THE TRUE 1% Thank you for 20 years of no 9-11s. These veterans represent the thousands who volunteered to stand between us and those at war with America. They protected our nation and gave us peace. American servicemen – the true 1 % of our population – deserve all the credit for American resolve, tenacity, agility, and success. Our military was victorious every day for 20 years in Afghanistan. Thank you Dan Crenshaw, Jocko Willink, David Goggins, Jonny Kim, and Chris Kyle (RIP). [From my FB and Ricochet posts from 1 September 2021. I am currently listening to Dan Crenshaw’s book Fortitude.]
One detractor to my post wrote (this is unedited, including typos, from my FB page):
I listened to a father on NPR tell his story of losing his son in Afghanistan at the Kabul airport bombing. His son was 20 years old. The father’s story saddened me a great deal, reminded me of how U.S. imperialism, 20-years of occupating a sovereign nation, has wasted over two trillion dollars, countless Afghan, American and the lives of others, ruined families, and destoryed a regional economy. Although we have not experienced another 911 in the United States, what we saw in the Taliban takeover should worry each of us every night. We are not safe. Nor should we be for acting irresponsibly and ungodly toward the Afghan people or with the vast resources God has blessed us with. Additionally, Afghans have lived with perpetual violence for a long time, escalated by our imperialism. We should be saddened for those people. We should be saddened and ashamed by the waste of American military lives, by the waste of Afghan lives. These are all God’s children! All of their lives matter. All of the lives lost over there should be remembered, but for their resolve, tenacity, and certainly not for their success. But to never forget the waste of and poor stewardship resources and people. I think that Biden, Trump, Obama, and Bush including all senior government leadership personnel who had a hand in this mess should be tried for war crimes and imprisoned for life.
My response was immediate and exacting:
I sympathize with your opening comments, especially about the father’s response. Mr. Biden’s response to those families was contentious in some cases to say the least. [I have given the WaPo article here, which does not enumerate some of the details that can be found elsewhere.] I thoroughly disagree with your use of terms such as “imperialism” and “occupying.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Ask any of the Afghans who stood with us, the girls who were able to attend school for 20 years, or the women who were protected from sexual slavery. “Ungodly?” “Irresponsibly?” Not even close. Please read my post from last week entitled “American Soldier” to see my further comments. You are right that we are “not safe.” Rep. Dan Crenshaw – a veteran of 3 tours in-country – has said we are in more danger now than since 9-11. I doubt very much that your words would be well received by the vets who served in Afghanistan: “ashamed” is not at all what they feel. Again, I would urge you to consider sources of information directly from those who served, Dan Crenshaw in particular. Pick any of his statements on Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. You will hear a very different POV from someone who was there. Your repudiation of their “success” and commitment to “waste” would not at all be welcomed, were you in veterans’ presence. Tried for war crimes? Imprisoned for life? I’m not even sure where to begin in any response. I stand by what I have written over the last two weeks. There is much more I would like to say. My view of social media communication is an attempt to be positive. For that reason, it is necessary to respond to your words here with restrained forthrightness. https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/07ecff7c-09ac-11ec…
And further, I wrote:
I grieve the awful results of human sinfulness, no matter where, no matter with whom. I agree with presidents – including President Trump – who have clearly stated “we cannot be the world’s policemen.” Why we could not carry on a permanent presence such as we have in Korea or still in Europe is beyond me. There are certain strategic moves that could have been taken (here I depend on veteran testimonies who were there and who know first hand) that would have afforded a continued umbrella of safety. Giving up Bagram AF base, for instance, was unconscionable. We have leveraged strategic advantage to our enemies. There is so much to say about this I could write for pages with copious references to intelligence provided by those who were there, who know. Can we be everywhere? Of course not. Just as much as I cannot stop killings in my own city, I cannot do much more than pray for people and situations. “Success” is true for our troops, “failure” for those making political decisions.
To another respondent I wrote:
I disagree that we are not “safer” today because of what American men and women in uniform have done over the last 20 years to destroy and debilitate terrorism. We live in relative peace and calm to practice our educational pursuits at a university because terrorists are kept at abeyance. We are safer knowing there are many working behind the scenes and on the scene to waylay those who would want to blow up our buildings or take our people for sexual exploitation or hold for ransom the most vulnerable of our community. These and other atrocities are regular fare in countries which do not have the kind of security we take for granted from those in uniform. Our presence in other countries should be debated. Political decisions in the White House or Congress about “nation building” should be debated. The abdication of a U.S. military infrastructure to support the Afghan army is another, more visceral debate; far from an empty shell. My point will always be the same. I am grateful to live in a nation where dodging AK-47 rifle fire or RPG explosives is not a regular occurrence. Whatever one believes about war, violence, or evil, one thing is always a surety: that person is always glad when it doesn’t happen to them.
One friend on FB, who has first hand knowledge of the conditions on the ground this past week, wrote:
I agree with much of what you said. As some one who served, and is very involved presently with the ongoing evacuation of American Citizens, SIV Holders, and those under great threat of death due to their gender or religion I have been working day and night to get out of the Country. War crimes is a touch sell as war with in it self is a crime, and at the same time it is at times necessary. What I will say is we need accountability from our leaders. As a junior service member I was held accountable for my gear if something had gone missing I would be in serious trouble. When I moved to intel I was held accountable for how I handled information, had it leaked I would have been held very accountable resulting in most cases with prison time. When military commanders have incidents regarding equal opportunity, sexual harassment or assault with in their command they themselves are held accountable. It hasn’t made the main stream media yet, but our Ground Commander at HKIA sent a bus load of American Citizens, Green Card Holders, and Children back after it made it into the base to evac. We have since lost contact with them all as they were most likely executed by the Taliban. Where is the accountability from that senior leader? Where is the accountability from any of our leadership in our government. The few times they have been put on trial nothing has come of it. In some cases they make jokes about it such as in the Clinton case and wiping her server with a cloth. The administration keeps blaming this on the intel community, but the intel community has known this was going to happen for over a decade as a junior enlisted I an all my brothers knew for a FACT that the Afghan Army would be defeated quickly. People in the Trump Administration as well as the Biden Administration should be held accountable instead of pushing off the blame to their subordinate organizations.
