Educational Philosophy

The Whitinsville Christian School has as its foundation the infallible Word of God as interpreted by the confessional standards of the Reformed faith.

The authority of Scripture encompasses education.  The goal of all education, according to
I Corinthians 1:17, is to help man achieve life's purpose:  to know and serve God.  According to Psalm 24:1, all materials for education are related to God.  Then, too, the person to be educated is a unified personality (Genesis 1:27).

In addition, true wisdom apart from Christ is not possible.  We must see and acknowledge the comprehensive principle for life given in Colossians 2:3, where Paul says this about our Lord:  "In Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden."  At the same time, the Living Word, Jesus Christ, is the integrating factor for our life "who is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

Recognizing and accepting the authority of God's Word, and Christ as the essence of wisdom and the integral factor for our lives, the following statements summarize our school's basis or foundation:

A. God's Word
God reveals Himself in the Bible, His Word, to man.  This Word gives man an understanding of God, of himself, of fellow human beings, and of creation itself.  This Word serves as a guide in all of man's relationships and activities.

B.  God Created Man
God created man in His own image as the crown of creation and made a covenant with man to be a steward of that creation.

C.  Man Sinned
Man disobeyed his responsibility in that covenant and sin entered the world, alienating man from God, His creation, his fellow man, and the world became distorted.

D.  Jesus
Jesus, the Word made flesh, was sent by God the Father to redeem His people from sin.  Through Christ and by the work of His Spirit, man and creation are renewed, and man may again covenant with God to fulfill his original calling and mandate.

E.  Parents
God gives parents the privilege and responsibility of teaching their children the covenantal relationship which God made with believers and their children.  They must do this in the light of revealed truth.

F.  The Bible
Man has discovered and learned about himself and the universe.  However, true knowledge can be possible only in the light of God's revealed truth, the Bible.  Man's knowledge of God, himself, and the universe becomes meaningful through the work of the Holy Spirit.

G.  Education
Education for the Christian becomes whole and meaningful when it is based on the Bible.  Understanding the proper relationship of God, man, and creation, it is possible to teach that all of life must be consecrated to God, to the service of fellowman, and to be stewards of God's creation in fulfilling the cultural mandate.

H.  Parent's Responsibility
Christian parents are primarily responsible to educate their children.  To discharge this responsibility, parents establish Christian schools where Christian teachers, who stand in loco parentis, educate their children.

I.  Freedom to Function
Christian schools organized and administered according to legal standards and provisions of the state should be fully recognized in society as free to function according to these principles.

The above statements call for a curricular and extra-curricular program that will instruct the student in the various disciplines in such a way that he will become a useful, creative citizen of the community, state, and nation, with the desire and ability to apply his Christian commitment and principles to all of life's situations.

This calls for an academic program that is superior in quality.  Even more important is the Christian teacher.  The teacher must be committed to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  This commitment must be reflected in their personal dealing with each other and with their pupils in the ability to apply these Christian principles in their respective teaching areas.  They must be well trained in their respective field, since the pupil must be given the necessary tools with which to carry out his task.

The underlying philosophy of education regarding its origin, purpose, and application to everyday life must then be distinctively Christian; the methods, however, employed in introducing the students to the various disciplines may be similar to those used in non-Christian schools.  The God-directed goal of both teacher and student must always be to do the best job possible using the best tools available.

In conclusion, it is the goal of the administration, faculty and parents of Whitinsville Christian School to educate each child to his highest potential as a child of God and as a citizen of this country.  To this end, the curriculum, teaching, and environment must all lend themselves to a distinctively Christian interpretation of all of life.