Teaching with Context

“Knowing God and making Him known” isn’t just a tagline for Christians. It’s one of the greatest joys of life (John 17:3 and Acts 20:24). In addition, it’s a mission and responsibility. Biblical Classical Education accomplishes this in several ways. One way is by teaching the “Greater Context” and “Particular Contexts” of each subject via a special timeline. Teaching context helps students know God and helps make Him known through each subject and sphere of life throughout history.

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Greek-rooted Classical Education adheres to the view that the Trivium is divided into three stages by age groups. It’s common in Greek-rooted Classical Education to have students memorize disconnected facts and refer back to them during the Logic “stage” (ages 12-14). The disconnected facts are treated as “hooks.”

The Biblical Classical Trivium adheres to the view that God designed individuals to learn grammar, practice logic (Biblical reasoning) and rhetoric at all ages. The ability will vary by age, however students improve as they grow and mature. As a part of this view of the Trivium, teaching context in each subject is done regardless of the age. Teaching context to all ages helps them make sense of the world and see that the Bible is relevant. Context also teaches Theology and apologetics while building the individual’s faith in God.

The Greater Context

All too often, subjects are taught autonomously. When subject are taught in this way, the students unintentionally learns that God has nothing to do with them at all. Also, they learn the idea that man is independent of God. Those are not Biblical ideas and it is an error in teaching.

Otherwise, at best, science and history are taught with the Biblical worldview in some curricula. However, the Biblical worldview in other subjects is sorely lacking.

The Greater Context involves more than stating that God exists and is the Creator. It’s more than recognizing His hand in creating all subjects and spheres of life. Students are learning that there is something bigger than them.

The following are some things the Greater Context encompasses:

• teaching that God is the Creator of each subject
• giving students the tools they need to discover that Truth
• forming convictions that God is sovereign and His providence is seen in and through each subject and sphere of life
• helping students learn the purposes of each subject
• teaching students God’s idea of Liberty
• comprehending that Liberty is God’s idea and how it is manifested in the individual and nations
• showing students how Liberty rises and falls on a timeline, with the cause-to-effect

Particular Contexts

Fitting within the framework of the Greater Context are Particular Contexts. Teaching and learning Particular Contexts entails, in part, looking at the following:

• the context in which God has placed mankind
• looking at particular events and how God used them, and uses them, to advance the Gospel and Liberty
• identifying how God has used each subject to advance the Gospel and Liberty
• jurisdictions that God has created and their designated responsibilities

In Summary

Proverbs 1:7 teaches that the “. . . fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge . . .” (NKJV)

Biblical Classical Education embraces teaching about God’s sovereignty and the providential view in each subject. The fear (reverence and awe) of God is taught when students learn with context. This is because students learn to see the mighty works of God.

Teaching and learning with context, regardless of age, brings God glory. It gives students the ability to know God, make Him known, and glorify His name in all the earth. Furthermore, it gives students the ability to think and reason Biblically in each subject and sphere of life. Teaching with the Greater Context and Particular Contexts is an integral part of inspired teaching and learning.

Parents can be confident that Biblical Classical Community’s courses teach students, regardless of age, with Biblical worldview context.