Over the next several months you will hear stories of what I feel is the darkest time in my life. I have been to Africa, I have seen first hand the evil this world has, but nothing I have ever seen compares to what my brothers in Afghanistan saw over the last week. If you want to circulate a story from some one who was on the ground please watch this interview. Nick was an Infantry Officer and former Battalion Commander of the 4th Ranger Training Battalion.
For twenty years U.S. military personnel have given grace to the Afghan people and brought swift justice to their oppressors. For twenty years Afghan women have been kept from sexual slavery because of American military presence. For twenty years Afghan women have been able to go to school, protected by American servicemen; an opportunity heretofore not allowed by the male dominated society. For twenty years the American soldier has stood athwart tyranny.
But let us not forget why America was in Afghanistan in the first place. A generation has passed since the awful day when our nation was attacked by terrorists, terrorists whose place in the world was protected by the then despotic rulers of Afghanistan. The American soldier returned fire, raining down justice so that freedom might ring. And the freedom was passed on to the Afghan people. The American soldier was the face of the American people, interested in nothing more than peace.
America’s protective, peace-keeping service continues today (long after World War II) in Europe and at the DMZ in Korea. Why American presence could not continue in a conditional advice-and-consent role in Afghanistan was not a decision made by the American soldier. Our commitment to peace in the Middle East was kept by the American soldier. It is unfortunate but true that in a sin-marred world there are times when the forces of good must face off against the forces of evil, with force. The American soldier runs toward the battle; the people that need protection are grateful for their fence of grace.
And the American soldier was triumphant every day for twenty years. The American soldier did not “lose” anything. Do not listen to the headlines from so-called journalists who insist that America “lost.” Hard fought victories were won because of American military might and the combat readiness of an all-volunteer Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Air Force. The losses sustained in our war on terror were the lives of men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice – another marker of grace – for freedom. American soldiers leave their post in triumph, heads held high, U.S. citizens that gave of themselves, so that Afghan people could taste a bit of the freedom that so many in these 50 States have every day.
So, chalk up another American military victory. Our men and women in uniform leave Afghanistan as they came into Afghanistan, having meted out justice while giving grace to those who would receive it. For twenty years that American grace has been a shield against despotism. No matter one’s geo-political perspective, there is no dispute that American soldiers did their duty, protecting our country and caring for those in-country that could not protect themselves. Once again, as has been true over our 250-year history, America responds with force against aggression. And the American soldier, triumphant for twenty years in Afghanistan, stands ready again to go down range.
– Written with admiration and thanks from a proud American (Photo by Damir Spanic on Unsplash)
Teaching leadership courses I always ask students to accomplish this assignment:
Outline your general philosophy of living life.
Note what forms your thinking.
Identify the source of your motivation.
Give a title and descriptor that creates interest.
Explain five gifts or strengths that order your life.
Before students accomplish the assignment, I give them my example.
Everyone will have their own approach. The ordering of one’s life should be reviewed & recast each year.
I hope that if you utilize the assignment for yourself or others you will find it beneficial for yourself and your group.
Status Viator: My Christian Walk and its Influence on
What I Am Made to Do as an Interdisciplinary Biblical Leader
Mark Eckel,MA ThM PhD
“Being on the way” is my lifelong condition (status viator). God’s eternal, providential plan is being disclosed as I walk along the path of my God-given life. “Roads” or “paths” are First Testament words giving the place for my feet when I am “walking” in Second Testament shoes. Saved by God’s grace at nine, I began preaching when I was thirteen, filling pulpits at sixteen, and was ordained at twenty-six. Communication abilities—writing, speaking, or teaching—have been acknowledged since my childhood. The writings of Dr. Francis Schaeffer discovered during high school cemented a perspective of common ground Christian engagement with others that has marked my life ever since.
On my Christian walk along “The Way,” I continue to be influenced by:
Discipling I believe in “with-ness,” being incarnationally present. The disciples were changed because they had been “with Jesus.” My focus in identifying future leaders is always the same. Succession planning is the first job of every leader. My responsibility is to recognize, guide, and help others toward leadership positions within their giftedness. I believe that spending time with next generation leadership is the best investment to make.
Teaching I am an enthusiastic learner who is excited to be with others who want to learn. Both preparation to communicate and the instructional experience bring a smile to my face. I love to teach Scripture, theology, faith-learning-synthesis, leadership foundations, and interdisciplinarity. I teach biblical-interdisciplinary courses for universities. I am passionate for the subject, compassionate toward the student. I believe in relational-educational contexts. Training the next generation of Christian leaders is my ardor.
Partnering I love to discuss ideas and their application with my colleagues. As an undergraduate academic dean I incorporated discussions for collaborative faculty reflection over interdisciplinary ideas. Reading books, critiquing films, exegeting biblical texts, creating curricula are all best done with others, lending itself to peer review. Finding like-minded people with whom to vision the future based on the past is fulfilling.
