The 5 Distinctives

There are Five Distinctives that set Biblical Classical Education apart from other forms of education. Its distinctives are a reflection of Biblical Classical Pedagogy. Therefore, the distinctives are more than something we agree with and state. The distinctives are ingrained in the course lessons as they apply to each academic subject.

This article addresses the following Five Distinctives of Biblical Classical Education:

• a Biblical worldview for all of life
• Biblical reasoning through the notebook method
• the Providential view of history and the power of story
• governmental thinking and the Christian form of government
• foundational principles of Constitutional Liberty

Distinctive 1

A biblical worldview for all of life means that there isn’t a sacred-secular divide. God has something to say about every area of life. Biblical Classical teachers and students learn how to reason from biblical principles. The questions they ask help them form biblical convictions.

Distinctive 2

The notebook in Biblical Classical Education is not the same thing as Charlotte Mason notebooks. Biblical reasoning is done through Biblical Classical discussions and a record of reflection and reason questions. Teachers and students use specific kinds of graphic organizers to help them record their analysis of various academic subjects. Students observe whether principles are honored or violated.

Distinctive 3

The Providential view of history and the power of story are also foundational to BCE. Seeing academic subjects and life through this lens acknowledges that Providence is the Christendom worldview. This means that individuals are not autonomous from God, even if an individual doesn’t acknowledge God’s existence. Additionally, it means that nations are not autonomous from God. God is the Creator and has a right to His creation––His will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Distinctive 4

Governmental thinking and the Christian form of government relate to each other.

Governmental thinking has to do with governing oneself under God. And it relates to the questions of “who or what is the cause behind an action or event?” and “who or what is directing, regulating, or controlling?” It emphasizes reasoning from cause to effect and the development of thinking internal to external. As a result, teachers and students learn to discern the controlling factors of each subject.

The Christian form of government has to do with how our Federal Constitutional Representative Republic functions. Also, America is a free nation because of foundational Biblical Principles of Liberty.

Distinctive 5

The Biblical foundations of Constitutional Liberty are taught in related courses:

• Individuality
• Christian Self-government
• Liberty of Conscience
• Spheres of Government
• America’s Christian Form of Government
• Unity of the Faith
• Community
• Sacrificial Service to Others

Students learn how these principles work together to preserve Liberty in our lives and nation.

In Summary

The five distinctives involve the renewing of our minds because of God’s Word. Teachers and students form biblical convictions as a result of this philosophy and method of education. They’re foundational to inspired teaching and learning. And Biblical Classical Community’s courses ingrain them in lessons as they apply to each academic subject.