Philosophy

Heritage Christian School Philosophy Statements

Heritage Christian School’s philosophy of education is grounded in the Scriptures; otherwise, there is ultimately no rational answer to the questions, “Why do we teach?” and “What do we teach?” Meaning and purpose are given in the Word of God.  In order to glorify God in the realms of creation and the culture in which He has placed us, education in the Truth is necessary.  With Scripture as a foundation, definite applications can be made to the students’ spiritual character, academic capabilities, and social convictions.

Bible Course Philosophy

According to II Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The Word of God is to be the premise by which Christians should view the world, life, and all aspects of both.

At Heritage Christian School, we endeavor to equip the hearts and minds of our students by providing teaching that helps our students interpret the Word of Truth. Through the reading of the Scriptures, modeling a relationship with Christ, and applying Truth in our lives and in our classrooms, we endeavor to build in the minds of our students an understanding of the faithful acts of God to His people in His Word as well as in His works today. Desiring our students to be well grounded in content, we strive to keep Bible training alive with enthusiasm and relevance. Our desire is that our students are instructed to impact others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherever God leads them.

In order for our students to develop a Biblical worldview, they must know the contents of the Scripture and understand how to apply truth to their daily lives. By this, our students can sincerely carry out Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

History Course Philosophy

The beginning of human history starts with God’s intentional act of creation described in Genesis 1:26-30 and Genesis 2:7-22. In order to hold a proper view of history, understanding must be based on knowing who God is as He has revealed Himself through creation, the person and work of Jesus Christ, and in the text of the Holy Bible. In Genesis 3, the rebellion of the human race against God is recorded and includes the catastrophic consequences of sin which subject the whole of creation, and every area of life, to the shattering effects of brokenness and death. But God, in His infinite love and mercy, immediately begins to disclose His plan to redeem all that sin has affected through a promised Savior.

God’s promise of salvation from the eternal consequences of sin was fulfilled through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Before and after that greatest event in human history, events repeatedly display the devastating and lingering impact of sin on all of creation.   Where Christians should marvel, though, is how God has worked, and continues to work, in and through the actions of broken people as part of His plan of redemption. Within the scope of history, man is increasingly exposed to God’s display of His “invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and divine nature” through science, mathematics, economics, art, religion and culture.

Furthermore, through a deep knowledge and understanding of past events learned within the framework of biblical truth, God expects His people to participate in and influence the institutions of society that He established (family, economics, government, education) in a way that honors His declarations and brings glory to Him as the King of the Universe until the day Christ returns. By using the Holy Bible as the standard by which right and wrong and good and evil are defined, Christians can both critique the events of history and evaluate present-day actions to determine what course of action is truly good for humanity in the future. Seeing the world as it is and knowing God’s redemptive plan helps Christians realize and confirm their role in being a light to that world and stewards of all creation.

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, students’ abilities to comprehend and defend the Truth grow. 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 created the world with mathematical principles that man has discovered and given symbolic expression for amount and space. In the design, order, and recurrence of God’s creation, we see that He is sovereign, faithful, and infinite. Through experiences with mathematics, man is continually in awe of God’s order and rule as he studies symmetry, shape, consistency, detail, and patterns. 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 is able to explore, organize, understand, and appreciate how God’s creation is revealed through mathematical principles. 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 and in context. Honesty and integrity need to be applied in measurement, statistics, data, financial calculations and numerical communication. Man is called be obedient in his use of numbers in order to reflect the character of God, give glory back to Him, and serve others.

The study of mathematics should lead man to see the beauty and importance of mathematics and to see how God has incorporated math into every part of His created universe. Man learns how to think logically, creatively, and analytically and use the gifts God has given to serve Him. The field of mathematics displays a miracle of applicability and order by which man may better understand the attributes of our God.

Science Course Philosophy

Genesis 1:1 reads, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  In the remaining verses of Genesis 1, God describes His work to bring into existence all living and non-living things and the laws that govern them. Genesis 1:26-27 records God’s work in creating man “in His own image”, unique and special from all other created things. God gave man stewardship over all creation, to subdue it for His ultimate glory and it is good.

In Genesis 3, man rejected God, demanding to be god unto himself. The consequence of man’s rebellion against God is death and brokenness across the whole realm of creation. In his rebellion, all of humanity continues to seek to understand the origin of the universe, the design of the natural world, the identity of humankind, and the purpose of knowledge. Apart from God, man is destined to fulfill Romans 1:21-25, using the knowledge he has gained through experimentation, observation, critical thinking, and research to serve himself in ways that seem right in his own eyes.  However, this has always led to further brokenness, idolatry, and tyranny. Yet God, in His infinite love, grace, and mercy, initiated His eternal plan to restore all things to Himself, culminating with the complete, redemptive work of Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection on the cross.

Through grace, God provides humanity a unique opportunity in the realms of biology, chemistry, physics and earth science. In the grandeur and beauty of creation, He displays His eternal power and divine attributes giving evidence of His existence, establishing Himself as both Creator and Sustainer of all things. He reveals knowledge through exploration and experimentation, sharing the intimate details and intricate purpose of His design. Awe and worship are the rightful response of man to this truth as God prepares him for participation in His redemptive work. Through clearly articulated problems and questions, active research, precise experimentation, accurate data collection, and critical thinking, Christians can advance biblically faithful interpretations of scientific evidence and with humility, discernment, and courage, challenge the prevailing ideas and actions in society for God’s glory.

Only God knows all things and in His infinite wisdom chooses to reveal what needs to be known at the proper time. He is the source of all that is true. Therefore, the interpretations of scientific exploration and discovery, along with the creative use of knowledge gained, must be consistent with what He says in the Bible. Like all other realms of knowledge, scientific understanding should have its rightful place in man’s life, a tool in the hand of a worker in full submission to the Master’s will.