
and staff to a consistency of life-style,"[15]
unfortunately, there is sometimes a "tension between creeds and deeds,
between believing and living."[16]
A
similar health-related anomaly becomes apparent when there is a public
promotion of a vegetarian diet as being the best, and yet the practice is one
of providing meat at official faculty/staff socials, both on and off campus.
For example, after his request was denied to hold a flesh-serving fund-raising
function on campus, the departmental chair of an educational institution wrote
a letter of appeal to an administrator, citing some examples of non-vegetarian
on-campus activities as precedent-setting events.[17]
Recognizing that, "faculty modeling is a primary force in motivating
students to adopt new behaviors and a key factor in implementing programs
promoting wholeness,"[18]
and aware that "students tend to fashion their lives more according to
what the teacher does, than by what is said,"[19]
it would be prudent for institutions to foster a more consistent pattern
relating to dietary practices, as well as all other areas. This would include
things such as the music that employees play and listen to, the TV and video
programs they watch, their personal appearance related to dress and adornment,
the diet they practice both at home and away, the manner in which they observe
the seventh-day Sabbath, the way they relate to fellow employees as well as
students, and the manner in which they redemptively discipline students. For,
as John Wesley Taylor aptly remarks: "If we want our students to become
authentic Christians, then we as educators must set the pace, thinking and
living Christianly."[20]
Put simply: "Spirituality is more easily caught than taught."[21]
How is
this to be accomplished? Veteran Adventist educator, George Akers, states:
"Teachers who are immersed in Scripture and who enjoy a deep spiritual
experience with Christ can communicate to their students a nonverbal message
that comfortably harmonizes reason and revelation, scholarship and
religion."[22]
Obviously, this does not mean that the Bible must be used in every class, but
it does mean that "its principles saturate every class, because they
saturate every teacher."[23]
Or, as Edward Norton put it in his doctoral dissertation: "The principles
of Christian education can only be
made alive through a teacher who has an experiential relation with God and who
is living a life of selfless service to others."[24]
Entertainment Practices
Mass
media is an overwhelmingly powerful social institution. In fact, as Delyse
Steyn notes: "Television is the most dominant medium and its marriage with
rock 'n roll in the music video are significant forces that both in style and
content, reflect the spirit of the age, which therefore need to be understood
in terms of influence on thinking and feeling."[25]
Others, such as Australian graphics designer Daniel Sheehy, have been more
direct, pointing out specific problems. Sheehy "stated that film
techniques distort reality, overload the nervous system, and force subliminal
acceptance of actors' values (51 percent of whom condoned adultery, 80 percent
favored homosexuality, and 97 percent were pro-abortion, one study
showed)."[26] In a
similar vein, lamenting the wave of decadence portrayed on television, James
Sire identifies the moral views of the modern media: "Happiness is
associated with money, sex and power.... Fathers are weak and bumbling....
People are depicted in morally compromised situations as if they were the
norm."[27] Then
he warns: "When decadent morality is portrayed as normal, this morality
seeps into the consciousness of viewers,"[28]
and their moral powers are "unwittingly eroded."[29]
More recent research has confirmed the above concerns, indicating that
"the media in all forms have become a primary influence on the moral
development of youth in our society;" thus, it plays a major role, that
"is often destructive."[30]
A study
of Scripture shows that there are certain basic principles regarding what
believers should permit into their minds. The classic passage is found in
Philippians 4:8: "Whatever things are true,... noble,... just,... pure,...
lovely,... of good report,... praiseworthy – meditate on these things."
The same sentiment is reiterated in Colossians 3:2 (KJV): "Set your
affections on things above." Or, as the Psalmist prays: "Turn away my
eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way" (Ps
119:37). For, "I will set nothing wicked before my eyes" (Ps 101:3).
With so
much evidence demonstrating the serious negative effects of much of the average
television programming, the Christian campus will need to be especially
vigilant as it attempts to educate its students concerning this all-pervasive
medium. The challenge is "to teach our young people how to examine and
understand the effects of media."[31]
Hopefully, courses such as Film Evaluation, and Christian Ethics will provide
basic biblical principles and criteria for students to "develop critical
viewing skills"[32]
that they can use in determining which videos or TV programs to watch. Steyn
appropriately notes:
If education is to be
redemptive, and its focus is on the restoration of the image of God in man,
then a study of the mass media must be given a place in the curriculum...