Writing A good form of communication for me is the written word. I am a creator. Examining and explaining a topic in ways that make sense to others, gives me joy. I take pleasure in writing study manuscripts, articles, curricula, weekly essays, peer-reviewed journal articles, and an occasional book. Warp&Woof has been my personal website for a dozen years where I have published essays once a week. Cultural engagement is a delight.
Speaking The opportunity to invest in others through direct instruction is a passion at which I excel. I love to preach and deliver lectures. I instruct groups through the process of curricular development, other audiences have learned a critical-Christian analysis with movies, still others have investigated the horror genre of literature. I teach a “Theology of” series which hones apologetic-evangelistic skills. I enjoy communicating true Truth in the marketplace of ideas with believers and unbelievers.
Batman’s nemesis had a view of life well summarized by Bruce Wayne’s faithful steward, Alfred,
“Some men aren’t looking for anything logical, like money. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
But without the institutions of government, military, or intelligence agencies, burn is what the world would do!
In The West, we tend to believe individualism is our philosophy of choice.We question authority and lampoon institutions because we see these as inhibitions. Individualists despise restriction. “The Lone Ranger” syndrome occupies our perceptions more than we know.
Yet individuals make up institutions. We hate chaos for a reason: we could not function in our vocations without order, a primary result of institutions. The word “institution” literally means to set up a statue. The statue then became a memorial, a place of standing, a foundation established for organization. Both groups and individuals enjoy the benefits of organization; a statue to honor order. The word “constituent” has the same focus: a statue, a token of shared commitment.
Institutions are simply shared commitments. We may take them for granted but depend upon police, fire, EMT, and military services. Institutions organize due process, due diligence, and due dates; the latter essential for both student and teacher! What we think is individual endeavor is most often wrapped within social fabric. We refer to marriage, universities, hospitals, and churches as institutions for good reason: we do not want to see the fabric fray.
Five benefits of institutions may keep us from pulling on the threads of social fabric which bind us.
1. Language. It helps to speak the same language in social settings. Further, institutions depend on similar vocabularies for ease of communication. We institutionalize language in many forms which give form to our business and living.
2. Law. Government restraint benefits all people. Law prevents unbridled license. The famed statement Lex Rex, “the law is king,” constrains despots in a free society. We may not like the law when we want to do what we like, but the law also keeps others from doing what they like, to us.
3. Limitation. Every game depends on rules, boundaries, and referees. Structure creates space for freedom. Freedom governed by responsibility is actually best served within the realm of institutions.
4. Longevity. Stability, like boredom, has its benefits. We can count on something being the same tomorrow as it is today. Institutions allow for the creation of wisdom, wealth, and work year-after-year.
5. Legacy. We humans ask “What good will my profits do after I die?” We cannot take our contributions with us but we can leave them behind to benefit others. Institutions create the organizational structure for our ideas and ideals to be passed on to the next generation.
Language, law, limitation, longevity, and legacy may cause us to rethink our view of institutions.
We may enjoy seeing Batman engage Joker’s chaos on the big screen but no one wants to live that way on the small screen of our lives.
“Teacher,” Part One, “Scholar,” Part Two, “Mentor,” Part Three
By what means will I be evaluated?
What will someone identify to show that I am a Christian scholar-teacher-discipler?
How will I know if my professorial life conforms to a standard?
Assessment questions haunted me during my PhD research. Validation is imperative in any scientific pursuit. But how could I objectivize outcomes that would lead to quantitative proof in an obviously qualitative endeavor? The literature review provided evidence. Others had been asking the same questions.
During my tenure as dean and then vice president of academic affairs I began to establish a written essay approach to professor evaluations. We spent a good deal of time together as faculty inside and outside of school. From other reading, I added to what I had discovered from others, developing a qualitative assessment rubric for college faculty. I believe that this process could benefit our interest in developing scholar-teacher-disciplers in Christian higher education.
Christian College Faculty Yearly Assessment
Christian faculty are committed to training Christian leaders. Since Christian professors’ focus is on pedagogy (“training youth”), andragogy (“training adults”) and students (“training leaders”), any assessment of an instructor’s teaching must ultimately concern itself with development of the whole person.
“Measurement” of “performance” is not simply quantifiable (driven by numbers). From a biblical point of view, qualitative evaluation sees not only the results lived in life but wisdom born within one’s life. Faculty need to live in community to encourage personal growth as well as knowing the impact of one’s classroom teaching. Professorial assessment, then, will strive to be biblically wholistic.
The Christian faculty member, in his or her thinking-being-living, should demonstrate:
1. Content Knowledge
a. interaction with the latest thinking-writing in a field of study
b. substantive understanding of past and present practitioners, practices, discussions
c. theological foundations and assumptions of their discipline
d. understanding how a discipline’s methodology impacts a discipline’s outcomes
e. seeks to show students how biblical eschatology and teleology should frame and focus the reason and content of the teaching
2. Curricular Development
a. assessment of content (for students):
i. knowing when/why students are having trouble learning
ii. differentiation in evaluation, variation in assessment
iii. focus on the process of education so as to give students tools of learning
b. scope and sequence of content—demonstrates an overview
c. school mission permeates programs, philosophy, objectives, methods, outcomes.
