Education as a Mind-Moulder / Worldview Sphere

In January's update we highlighted the teachings of various ministries on what have become known as the ' mind-molders' of society. Education is one of the key areas mentioned

In February 2009 we quoted George Barna's important thoughts on 'visionary leadership' ... This whole area of Education is very much in need of good solid visionary leaders. As Barna says:

"They conceive ideas that represent fundamental changes. They carefully and strategically propose them to the public. They tirelessly nurture acceptance of their ideas and they serve as relentless advocates for instituting them."

He also said:

VICTORIA's CONTROLLING AGENDA (Equal Opportunities / Human Rights Legislation)

Victoria seems to be leading the way these days in the destruction of freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of choice. Their latest Diabolical legislation seriously restricts the religious freedom of schools and religions bodies, by ensuring that they PROVE that it is 'an inherent requirement' for a position before they can discriminate in areas such as gender, sexual orientation, marital status and religion.

They must also 'show it is 'reasonably necessary'' to discriminate regarding their 'doctrine' in all other matters (the training and employment of ministers is about the only exception!)

When this bill, 'which gives the Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission more powers than the police to investigate and interrogate groups was rushed through the Lower House,' the Australian Christian Lobby called on the integrity of Victoria's Upper House asking members to 'reject the draconian provisions' at the next debate:

Saltshakers described the bill as being 'the sort of legislation that would be more recognisable under the banner of the KGB than the government of a free and democratic nation like Australia.'

This Bill will give a statutory body (the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission)

SADLY THE LEGISLATION PASSED

All Members of the Liberal and National Parties voted against the Bill, along with Peter Kavanagh of the Democratic Labor Party.

We congratulate them for their stand for freedom."

There were some fine, passionate speeches - including those from Peter Kavanagh and Liberals Inga Peulich and Bernie Finn. In his speech Damian Drum (Nationals) said he had received more than 1000 emails - so thank you to everyone who wrote to their Members!

All three Greens and all Labor Members voted for the Bill.

“If the Government sees a need for additional ethical content in the curriculum we would welcome that however this syllabus should be available to all students as part of General Religious Education (GRE) and not create the false dichotomy that there might be a choice between Scripture and ethics,” Mr Hutt said.

THE ACL"s Managing Director, Jim Wallace also responded to the controversy:

You can't teach ethics without referring to Christianity

For more than 100 years, Scripture classes in schools have provided an avenue for children to learn about the Bible, the person of Jesus and the ethic that has underpinned societies such as Australia's.

This is entirely appropriate. No serious historian – regardless of whether or not they are religious — doubts the formative influence of Christianity, its ethics and values on the legal, cultural and political development of Western civilisation. Indeed it is the Judeo-Christian ethic that sets the way we live apart from the way other cultures live.

Now there will always be some parents who conscientiously object to their children being taught the Bible. This is their right.

And it was supposedly with these students in mind that former premier Nathan Rees announced late last year the introduction of "ethics" classes in primary schools.

Reeling from a number of high profile ministerial ethics scandals itself, it was reported that the ethics classes to be rolled out for kids were a chance for the government to show its moral compass still pointed north.

At the time it was made clear that these new, supposedly religion-free, ethics classes would not compete with traditional Scripture classes.

However, with the pilot trial due to start next term in 10 public primary schools, it has emerged they are being pitched with the obvious aim to draw students away from Scripture classes, despite the Government's assurances they would not.

Sounds like a serious ethical issue has arisen even before the first class is taught.

Dr Peter Jensen, Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney also responded:

Ten Reasons the NSW Ethics Trial is Not a Good Idea

A trial of ethics classes in NSW schools is about to begin. Although suggestions like this have been made in the past, successive education ministers have not allowed it. The only reason it became reality this time was the personal intervention of Premier Nathan Rees, in the dying days of his incumbency.

Christians have been put onto the back foot, forced to answer the dual question, "What's wrong with teaching kids ethics" and "What's wrong with giving non-SRE children something to occupy their time as they sit idle during SRE. Some Christians will not know how to address these questions. Many schools breach SRE guidelines anyway. We must educate ourselves on this vital topic.

Author and speaker, Ryan Cook, tells an exciting story of friends, who he classifies as ‘reformers,’ that were strategically positioned to influence the schools of a nation in a time of despair:

Note: Out of safety concerns for his friends, Ryan avoids naming his friends as they continue to work in dangerous countries.

“My friends believe that God knows more than people do, and His Truth is revealed in the Bible.  They believe that God was not kidding when He told us to disciple nations.  They believe the Bible has the answer for every ethnic and geopolitical problem.  The Gospel has answers (truths) for all issues regarding education, business, economics, healthcare, and all other facets of life. 

My friends were recruited by a reputable Christian university to pursue the idea of discipling nations.  Their story is a fascinating testimony of how truth transforms.

In November 1991, Communism fell in the nation they were working.  With the condition that the country was in at the time of their arrival, it was hard to find the political leaders, much less meet with them.  As my friends walked the streets with their interpreter looking for government buildings, they found no signs pointing them in the right direction. 

They decided to walk into a building that “felt” right.  To make a long story short, they walked into the right office and within five minutes were meeting with the country’s minister of economics.  They were fulfilling a divine appointment.  As they sat in the minister’s office, they told him:

“We are from a Christian university and we are here to help rebuild your country.  The only condition we have is that everything we do must line up with God’s Word, the Bible.  We will do nothing unless you let us use this as our premise.”

... The minister asked them to come back in a few days.  Later that week, when they returned for their meeting, they were astonished at who was there to meet them - the faculty head for economics for the country’s national university, the minister of economics and the president of the country.  All were waiting to hear what the men of God had to say.  The three powerful men were eager to hear about a plan based on truth. 

Their nation had been based on lies, and they knew its foundation needed to change. 

... The leaders of the nation embraced my friend’s presentation and responded favourably.  As part of the reconstruction of their devastated nation, my friends were given five of the worst-performing elementary schools to test their theories. 

Over the next five years those five schools became the best schools in the country.  The minister of education was so impressed that he eventually proposed to them that they used their theories in all the schools in a particular area.  Those schools became models for the nation.  

From the Makers of Australia Series:

The Educators

by Gordon Moyes

This country has never valued its teachers enough. Those engaged in education at whatever level, are not recognised for their significant contribution to successive generations. We do not pay them enough, honour them enough, and while loading more and more responsibilities upon them, keep reducing their levels of authority and status within the community. The churches should be in the forefront of honouring our teachers because Jesus came teaching, and left his disciples with the command to evangelise and teach. Wherever the church has gone, it has always established schools.

Did you know education in Australia was established not by the government, but by the Christian Church? In the first hundred years of our country's European settlement there were no government schools. It was only in 1880 that government education officially began and for the next hundred years church schools were opposed by governments that tried to squeeze them out of existence. Only the Roman Catholic parochial schools survived plus some large independent, largely Protestant schools.

One hundred years later, in 1980, we saw the rise of church based schools once more and today 33% of all students are educated in church schools, and this percentage is growing annually in all levels of education. The Bible-based church-related schools of early colonial times was remarkably successful in meeting the academic and spiritual/moral needs of the younger generation of that day.

Australia's first church building also served as a schoolhouse. It was erected by Chaplain Richard Johnson at his own expense in 1793 and served both as church and school for five years until it was burnt down by a convict.