[since] it has assumed the role of the priesthood in the secular society and
must therefore be counterbalanced with a Christian perspective on reality and
truth. Its portrayal of salvation is not redemptive but rather it is
essentially damning in terms of its functional and pragmatic utilitarianism and
relativism.[33]
Thus, in
addition to specific classroom instruction, the leadership of the institution
itself needs to establish clear, practical, morally-sound guidelines for the
selection of TV programs, videos, etc., that are to be shown on campus. Also,
all educators must guard against the lure of a mere "lip service,"
such as offering a prayer before the showing of a morally questionable video.
For example, I remember once going to a Saturday night movie shown at an
Adventist university. Before the screening of what turned out to be a violence-filled,
obscene-language, sexually-explicit video, the coordinator had a public prayer
for the Lord's blessing!
While it
is scripturally correct for an institution to determine that only that which is
morally uplifting and congruent with its mission will be permitted to be shown
on campus, it must move beyond merely bemoaning the moral evils of the modern
media. Adventist behavioral scientists maintain that "keeping youth
otherwise occupied during the periods when they would be likely to engage in
media activities is a useful strategy."[34]
Ellen White goes beyond this, indicating that whenever something bad is
removed, something better must be
substituted: "'Something better' is the watchword of education, the law of
all true living. Whatever Christ asks us to renounce, He offers in its stead
something better."[35]
Thus, it would be prudent to follow the lead of the various Christian thinkers
who recommend that activities such as the following be utilized as positive
alternatives to the time spent watching TV: Reading character-building books,
exercising, doing good deeds, informal discussions and debates, listening to
uplifting music, learning to play a musical instrument, writing letters,
participating in a work program, getting involved in community service, joining
a singing group, etc.[36]
While
the focus of the above discussion has been mainly on the dangers of the misuse
of TV and videos, the same concerns and cautions could be noted about other
types of entertainment frequently permitted on Adventist campuses, certain
elements of which could easily erode essential scriptural ethics. This includes
issues such as the types of entertainment that students are
"permitted" to indulge in, the questionable fund-raising activities
at times allowed ("all in the name of a 'good cause'"), the
uncritical use of the internet, the permissive attitude towards music,
especially MTV,[37] and
the apparently undiscriminating selection and production of certain dramatic
presentations.[38]
Educators
ought to encourage committed Adventist musicians to compose, direct and perform
music that is socially and spiritually uplifting; also they must challenge
dedicated playwrights to write and produce character-enhancing plays, so that
students will learn how to think Christianly even in this extra-curricular area
of entertainment. As Arthur Holmes put it: "We need an integrated
spirituality."[39]
Thus, instead of unconsciously conforming to current cultural practices,
educational institutions must make a concerted effort to be catalysts in the
transformation of society.
Recreational Activities
Without
a doubt, the issue of sports and games[40]
has been one of the most contentious in Adventist educational circles. This has
primarily been due to concerns over the matter of rivalry and competition.[41]
Before proceeding any further, however, two vital points of clarification need
to be made: First, in the discussion of competitive activities, some have
attempted to differentiate between "rivalry" and
"competition," seeing the former as problematic but the latter as acceptable.
However, since various reputable English dictionaries indicate that these terms
are synonymous, they will be used interchangeably in this essay.[42]
Second, not everything in life is competitive. There are such things as
innately competitive activities–sports such as tennis, baseball, or soccer, in
which the only way that one can win is if the other loses! Then, there are also
aspects of life, such as work, hobbies, or nature activities, which are not
inherently rivalrous, but only become such if the people involved make them
competitive.[43]
Thus,
while it is rightly recognized that a spirit of rivalry can arise in many
situations, including physical education classes, as well as all other classes,
concern regarding extra-curricular sports will be addressed in this paper,
because these competitive activities are virtually always conducted without any
real consideration of the values being transmitted to the students, values that
"can be damaging to the spiritual growth of the youth of the church."[44]
Moreover, as recently noted at an Adventist university, though their
inter-varsity flag football games and soccer matches were actually contrary to
the officially established guidelines, it was felt that their interscholastic
competition had "the moral support" of the school's Physical
Education department.[45]
This
mixed message concerning competition is clearly a problem that we need to face
head-on. Back in 1980, Reuben Hilde, commented on this "double
standard," by using the metaphor of the SDA Church marching around a
modern Jericho, an enemy to be conquered before entering the promised land:
We've tramped with uneven cadence; we've blown our trumpets–but with different sounds and different pitches; we've marched to the beat of a variety of different drummers; and we've stubbed our toes on the rock pile of competitive grades.... We've given prizes to our temperance winners, but we've cried aloud and spared not (and we've given it that certain ring) when our kids have become too enthusiastic over a basketball game.... [And] we've used red books [of Ellen G. White] to spank the child afflicted with the inordinate craze for competition....