3. Communication—
a. worldview comparison: clear demonstration of biblical Christianity contrasted with subject of study
b. understands how the medium may shape the message of the teaching
c. application of content to daily life and culture
d. vertical-horizontal integration, including disciplines outside the subject
e. authentic, matching methods in relation to the program or subject of study
f. discovery learning; andragogy focused on the student
g. sensitivity toward student-learning and personal learning styles
h. a safe classroom environment for discussion is maintained
4. Creativity—
a. faculty teaching is not static, rather evidences constant growth in the teaching-learning process, including methodological development
b. affective student integration focused on developing students’ interiority
c. faith-learning thoughtfulness demonstrated through writing assignments
5. Conduct—
a. biblical behavior which befits a Christian professor
b. open, forthcoming, initiated rapport with students outside of class
c. mentorship-discipleship possibilities are encouraged by professor
d. care and concern is evidenced toward all
e. office hours and appropriate time for research off campus are maintained
6. Character—
a. consistent, evident biblical growth as a Christian in community
b. “habits of the heart” are witnessed from syllabi to exams to office to life
c. seeks internal motivation for him or herself as well as students
7. Continuance (of teaching-with-learning)—
self- evaluation is shown through living-teaching
peer cooperation through cross-disciplinary engagement
student evaluations will be carefully calibrated within a broad evaluation scope
student mentoring and study groups are encouraged
alumni surveys are sought to consider the longevity of instructional value
communal interdependence encourages teachers to learn from students
internship programs and practicums are encouraged
lifelong student learning is practiced
8. Collaboration with colleagues—
a. works with administrative expectation for the furtherance of the school’s mission
b. practices co-evaluation within the faculty
c. exhibits a teachable spirit
d. learning communities are maintained for the cross-pollination of ideas
i. participation in disciplinary societies and groups
ii. addresses given, papers delivered, reviews written, books crafted
iii. online presence (website, Facebook, YouTube, etc.)
9. Collegiality—
a. interpersonal relationships with other colleagues should exude trust and joy
b. generosity of spirit toward all who support the educational process
10. Community—
a. participates with institutional events
b. takes an active part in the school culture
c. attends and is a member of good standing of an Evangelical local church
d. attends and/or participates in other churches periodically to develop a broad perspective of The Body of Christ within a multiethnic mindset
Dr. Eckel has served the Christian educational community for over 35 years; teaching junior high through graduate school. Mark now spends time with students at The Comenius Institute (website). Find our 1 minute video here. This article was first published for The Emerging Scholars Network (site). Photos: Snappy Goat
“The Christian scholar-teacher must be a person who believes in Christian higher education, who is committed to the mission of his or her institution. It is not enough to hire faculty who happen to be Christians, even if they are fine scholars. We must find and keep faculty who are committed to the project.”[2]
“RBB,” he said. My response registered a facial question mark. “Really Big Brains,” he smiled. “That’s what you professors have: really big brains.”
“RBH,” I said. He returned the questioning look. “Really Big Heads,” I smiled. “That’s what can happen to professors: we can get really big heads.”
Humility is the essence of knowledge. I have lost count of how many times I have intoned such a statement in classes. The first mark of Christian scholars is that we should know we do not know how much we don’t know (Luke 14:7-11; Rom 12:3; Phil 2:3-4). We should begin every thought where the gospel begins: we are dependent upon God. Knowing how much we do not know measures the creature by The Creator (Isa 55:8-9). Aseity[3] identifies our dependency (Acts 17:24-28).
Scholarship depends on dependency. Scholars do literature reviews. We read the latest research in our field. Counter-arguments are heard and evaluated. Words such as “could,” “perhaps,” and “may” dot our writing, rightfully acknowledging the sage wisdom we could be wrong. The possibility of finding ourselves in error, however, does not diminish our responsibility to seek true Truth.[4]
Knowledge of the Creator and His creation is within sight of thinking people (cf. Pss. 64:9; 65:8; 66:1-5; 67). Culture and context may condition how we view knowledge, but the common nature of reality is true for all people in all places at all times in all cultures (cf. Pss. 107, 117). Our knowledge may be comparative but our “knowing is constrained . . . true to creature, creation, and Creator.”[5] We live in a fallen world (Rom 8:19-22) which accentuates our finite, fallen, fragile limitations (Job 11:7-9). Christian scholars know that if our knowledge is incomplete, we look forward to the day when restoration of what once was, will be again; the completion of creation (Acts 3:21; Rev 21:1-5).[6]
Incompletion, however, does not equal stagnation. Christian scholars continue to take responsibility for the gifts given us.[7] We also acknowledge our assumptions in the scholarly enterprise.[8]A Christian view of scholarship may contain the following commitments:
no dichotomy exists between secular and sacred—the whole world and all of life belong to The Creator (1 Chr 29:10-16; Psalm 24:1; 50:9-12; 89:11);
common grace—truth to be found within creation—can be accessed because The Personal Eternal Triune Creator was pleased to leave it there, intending delight and wonder for the discoverer (Job 26; 28:1-11; Prov 25:2);
ways of knowing premised upon “the fear of The Lord” (Prov 1:7; 9:10), are given to human image bearers (Gen 1:26; Ps 8);
the Christian Scriptures are the central organizing core (2 Tim 1:14; 2:15; 3:14-17) which both begin the process of evaluation, interpreting theories and data, while giving purpose to the process of education; and
the Christian scholar (2 Chr 17:7-9; Prov 2:1-6; 2 Cor 10:3-5) bears the responsibility to develop a Christian theological-philosophical grid, a Christian thought process in the pursuit of true Truth.[9]
Nicholas Wolterstorff summarizes succinctly, “Faithful scholarship as a whole will be distinctive scholarship . . . But difference is to be a consequence, not an aim.”[10]
My 5-fold commitment to distinctive Christian scholarship leads to the 5-fold responsibility of my task, my craft, as a Christian scholar:[11]
I submit to the Lordship of Christ in all things (integrity, scholarship, administrative shepherding, etc.).
