Developing a Biblical Mind: Equipping Students for the Marketplace of Ideas Darrell Furgason any Christian students are unpre- pared for the philosophies, ideas, Mand paradigms they en- counter in today’s Western univer- sities and society. Philosophies like humanism, postmodernism, environmentalism, and genetic determinism continue to domi- nate the culture, causing many to abandon their Christian faith as they become converted intellectually to these and other worldviews. As Christian educators, we cannot continue to observe this situation with indifference. It is imperative that we train our students to think biblically, which means that students should (a) learn to love God with all their minds descriptions such as the following that refer to the possible (Mark 12:30), (b) understand the times in which we live conditions of the human mind: (1 Chronicles 12:32), and (c) develop a truly biblical per- • Futile (Romans 1:21, NASB) spective on every area of life and study. • Hardened (2 Corinthians 3:14, NASB) • Blinded (2 Corinthians 4:4, NASB) • Hostile (Colossians 1:21, NASB) The Mind in Focus • Fleshly (Colossians 2:18, NASB) • Depraved (1 Timothy 6:5, NASB) Why should we think? There are two main reasons The third reason we need to think is to prevent us given in the Bible. First of all, God has commanded us to from becoming captive to false philosophies. The Bible think, instructing us to love Him with our heart, soul, mind, sounds a clear warning when it exhorts us in Colossians and strength (Mark 12:30). We can easily come to wrong 2:8–10 (NASB) to “see to it that no one takes you captive conclusions about God if we do not think about His na- through philosophy and empty deception, according to ture, ways, and character. The proliferation of worldviews the tradition of men, according to the elementary princi- such as Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, animism, Marxism, ples of the world, rather than according to Christ.” and atheism is a clear example of what can happen when As Christians, then, we must learn to use our mind for humans fail to come to right conclusions concerning the the purpose God intended. We are called to understand cosmos and the nature and character of God. God and His ways, not just know Him personally The second reason we should think is that our mind (Jeremiah 9:23–24). Understanding God means we must needs to be renewed. As Romans 12:1–3 (NASB) states, we learn to love Him with our mind as well as our heart! are not to be “conformed to this world,” but rather And it is imperative that we as Christian educators teach “transformed by the renewing of [our] mind.” Illustrating our students not only to think about the world they live our need to have it renewed, the Bible contains many in but also to seek to understand God’s ways—for every 14 2004–2005 | CSE Volume 8 Number 1 | Developing a Biblical Mind: Equipping Students for the Marketplace of Ideas part of life, including history, politics, economics, law, States is not ignorance; it is believing things and concepts and ethics. The mind can and must be renewed. that are not true.” As Christian educators, we have the task of helping students discover truths in every area of life and reject Three Steps Toward Developing a false ideas and philosophies. Ideas that aren’t true will Biblical Mind bring bondage, according to Scripture. Jesus said that only “the truth will make you There are three steps we can God has free” (John 8:32, NASB; emphasis take to begin developing a more added). The second step in devel- biblical perspective on the world commanded us to oping a biblical mind, then, is to we live in. reexamine the ideas that we hold think, instructing us about the world. Centuries ago, 1. Recognize that you have many people believed the earth been influenced by the to love Him with was flat. In every generation, socie- ideas and paradigms you ties believe false paradigms that currently have in your our heart, soul, shape their direction. To renew mind. the mind, we have to be able to All humans have ideas and mind, and strength identify these ideas, analyze opinions, some of which are true them, and then neutralize their and some false. When I was five (Mark 12:30). effects on us. A few of the many years old, I believed in Santa false ideas and philosophies shaping the West include the Claus. I now know that Santa doesn’t exist, and I have re- following: placed that idea with truth. Muslims believe in a god • Naturalism is the idea that the universe came into called Allah, who has given them specific commands to being and is governed by only “natural” causes and bring the world into conformity with the Quran. Marxists forces. This philosophy dominates the educational believe that social evolution is a scientific fact. Humanists domain today through the teaching of macroevolu- believe that abortions and same-sex “marriages” are tion in science as true and of abortion, homosexual- rights. Animists believe in the “spirits” of objects such as ity, and same-sex marriage in ethics as normal. the trees, storms, and mountains. All humans have ideas • Humanism is the belief that humans are the center that influence the way they see the world and conse- of the universe and that people’s happiness is the quently the way they live. highest value. This philosophy led to the U.S. We absorb ideas and ways of viewing the world from Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which granted many sources—including the schools we attend, the individuals the “right” to abortion. books we read, our parents, the media, our church, and • Dualism is the idea that life is split up into secular our friends. Some of these ideas concern political events and sacred realms that have nothing to do with each and issues in our nation; others concern economics; and other. This idea permeates the church, and it is used still others concern opinions about state law, society, U.S. effectively by atheists to convince Christians that foreign policy, taxation, and other such matters. We must they shouldn’t apply their Christian moral views in learn to identify the ideas and philosophies we have con- the public sphere. This argument occurs while athe- sidered true, and we must be willing to examine them in ists promote the legislating of their nonbiblical the light of the Bible. As educators, we need to reexamine moral views. the ideas and paradigms we are teaching our students. • Relativism is the idea that there is no absolute truth 2. Rethink! Identify ideas and philosophies that are but that truth is determined by such factors as a per- not biblical. son’s culture, ethnicity, and gender. Moral relativism There are many ideas we hold about the world we live has infiltrated the church, and it is used by atheists to in that are simply not true. As Harry Conn (1978, 15) ex- argue for the acceptance of “diverse” moral perspec- plains, “The greatest problem we have in the United tives and lifestyles. Developing a Biblical Mind: Equipping Students for the Marketplace of Ideas | CSE Volume 8 Number 1 | 2004–2005 15 • Postmodernism is the idea that there are no truths to lief that the world cannot be significantly changed be found at all since truth does not exist (a claim because evil must triumph or because Satan is so containing a contradiction within itself!). Post- powerful. modernism promotes “diversity” of values, “toler- In order to challenge and replace these and other para- ance” of perspectives, and “multiculturalism”; and it digms, we must begin to think again—to examine our- has devastating effects on a society’s ability to distin- selves and our ideas. Is it biblical education to teach our guish right from wrong. students that the world is overpopulated, for example, • Environmentalism is a paradigm emphasizing the pri- without examining the truth-value of this claim? Given ority of nature and of the environment. Some cur- the influence of the overpopulation philosophy today in rent doomsday scenarios made popular by followers shaping debates in politics, economics, and ethics, should of this philosophy include the be- we not at the very least be willing as liefs that global warming is occur- False ideas educators to ask whether this idea is ring and that global starvation is true? Or, as another example, should due to finite resources. cannot be made we teach that a person can be born • Scientism is the belief that “sci- with a homosexual orientation with- ence” can and will lead us into all right by simply out first considering the origin and truth. (But who determines what a nature of a human choice? Given that “scientific” statement is?) adding Scripture the Bible describes us human beings as • Determinism is the idea that our verses to them. possessing a body, soul, and spirit, is it choices are not free but that they not possible (and indeed more logical) have been determined by chemi- that our choices originate in our heart cal, environmental, social, and genetic factors. This and not in our genetic code? For how could we repent— idea has led to the acceptance of homosexuality as a that is, change our choices—if our decisions or orienta- normal sexual orientation. tions were a part of our physical being? • Globalism is a philosophy emphasizing commitment to global issues and agendas, often at the expense of 3. Replace wrong ideas, or falsehoods, with truth.