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Complete Document
The educational philosophy of Norfolk Christian Schools is based upon a God-centered view of truth and man as presented in the Bible. Since God created and sustains all things through His Son, Jesus Christ, the universe and all life are dynamically related to God and have the purpose of glorifying Him (Col. 1:15-17). This is pointedly true of man who was made in God's image, different in kind from all other creation, with the unique capacity to know and respond to God personally and voluntarily (Gen. 1:27-28). Because man is a sinner by nature and choice however, he cannot, in this condition, know or honor God in his life (Rom. 3:10-12). He can do this only by being born again through receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and thus be enabled to do God's will, which is the ultimate purpose of each person’s life (Rom. 12:1-2).
The entire process of education is seen as a means used by the Holy Spirit to bring the student into fellowship with God, to develop a Christian mind in him and to train him in godly living so that he can fulfill God's total purpose for his life personally and vocationally (II Tim. 3:16-17). He must be taught the Bible so he may understand God as well as his own nature and role as God's image bearer; he must be developed and related to God as a whole person, spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially; he must learn to see all truth as God's truth and to integrate it with and interpret it by God's Word; he must be educated as an individual with his own unique abilities and personality who must learn to live and work with others at home, in the church and in a changing secular society; and he must interact with and be taught by parent and teacher models who are, themselves, born again and have this perspective on life (Eph. 4:11-13).
The authority for such an education comes both from God's command that children be taught to love God and place Him first in their lives and from the fact that parents are responsible for the total education and training of their children. At the parents' request, the Christian school, along with the church, becomes a partner in giving this education (Deut. 6:5-7).
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