I articulate in written and verbal form the theological-philosophical assumptions that form the premise for my work as a Christian scholar.
I practice faith-learning integration within my discipline, believing the wedding of belief with academic excellence to be inseparable. I master my area of content specialization while seeking collaborative interdisciplinary approaches, demonstrating the coherence of God’s world.
I continue to mature in Christ through personal Bible study, prayer, fellowship with a local church family, read in and out of my content areas, participate in opportunities to grow within my vocation, and enjoy the life given me by God.
I live my beliefs through loving service to those inside and outside of The Faith with robust research, rigorous rhetoric, generous spirit, relational grace, bold conviction, and personal care.
So as to keep us from getting “big heads” because God has given us “big brains,” we live in humility before our Lord and our neighbor. And so we pray
Dear Lord, we purpose
Gratefulness for our opportunities, Appreciation for our giftedness;
Precision in our reading, Accuracy in our writing;
Understanding in our discussions, Humility in our knowledge;
Thoughtfulness in our answers; Sanctification in our learning;
Investment in our assignments; Godliness in our workmanship;
Discipleship in our relationships; Commitment to our mission;
Scholarship in our schoolwork; cohesiveness in our worldview;
Increase for Jesus, Decrease for ourselves, Glory for our Lord.
[1] This series was first published at Emerging Scholars Network. Dr. Eckel has served the Christian educational community for over 30 years; teaching junior high through graduate school. Mark and Robin Eckel live in Indianapolis, IN, sharing their gifts in their local church, Crossroads Community (PCA), Fishers, IN. Mark is President of The Comenius Institute. [See our one minute video here.] Dr. Eckel practices scholarship with others in the M.A. and Ph.D. programs at Capital Seminary & Graduate School, Lancaster, PA.
[2] C. Stephen Evans, 2003. “The Calling of the Christian Scholar-Teacher. In Faithful learning and the Christian Scholarly Vocation. (Eerdmans): 28.
[3]“Aseity” is a theological term meaning God is independent and self-sufficient meaning humans are dependent and insufficient (of themselves).
[4]“True Truth” was the phrase used by Francis Schaeffer to suggest that many people claim any number of multiple “truths” but the Christian “Truth” claimed exclusivity (John 14:6). See my essay on “exclusivity” here.
[5] Hodges, Bert H. 1987. Perception is relative and veridical: Ecological and Biblical perspectives on knowing and doing the truth. In The reality of Christian learning, ed. Harold Heie and David L. Wolfe, 103-139. St. Paul, MN: Christian College Consortium, 133-34, emphasis his.
[6]As a Christian professor, I acknowledge my total dependence in restoration from a state of separation from God because of sin through the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; His gift of grace through faith saving alone.
[8] Arthur F. Holmes preached, “Yet ‘the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’…Christianity (and other worldviews) affect our thinking at other levels than explicit biblical understandings. There is no presuppositionless science . . . Holmes, Arthur F. 1994. “Is a Christian university possible?” Faculty Dialogue 21 (Summer), 28-29, emphasis his.
[9] On these five points see my PhD dissertation, “A Comparison of Faith-Learning Integration Between Graduates from Christian and Secular Universities in the Christian School Classroom,” Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2009, 21-22.
[10]Wolterstorff, Nicholas. 2004. Educating for shalom: Essays on Christian higher education. Edited by Clarence W. Joldersma and Gloria Goris Stronks. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 78, emphasis his.
[11] This is the first in a series of four articles. The second article will focus on my responsibility as a Christian teacher in higher education.
[12]Mark Eckel, “The Christian Schoolman’s Prayer,” unpublished, 2006.
The true function of the teacher is to create the most favorable conditions for self-learning. True teaching is not that which gives knowledge, but that which stimulates pupils to gain it. One might say that he teaches best who teaches least.[2]
“I do not want you to believe anything I tell you.” My mantra was repeated daily.
“I want you to be Bereans. The Bereans did not take at face value what Paul said but searched Scripture for themselves to see if he was correct.”[3]
“This is not Eckelology.” The comment always brought smiles. More serious expressions when I said, “We study God’s Word for the sake of God’s world.”
“My responsibility as a teacher is to make sure you become lifelong learners. If you only learn to follow an authority’s words without thought, you will allow anyone with the loudest voice or the most letters behind her name to sway your thinking.”
“You need to own what you believe. The one word definition of education is ownership.”
Since the 1980’s my students have read things likeHumanist Manifestos I & II, held discussions with atheists invited to the classroom, compared the Enuma Elish with Genesis, debated rock DJ’s over sexuality in music, held dialogues with impaneled doctors about in vitro fertilization, interviewed college students on their campuses, critiqued full length feature films, exegeted Scripture, written decidedly biblical points of view without chapter & verse, and practiced in real-time settings, how to clearly communicate Christian truths with respectful conviction.
Students came to own their beliefs. I made no apologies for having students write papers. Writing made a pupil own their ideas. Students hated it when I answered their questions with questions. But the answers they discovered, they owned. Projects were created for innovative learning. Lessons were sewn deep in the soil of student ownership. Students were taught the books and tools necessary to study the Bible for themselves. Ownership became personal and practical.
Ownership suggests we should hyphenate teaching-learning. I believe that the process goes both ways. A student learns when she teaches and is able to teach when she learns. One Hebrew word, lamad,[4] can be translated either “teaching” or “learning” depending on the context. We should be less concerned with the delivery of material and more concerned with how we deliver the student to the material.Becoming skilled at how to craft questions, create projects, and construct discussions brings learning to the learner.
