Biblical Classical Literature - Biblical Classical Community

The approach to Biblical Classical Literature studies places an emphasis on Biblical thinking and reasoning. The main goal is to encourage students to reason from the Truths of God’s Word vs. reasoning from within themselves.

Reading literature can influence the imagination and inspire us. Therefore, it’s important to consider what God has to say about literature and imagination.

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Biblical Classical Literature Word Study

How do we learn what God has to say about literature and imagination? Biblical Classical Education incorporates biblical worldview Word Studies. Doing a Classic Word Study on literature, imagination, and key words within their definitions will help with the mastery of a biblical worldview regarding these related topics.

Key Words

The key words are words within definitions that help further define or clarify the vocabulary of the subject, or topic at hand. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary gives biblical worldview definitions. Using a concordance will help find applicable biblical principles from which to reason about the topic being researched. These tools not only lead to mastery, biblical thinking and reasoning, but also help the teacher create reflection and reasoning questions.

Reflection and Reasoning Questions

Doing the Word study as described may inspire reflection and reasoning questions to ask students.

As students wrestle with the reflection and reasoning questions, the Holy Spirit is at work, and students begin to form biblical convictions. They become equipped to disciple others in the true, good, and beautiful by sharing the Biblical worldview about both. This is because what God has to say is true, good, and beautiful. His design and purpose are the highest form of all three.

Webster’s 1828 Definition of Literature

Literature, n.: “LIT’ERATURE, noun [Latin literatura.] Learning; acquaintance with letters or books. literature comprehends a knowledge of the ancient languages, denominated classical, history, grammar, rhetoric, logic, geography, etc. as well as of the sciences. A knowledge of the world and good breeding give luster to literature“

Reflection and Reasoning Questions for Students Can Look Like the Following:

1. With whom does the idea of literature originate? God or man? What is the Scriptural basis for your answer?
2. Where in the Bible do we first learn about literature?
3. Why is mankind able to read, write, and speak?
4. Why does the worldview of authors matter?
5. How do we guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus in relation to what we read or write?
6. How does the order of sounds (written or spoken) teach us about the Attributes of God?
7. In what ways are we Christians to steward and be responsible for what we read, write, and speak?
8. What kind of literature supports the advancement of the Gospel and Liberty, or else bondage to sin and slavery?

Webster’s 1828 Definition of Imagination

Imagination, n.: “The power or faculty of the mind by which it conceives and forms ideas of things communicated to it by the organs of sense. Imagination I understand to be the representation of an individual thought.” Also, “. . . in its proper sense, signifies a lively conception of objects of sight. It is distinguished from conception, as a part from a whole. Contrivance; scheme formed in the mind; device. Conceit; an unsolid or fanciful opinion.”

Reflection and Reasoning Questions for Students Can Look Like the Following:

1. With whom does the idea of imagination originate? God or man? What is the Scriptural basis for your answer?
2. Where in the Bible do we first learn about the use of imagination?
3. What evidence is there in God’s creation (General Revelation) of the use of imagination?
4. Why is mankind able to imagine?
5. How did God provide inspiration for imagination from The Beginning?
6. For what purposes did God give mankind the ability to imagine?
7. How are we Christians to steward and be responsible with our imaginations and the use of them?
8. Is the use of imagination always righteous?

The Biblical Classical Difference

The basic example Word Studies and reflection and reasoning questions are a small glimpse of how Biblical Classical Education is top-notch. Biblical Classical Education is inspired teaching and learning that encourages original thinking by the student, based on the absolute Truths of God’s Word.

Biblical Classical Word Study Course

Learn more about the value of Word Studies in Biblical Classical Education by taking the Word Studies course by Heather Hall at Biblical Classical Community.