Educational Philosophy

Observing the random and often contradictory philosophies governing the institutions of this present world, the leadership of Virginia Baptist College believes a truly Biblical and genuinely Christian educational philosophy is foundational to the pursuit and achievement of its goals. Indeed, the very formulation of these goals and objectives must be predicated on such a philosophy. It is for this reason we have chosen to set forth clearly the basic principles which will serve as the philosophical underpinnings for all of our efforts, including organizational structure, educational curricula, and instructional methodology.

It is our conviction that philosophy must first and foremost be based on theology. Our understanding of the existence and nature of God and His relationship with and purpose for mankind will necessarily effect every area of human knowledge and endeavor. Our deeply held view at VBC is that the universe in which we live is the direct product of divine creation. We believe that the God of creation is the Triune God who has revealed Himself to us through the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that the Bible is the inerrant product of divine inspiration and is to be interpreted literally and accepted as God's Word and, therefore, absolute truth. The Scriptures describe mankind as having been morally and spiritually corrupted through the fall and as being incapable in himself of reformation. Redemption has been made possible only through the initiative of God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Salvation and fellowship with God can be attained only through faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

These precepts cause us to reject utterly the humanistic educational philosophies. These philosophies are generally characterized by a concentration on the satisfaction of human needs through the pursuit of knowledge derived from human observation by means of the scientific method. The institutions and programs under such a philosophy are guided by the prevailing tenets and mores of human society. The end result is the worship of and application by society of religious values -- values created in society's own image.

A thoroughly Scriptural philosophy of education begins with the centrality of Christ. All things exist by Him and for Him. From start to finish the primary goal of the educational process is to glorify God. The Christian considers God to be the source of all wisdom and knowledge. The Scriptures, as inspired divine revelation, provide not only the most important body of knowledge available to men, but they also become the filter and the illuminator which allows the Christian to properly evaluate and interpret knowledge stemming from natural revelation of any other source. The Word of God, therefore, must be in fact the foundation stone upon which Christian education is built. Its truths must be the basis of all spiritual training and must also be integrated into every academic discipline. Rather than reflecting the traditions of society, the values taught in the Scriptures provide the spiritual compass that guides the Christian educational process. The culmination of the process should be spiritually mature graduates who apply the precepts of God's Word to the problems of the real world. In doing so, the Christian brings glory to His Heavenly Father and compassionate help to society.

We are not so presumptuous as to believe that these lofty goals can be achieved through mere human effort. It is essential for everyone involved in the process of Christian education -- administration, faculty, and student -- to seek and surrender to the empowering Holy Spirit. It is only through His enabling that a truly Christian education can be accomplished.