Biblical instruction is content-centered, teacher-directed, student-discovered, life-related, service-enacted learning for the next generation (Ps 71:14-18; 78:1-8).
Content-centered. Capital “T” Truth does exist and can be known; therefore people are responsible to the laws of God’s Word and His world (Deut 4:5-9; 30:11-16). Curriculum is based on the principle that all Truth originates from God (Is 28:23-29), all truth is inclusive within His Truth (heaven and earth are His, Josh 2:11; 2 Kings 19:15; 2 Chr 2:12), and all truth is God’s Truth (Ps 119:152, 160).
Teacher-directed. The teacher is God’s authority in the school’s sphere of influence (Prov 23:12; Eph 4:11-12; 1 Thess 5:12, 13; Heb 13:17). Professors bear the responsibility of clear commitment to and communication of “true Truth” (2 Tim 2:14-4:5; Titus 1:9).
Student-discovered. Students are accountable for the privilege of teaching-learning (Prov 13:13, 16, 18; 20:15; etc.; Gal 6:6). If this is God’s world, He made it, and it is important to Him, it should be important to us (1 Chr 29:11; Neh 9:6; Ps 33:6-11; 50:9-12; 89:11). As creatures responsible to The Creator, students have been given responsibilities to rule the creation, including one’s studies (Gen 1:28; 2:5, 15, 19-20; Ps 8:5-8).
Life-related. God’s common grace creates common truth for the common good for common lives of all people (Gen 39:5; Ps 145:9, 15-16; Matt 5:44-45; Lk 6:35-36; Jn 1:9; Acts 14:16-17). God’s law addresses all of life for everyone (Deut 30:11-15; 1 Tim 1:8-11). We are responsible to develop biblical, wisdom thinking skills (Prov 2:1-6; Col 2:8; Heb 5:11-14). Wisdom is how we better understand the world (Proverbs 8:12-36).
Service-enacted. There is a standard of goodness (Titus 1:8), to be modeled (2:7), and practiced (2:14; 3:1, 8, 14)—something of praiseworthy quality or measured with excellent results. Teaching must link sound doctrine to doing what is good (2:1, 3).
Ownership within the teaching-learning process connects truth to life, theory to practice, person to vocation. John W. Peterson’s hymn “A Student’s Prayer” sings of ownership:
May the things we learn, so meager, never lift our hearts in pride
Till in foolish self-reliance we would wander from Thy side.
Let them only bind us closer, Lord, to Thee, in whom we find
Very fountainhead of Wisdom, Light and life of all mankind.
[1]This series was first published at Emerging Scholars Network. Dr. Eckel has served the Christian educational community for over 35 years; teaching junior high through graduate school. Mark and Robin Eckel live in Indianapolis, IN, sharing their gifts in their local church, Crossroads Community (PCA), Fishers, IN. Mark is President of The Comenius Institute. [See our one minute video here.] Dr. Eckel practices teaching-learning anyone who wants to learn.
[2] John Milton Gregory. 1884, 1917, 2007. The Seven Laws of Teaching.Filiquarian Publishing, pp. 77-78.
[4]Kaiser, Walter. 1980. lamad. In The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Edited by R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, 1:480. Chicago, IL: Moody.
“By guiding attention we take in our hands the key to the formation and the development of personality and character.” Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky[2]
“Teacher,” Part One, “Scholar,” Part Two
My first stint as an educator was chosen by a four letter word: time.
My training was in pastoral studies. But I was being offered a position as a high school teacher in a Christian school. Should I become a teacher, something for which I was not trained? I made my decision based on time.
I asked myself how much influence could I have within a certain amount of time? Teaching five times a week for 45 minutes a day over 180 days a year equals 135 hours per year.
But mentoring was the key to my decision. I added to the amount of class time going to student concerts, games, plays, and graduations. On top of watching student performances, I became involved in taking stats for basketball teams, weight-lifting with athletes, personal counseling, and parties at my home. Being with people was crucial in making my decision to teach.[3]Mentoring is allowing people to be with us in our teaching, in our lives. Discipleship is allowing time for imitation.[4]
Albert Bandura, following the behaviorists, introduced “new” ideas of cognitive repetition with his “bobo doll studies.” Bandura had children watch a video of other children repeatedly knocking down a rubber bounce-back doll. The result of observation was imitation which moved to changed behavior. The children immediately went into the next room to do what they had just seen. Bandura’s observations (attention, retention, reproduction, motivation) emphasized that imitation causes people to demonstrate what they have learned, not to cause learning in and of itself.[5] Bandura concluded, as a good humanist should, that the focus is on self. Response to imitation should be self-regulation, self-determination, self-control, even contractual obligations begun with oneself.
The biblical model, however, forces us to acknowledge that what our students emulate us because of The One we follow (1 Co 11:1 “be imitators of me as I am of Christ”). 2 Thessalonians 3:7, 9 takes us yet another step. Paul commands (“must”) that the church follow his leadership. Essentially, no teaching can ever be effective outside of the personal lifestyle pattern of the teacher.
Imitating positive role models has ancient roots with philosophers, rabbis, and teachers. But Scripture points to more: Timothy the modeler becomes the model for others (1 Co 4:17). Paul was not asking the Corinthians to practice anything different from what was done elsewhere “everywhere in every church” (cf. 1 Co 7:17; 11:16; 14:33, 36). The Corinthians were to become what the Thessalonians had become already—the developmental model which was now the model for others: imitation.