In plain
English, we have been inconsistent.[46]
Addressing
the issue of rivalry, Paul says that those who engage in "measuring themselves
by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2
Cor 10:12). Furthermore, the Christian is challenged to "Carry each
other's burdens,... without comparing himself to somebody else" (Gal 6:2-4
NIV); and, to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in
humility consider others better than yourselves" (Phil 2:3 NIV). Put
plainly, "Competition is selfish....
It tends to breed suspicion, alienation, and exploitation."[47]
Or, as George Knight indicates: "At its base, competition rests on strife
for supremacy–to be the first, the
best, the most, and so on. Here, we should note, is the very disease that
stands at the heart of sin."[48]
Ellen
White specifically noted that "a spirit of competition ... is all wrong
and displeasing to God,"[49]
and that rivalry "is an offence to God."[50]
In her classic on the principles of true education, she spoke pointedly about
competitive sports:
Some of the most popular
amusements, such as [American][51]
football and boxing, have become schools of brutality. They are developing the
same characteristics as did the games of Rome. The love of dominion, the pride in
mere brute force, the reckless disregard of life, are exerting
upon the youth a power to demoralize
that is appalling. Other athletic games, though not so brutalizing, are
scarcely less objectionable, because of the love
of pleasure and excitement, thus fostering a distaste for useful labor, a disposition to shun practical duties
and responsibilities and its tranquil enjoyments. Thus the door is opened to dissipation and lawlessness, with their
terrible results.[52]
Basic Problems. Essentially, competitive sports "is a gladiatorial model,
inherently antibiblical and anti-Christian, for it idealizes an
adversarial view of, and relationship to, human beings–God's children."[53]
Indeed, "Self-promotion is the
lifeblood of competitive games."[54]
While other modern writers have
likewise noted negative aspects of competitive sports,[55]
it appears as though there are seven basic problems with these activities:
(a) Vengeance Promotion: a basically
selfish, "pay-back" attitude is fostered;
(b) Violence Glorification: a violent,
aggressive spirit is encouraged;[56]
(c) Viscera Magnification: uncontrolled
reactions are portrayed as normal;
(d) Vacuum Usurpation: an empty soul finds a
pseudo-fulfillment in sports;[57]
(e) Victor Adoration: sports stars hold a
godlike status, hero-worship abounds;
(f) Vanity Formation: the
"successful," easily become self-centered and proud;
(g) Value Transmutation: biblical norms,
such as love and truthfulness, are ignored, while "hatred" (of the
opponent) and "deception" (of the rival), are promoted as actions
that are positive and "good" virtues.[58]
Biblical Values. If Christian education is to
facilitate and foster the proper development of biblical values in every aspect
of campus life, especially in sports and games, then all of these activities
must be conducted in such a manner as to exemplify the following aspects:
(a) Christ-centered: the self-sacrificial,
humble spirit of Jesus is to be imitated;
(b) Character-building: virtues, like
kindness and honesty need to be fostered;
(c) Cooperative: a community-orientation can
be promoted through teamwork;
(d) Compassionate: concepts of love and
mercy must be held up for emulation;
(e) Controlled: emotional control and
self-discipline should be encouraged;
(f) Complementary: recreation is shown as
only one part of a balanced lifestyle;
(g) Confessional: every sport or game must
provide opportunities for participants (and even spectators) to genuinely focus
on God and His goodness.
In order
to implement these essential principles, it will be necessary to creatively
alter one or more of the basic rules of every sports activity. For example, the
competitive aspect of basketball can be effectively neutralized by simply
swopping one or two different players from one team to the other at the end of
each of the first three quarters; in this way everyone will get to play on both
"sides" throughout the game, yet they will actually constitute one
"team." In volleyball, after winning a volley served by their rivals,
team members normally rotate on their side of the court prior to one of their
players serving the ball. But, in order to remove the basic competitive element
of the game, teams should "mix" their players before they start the
game (as shown below), and then they need to "inter-rotate," only
when the server is changed on one side of the court, as indicated in the
following diagram:
Major Factors. Similar changes can be made
to the rules of many, if not most, other games. In brief, the major factors to
consider when rules are being modified, are as follows:
(a) Time: set reasonable time limits for the
completion of the game;[59]
(b) Target: have a goal for players to
reach, such as 15 points in volleyball;
(c) Technique: teach players to play by the
basic rules of the modified game;
(d) Tactics: encourage participants to
master the skills needed for the game;
(e) Talent: promote the development of
individual talents;
(f) Teamwork: all players in the game form
one team, against inanimate targets;
(g) Testimony: find creative, innovative
ways of getting students to regularly share the positive lessons learned as a
result of playing the game.
