What is the purpose of education? Is it merely about mastering the facts of subjects like Physics and Geography? It goes beyond that.

According to the Coalition on Revival, a global network of evangelical leaders:

The ultimate goal of education should be to orient human beings Biblically toward the knowledge of God, humanity, and the rest of God’s creation, in order to prepare them to take their places in family, Church, and society to the glory of God and in the service of Christ’s Kingdom and their fellowman.

Thus, true education is formation for life in the world. And as such it requires a sound view of the world and our place in it. In training a person to live to God’s glory in society, he or she must know how to choose between right and wrong (or whether there is a difference in the first place). To do this the student needs a worldview – a comprehensive and coherent framework of things – which serve as a guide to life. This the Christian worldview aptly supplies.

A Christian view of education places God at the centre of all truth and His word as the most authoritative source. Everything is studied in light of its teachings. Biology becomes meaningful because it is a study of the living universe created by God, the author of life. Through psychology we inquire into the workings of the soul and human personality. Economics is an inquiry into the nature of man’s stewardship over the earth’s resources. The practical duties and responsibilities of one’s life are carried out under guidance from divine revelation. And life as a whole is understood and lived out according to revealed truth.

For more on the Christian view of education (within an American context), see an excellent article by Doug Wilson here.