The imitators were imitated, leaving an “example” for others to follow (1 Th 1:6). The Greek for “example” is “type.” Originally the word meant a mark that left a blow or a design stamped on a coin, leaving a pattern—something to be copied and followed (cf. Titus 2:7; 1 Peter 5:3). The word order emphasizes “a result reached.”[6]
No where else does Paul mark a church as an example to follow as he does with Thessalonica (1 Th 1:8). Paul puts developmental theory on notice that in order to model we must “give ourselves” to others (1 Th 2:8). Scripture is clear about sanctification—it is more difficult to “take affect” unless a discipleship lifestyle accompanies the teaching (cf. Gal 4:12; Phil 3:17).
There are other words which further elucidate the model of modeling. “Walk the line” (Rom 4:12; Acts 21:24; Gal 5:25), “follow in his footsteps or tracks” (2 Co 12:18; 1 Pet 2:21), and “devotion” (1 Tim 5:10, 24) are metaphors which authenticate (cf. Mark 16:20) the talk with the walk. It is possible to follow the wrong behavior (2 Peter 2:2, 15) which is the reason why Bandura’s “operational learning” must submit to The Personal Eternal Triune Creator.
The mentor has a role to play. It behooves us as professors to know Whose disciples we are. The developmentalists can theorize about the process of imitated behavior but have no basis for its authority. We live our lives as mentor-disciplers because people “read” us (2 Cor 3:2).
May our students know Whom we imitate.
My our students find us worthy of imitation.
May our students experience our discipleship inside and outside the classroom.
May our students mimic the traits they find in us because these traits are found in Scripture.
And most of all, may our students know that we always have time to spend with them.
Dr. Eckel has served the Christian educational community for over 35 years; teaching junior high through graduate school. Mark now spends time with students at The Comenius Institute (website). Find our 1 minute video here. This article was first published for The Emerging Scholars Network (site). Photos: Snappy Goat and Wikipedia Commons.
[3] Mark Eckel, “Time,” 11 June 2013, https://warpandwoof.org/cultural-practical/2592/
[4] The connection between developmental psychology and Scriptural precedent is found in Paul’s words, “I urge you to imitate me” (1 Co 4:16, see 4:14-21 for the whole context). Every time the noun form of “mimic” is used in the New Testament (we get our English word directly from the Greek; cf. 1 Co 11:1; Eph 5:1; 1 Th 1:6; 2:14, etc.) the verb ginomai gives the action–“to become.” The present imperative drives the imitator to develop character based on the given model. In short, the biblical framework informs every developmentalist’s model.
[5] Anthony, Michael J. 2001. Albert Bandura. In Evangelical dictionary of Christian education. Edited by Michael J. Anthony, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 63-64.
[6] Morris, Leon. 1979. The first and second epistles to the Thessalonians. Reprint, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans (page references are to the reprint edition), 59-60. We have an expectation for results but know that results are left up to God so our ministries are not “results-oriented.”
These are my rules for myself and are not intended for anyone else.
1. I always try to answer the question, “What do you want to be known for?” I am not a social-media warrior. I do not follow every thread of those with whom I may agree; nor do I comment on every position of disagreement.
2. I will speak to someone on social media in the way I would speak to them face-to-face. Social media tends to be parochial, insular, exclusionary, and frankly, inhospitable. I will speak with civility, straightforward conviction, and directness when folks may take issue with my online comments.
3. I am concerned with words which may be offensive or off-putting to others.I understand that people may misinterpret or misconstrue my words unintentionally or they may “read-into” my words what they want my words to mean. I have no control over the second sentence but I seek to be responsibly circumspect about the first sentence.
4. I am interested in universal wisdom, inviting others to think about a situation, setting, or circumstance from that perspective. I am the first to say that this approach does not always work. At times words cannot express a position someone takes.
5. I understand that social media is an AWFUL place for discussion or dialogue. I will put up with peoples’ opinions on my posts with some level of appreciation unless they use my page to “preach” or make assumptions about my thinking which are note true.But I LOVE it when people ask me honest, unobtrusive, serious, and probing questions.
6. If you “come after me” (as a white nationalist did here) or misrepresent my words (intentionally), or misinterpret my words (unintentionally) or disparage any person on my page I will respond (though I admit, I cannot track everything everyone says). It IS my page, after all (insert smiley face here). If anyone would like to carry on a dialogue on Facebook messenger I am glad to do so understanding I cannot fully or constantly respond to every query or concern. I have had wonderful engagements with folks both with whom I agree and disagree. I am glad for both. The experience can be more open there. I have had one person break the promise that what is said between us stays just between us. But I try to believe that if you are honestly asking I will be honestly open with you, believing you will keep the discussion between us.
7.If I post on another’s thread or page it is only ever to encourage and lift-up, with the end result of hopefully infusing joy into someone’s life. I “tag” people in posts if I think the post will somehow be beneficial to the person. I will not “tag” you in a post if you ask me not to (some do not like to be “tagged” and I get that). I will not “tag” you in a post as a back-handed critique thinking, “This person really needs to hear what I have to say about ___.” [If anyone thinks I’ve done that to them I will apologetically retract my post.] Personal relationship is MUCH more important to me than that we agree about the “third-rails” of human life: politics and religion.
8. I let people know what I have accomplished or written (while being sensitive about self-promotion) and will ALWAYS post pictures of our grandchildren (insert smiley face here).
9.I will always speak out and stand up for two beliefs: I am unapologetically pro-life and pro-freedom. The American Holocaust of abortion has killed 60 million babies, 60 million persons in the womb. And I have stood side-by-side with an atheist friend, defending him against attacks on his person and beliefs. Pro-life, pro-freedom, no matter what life, what freedom.
10. I am a perennial conservative Christian. #10 relates back to #1. I refuse to hide my beliefs at the same time I will not be strident about my beliefs.