This
manner of approaching sports will assist students in putting into practice the
specific biblical injunctions that call for a self-sacrificial, cooperative
attitude on the part of the Christian: "Honor one another above
yourselves.... Live in harmony with one another" (Rom 12:10, 16 NIV);
"Through love serve one another" (Gal 5:13); thus, "bear one
another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2). As White
noted: "In true education the
selfish ambition, the greed for power, the disregard for the rights and needs
of humanity, that are the curse of our world, find a counterinfluence."[60]
Indeed, "the evidence clearly shows that cooperation is superior to
competition in producing desirable affective learning and in helping students
develop skills in dealing with other people."[61]
Since, "God's ideal is cooperation,"[62]
all educators are thus challenged to provide this kind of "true
education" for every student.[63]
To
promote cooperation however, does not mean to deemphasize quality. On the
contrary, the Christian is challenged to "do all to the glory of God"
(1 Cor 10:31), and to "do it with your might" (Eccl 9:10).
Furthermore, to condemn competitive sports, does not mean to negate the need
for physical exercise, as can be seen from the suggestions above on how to
"transform" competitive games into cooperative ones.
In the
absence of sufficient manual labor opportunities, Adventist sports and health
researcher, David Nieman, notes that aerobic exercises such as jogging, brisk
walking, swimming, and cycling, with activities such as flexibility exercises
and weight lifting all improve body fitness.[64]
In addition, "Outdoor recreational activities such as sailing, canoeing,
wilderness survival, camping, and backpacking might be given more room in our
student programs."[65]
But, there is "a more excellent way:"
Practical Training
Admittedly,
there are some Adventist educators who apparently sincerely believe, as one put
it, that the "current environment [of our educational institutions] does
not support the notion of useful labor and practical duties as an alternative
for physical development."[66]
Thus, "the colleges and universities are replacing these physical labor
activities with competitive athletics."[67]
The opposite danger is to take out of context Ellen White's statements on
physical labor, such as the one that teachers must spend "several hours" daily "working with the
students in some line of manual labor."[68]
More careful study of her works shows that she promoted a remarkable balance
between cognitive knowledge, practical skills, and spiritual development in her
writings on true education.[69]
She was
nevertheless concerned with the danger of a misplaced emphasis on mental
education to the virtual exclusion of practical duties: "A man may have a
brilliant mind; he may be quick to catch ideas;... yet he may still be far from
possessing a fitness for his duties."[70]
Thus, she admonished that, "every youth, on leaving school, should have
acquired a knowledge of some trade or occupation."[71]
Not only will this be useful in the emergencies of life, but it will also
promote the development of mind and character.[72]
Decades
ago research was done on an SDA campus to find out the benefits of a balanced
educational program. It was discovered that, "students who engage in
manual labor to a reasonable extent (from 10-14 hours per week in this study)
do the best school work."[73]
An
example of this emphasis on balance, is a large Adventist university that has
an integrative curriculum, which seeks to promote learning by means of four
components: (a) a relationship with God and revelation; (b) professional
training; (c) preparation for life; and (d) cultural heritage.[74]
In order
to fulfill the first component, students are required to take a 3-credit Bible
class every semester, throughout the entire course of study; and to do at least
30 hours of outreach service per semester throughout the entire degree program.
This includes witnessing, literature evangelism, and special ministry projects.
While
the second component deals with the usual academic degree aspects, the third
component includes the knowledge and practical application of healthful living,
and "manual labor" training done over four years, as follows: Year
one–work with the soil (on the farm or in the gardens); year two: for
women–sewing and cooking, and for men–home maintenance (including electricity,
plumbing, painting, refrigeration, construction, and auto mechanics); years
three and four: residency in a trade of the student's choice. In addition to
attendance at cultural events, the fourth component requires students to attend
at least 80% of the weekly general assemblies.
Relating
to the principle of component number two above, Knight says: "Training to
meet today's practical demands should find a place in Adventist
curricula."[75] For
the student, the benefits of an effective work or practical training program
are many, including: Learning to appreciate the dignity of work and the joy of
accomplishment; providing insights into the character of God, and developing a
sense of responsibility and dependability; developing a proper sense of the
value of things such as money, health, and time; and preparation for the joy of
wider service.[76]
While it
is vitally important to include some form of practical training into a
well-balanced curriculum, there is at least one additional indispensable element
of Christian education that can be overlooked only at great peril! And that is:
Humanitarian Service
For,
even if students learn to be diligent and dependable workers, and develop
practical skills for everyday living, these abilities could easily be used in a
selfish manner, for personal survival, without regard to the needs of others.