I, in good faith, try to abide by the Levitical call to love my neighbor and love God in all venues including social media.
I, in good conscience, try to live the universal principles of preservation – supporting the great and good ideas and ideals of the past and present – which is what I believe people do, who want to conserve what is best for humanity in a fallen world.
I have STRONG political beliefs. If you would like to hear them, I will gladly talk with you face-to-face. But politics is not what I want to be known for. I try to apply #4 above to get people to think about what they are saying or believing without calling out individuals. I may not always be successful in the endeavor, but I try.
I have STRONG social beliefs and may focus on them from time to time; but again, I am striven by #1 above.
Subscribe to “Truth in Two” videos from Comenius (here). Mark is President of The Comenius Institute (website). Dr. Eckel spends time with Christian young people in public university (1 minute video), hosts a weekly radio program with diverse groups of guests (1 minute video), and interprets culture from a Christian vantage point (1 minute video).
I’m a liberal in the classic sense of being broadminded, welcoming ideas and voices with which I may disagree while learning from the dialogue.
I am a conservative in the ancient sense of being a preservative of perennial principles, ideals which connect universal standards.
I am a progressive in the modern sense of being forward thinking, interested in the present application of comprehensive ethics.
I am a libertarian in the revolutionary sense of being glad to allow others to live as they would like, as they refuse to impose their rules on me.
I am a socialist in the Scriptural sense of being compassionate toward those who have less, needing help, reminding individuals who have more to serve those who have less.
I am a constitutionalist in the originalist sense of being certain that law and liberty has a primary source which gives foundation to earthbound directives.
I am a Biblicist in the eternal sense of being subservient to The Personal Triune Creator who has given Timeless Wisdom to His temporal world.
I have come to these political conclusions based on five “readings.”
My reading of the Bible tells me that The Personal Eternal Triune Creator of the universe has established a transcendent standard for all people, places, times, and cultures.
My reading of America’s founding documentstells me that the flawed individuals who established the nation knew the only way to overcome their faults was to rely on accountability for all through shared rule.
My reading of human nature tells me that human corruption permeates everyone’s being, needing correction by a source of Wisdom not our own.
My reading of literaturetells me that great writers throughout history have pointed to the corruption of our nature while seeking redemption.
My reading of culture tells me that there is always a need to limit and lessen abuses, careful to provide benefit and goodness for others in my own place and time with the gifts given me.
Now I know that I have friends who may not agree with my conclusions. They will read my “readings” in a different way. I will never give up basic beliefs nor would I expect others to give up theirs.But folks who disagree with me will always be greeted with open arms. I try to avoid conflict. I love to find common ground. We truly need each other, keeping each other politically accountable.
How will that happen? Five attitudes may help us engage different political perspectives:
Discernment: honesty, carefulness, and kindness appraise problems with ideas, not people
Allowance: being lovingly tolerant of people means we are willing to challenge their beliefs
Reserve: humility teaches if we never think we could be wrong, we already are
Audacity: saying we are “correct” depends on “truth” which depends on an outside source
It is imperative for all of us to remember that we live in a free country, protected by a strong military, governed by laws, where we are in agreement about basic ideals of life, liberty, and virtue.I could not write these words nor could you, the reader, publicly respond with your own views in places like China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, or Russia.
America is a great nation. Our politics should produce careful reflection.
At the age of 16 Mark thought about becoming a politician. Focusing the fire hose of Truth upon the coals of human sin instead of the heat of politics, Dr. Mark Eckel became a theologian instead. Mark is president of The Comenius Institute. First published at WarpandWoof, February 2016.
Afterword.
Teaching George Orwell’s 1984 in an upcoming class, I am well aware of the dangers of government power.
Political decisions are important.
We like to think that things were better in a former age. Wrong. Some of the worst attacks I have read in politics came from our founding fathers.Check out a few scenarios.
We complain about various candidates, parties, and persuasions because we think their actions are awful.
I would like to say this to everyone: we bring it on ourselves.
Our emotive, vitriolic, bombastic, shrill, and profane diatribes splinter, fracture, divide, and fragment us. Our politics are so loudly partisan, so intensely personal, that we cannot hear anyone else.
Beside our attitudes, we have numerous problems. We are not reading the same documents. We do not know America’s history: good, bad, and ugly. We are not moved by the same speeches, writings, and stories.Instead we are listening to commentators.We only travel in our tribes.We only read those with whom we agree.We attach ourselves to our labels and think no further than our nose.
If America survives the future it is building, some will look back on these days to lament.
We need to commit ourselves to be OURSELVES.Read, learn, revere, gasp in horror, and redeem our national history. Only we can do this. No one will defend a nation if they have no idea why that nation should be defended.
Before November commit to readingThe U.S. Constitution, Federalist Papers, Washington’s addresses, Lincoln’s inaugurals, MLK’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, Eisenhower’s Farewell Address, and the speeches of Ronald Reagan. If we are to be be E Pluribus Unum (“from the many, one”) we must hear many in order to be one.
THE TRUE 1% Thank you for 20 years of no 9-11s. These veterans represent the thousands who volunteered to stand between us and those at war with America. They protected our nation and gave us peace. American servicemen – the true 1 % of our population – deserve all the credit for American resolve, tenacity, agility, and success. Our military was victorious every day for 20 years in Afghanistan. Thank you Dan Crenshaw, Jocko Willink, David Goggins, Jonny Kim, and Chris Kyle (RIP). [From my FB and Ricochet posts from 1 September 2021. I am currently listening to Dan Crenshaw’s book Fortitude.]