For, "to gain an education for self-service and self-glorification is the
antithesis of Christianity."[77]
Speaking
of Himself, Jesus, our supreme example, says that He "did not come to be
served, but to serve" (Mark
10:45, emphasis added). Discussing true education, Ellen White maintains that
"it prepares the student for the joy
of service in this world and for the higher
joy of wider service in the world to
come."[78] She
goes further by stating that, "The true
object of education is to fit men and
women for service by developing and
bringing into active exercise all their faculties."[79]
Since, "the great law of life is a law of service,"[80]
"if service is not a vital part of the curriculum, it is not a life-giving
curriculum."[81]
As
mentioned in the previous lecture, a growing "blind spot" in SDA
education is the area of social concern, of self-sacrificial service for
humanity. However, a call to communal consciousness must not become merely a
means of making or maintaining a good image for the institution, or of simply
helping humanity to live more prosperously on planet earth; ultimately it must point to Jesus Christ. As the above
integrated university curriculum shows, their program requires all students to
be involved in at least 30 hours of outreach service per semester throughout
their entire degree program, including personal witnessing, literature
evangelism, and special ministry projects.
With a
bit of imagination, creativity, and simple observation of the actual needs of
people, students and staff can discover much-needed, valuable and appreciated
community projects. This could include things such as environmental clean-ups,
soup kitchens for the destitute, providing emergency transportation for the
needy, free baby-sitting, "adopting a grand-parent," doing yard-work
for the elderly, visiting orphans, participating in AIDS prevention by actively
promoting abstinence, engaging in youth-to-youth anti-drug campaigns, going on
short-term church-building projects (such as with Maranatha Volunteers
International), doing longer term volunteering (such as student missionary
service, task force work, global mission pioneers, or Adventist Frontier
Missions outreach), being a volunteer fire-fighter, visiting hospitals,
prisons, etc.
Edward
Norton's research work on the philosophy and practice of Christian service,
from which the following lengthy comes, provides us with some salient points on
this vital aspect of Adventist education:
[The curriculum committee
must create] a learning environment in which cooperation and service
to each other replaces the spirit of competition and a 'me first' social
psychology.... For too long the grading and honors system has been based on
self-glorification and conquest of others, an alien philosophy to that of the
Christian principle of selfless service to and affirmation of others.
How much better would it be if teachers would encourage students to assist each
other to reach the highest level of achievement possible, not to best someone
else, but to develop skills and attitudes which glorify God and benefit others!
In this manner the classroom becomes a laboratory for the Body of Christ–a
mini-Christian community: Supportive,
caring and serving each other. The teacher presides over this laboratory
modeling the compassionate lifestyle of Christ and assisting the students to
imitate Him also.[82]
This
perspective fully concurs with number seven of the "Core Concepts of
Adventist Educational Philosophy," which states that, in Adventist
education, "Service to fellow
human beings, motivated by God's love, is the ideal purpose of life.... School
programs [should] foster activities that alleviate human needs."[83]
Whether
it be student clubs, student officer elections,[84]
international food fairs, heritage days (to celebrate cultural diversity),
"fashion" shows, or any other sanctioned extra-curricular activity,
institutional leaders need to seriously heed the following divine warning:
"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive
philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this
world rather than on Christ" (Col 2:8 NIV).[85]
Students must be challenged and encouraged to think Christianly, even in the
activities not planned or directly run by the institution.
Commencement Challenges
The
"final" message to a graduating class is called a "commencement
address," since they will soon be commencing a major new part of their
lives. Similarly, this last section is labeled "Commencement
Challenges," rather than "Conclusion," since it is hoped that
the ideas presented here in this essay will become a solemn summons to
"commence" a more holistic integration of faith into all the
procedures, programs, plans, and practices of every Adventist educational
institution.
Taylor
states: "In order to effectively
integrate faith and learning, Christian educators must bring the hidden
curriculum to the surface."[86]
To the degree that this has been accomplished here, and to the extent that this
paper has challenged all educators, especially institutional leaders, to
continue to conscientiously engage in this exercise, this essay will have been
successful.
From the
lifestyle we live through the entertainment we engage in, from the music we
promote to the movies we permit, we ought to forsake all futile efforts to
simply sanitize the secular; instead we need to redirect all resources to the
holistic integration of faith in all extra-curricular exercises (as well as in
the classroom), for the sake of the eternal destiny of our students–for
"this is the object of education, the great object of life."[87]
This is the challenge that we, as redemptive educators, must successfully meet,
by the grace of God!