The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

— Ezra 8:22

LESSON 6 — ASSIGNMENTS

Readings

Lesson 6
Pages 46-54 in Christian History of the American Revolution: Consider and Ponder: “The Hand of God in American History.”
Pages Ia-XIV, 1-9 in The Christian History of the Constitution, Vol. I.
Complete the assigned lesson readings in Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History: The Principle Approach® by Rosalie Slater for “The Seven Principles of American Christian History and Government” on pp. 63-87
Pages 280-301 in Teaching and Learning—a short biography of Noah Webster.
There is a biography of Noah Webster on the green pages in Webster’s 1828 Dictionary and an article about Noah Webster by Stephen McDowell in The Journal of F.A.C.E., Vol. V for you to read.

Reflections

Study the Sample Christian History Study on Noah Webster on pp. 81-82
Study the Christian Education Timeline, p. 46.
What is your role as an American Christian educator?

Writing

Complete a Providential History Timeline for yourself.
Apply definitions and principles gleaned from this lesson to your “Educational Philosophy Chart”; found on pages 103-104.

GAINING A PROVIDENTIAL VIEW OF HISTORY

Providence: The Hand of God in History

“In theology, the care and superintendence which God exercises over his creatures. He that acknowledges a creation and denies a providence, involves himself in a palpable contradiction; for the same power which caused a thing to exist is necessary to continue its existence. Somer persons admit a general providence, but deny a particular providence, not considering that a general providence consists of particulars. A belief in divine providence is a source of great consolation to good men. By divine providence is often understood God himself.” — Noah Webster, 1828 Dictionary.

The Providence of God in history is a Biblical doctrine. Divine Providence, understood as God Himself, filled the literature of England and America for over 500 years until the twentieth century. Abundant evidence can be found in the original historical documents and in the writings of English and American historians. The Principle Approach® philosophy is of education and government is the Providential view of history. As American Christians, we know something of the saving grace of Christ, but very little about how God brought forth this nation. This ignorance of the Hand of God in America has diluted our love for our nation and our uniquely Christian institutions. If we do not know of God’s directing Hand in America’s past, how can we be certain of it today or in the future? The consequence of this uncertainty is the lack of knowledge of our own call and purpose in God’s plan for us as individuals and the nation at large.

Raised in a secular educational environment, America and Christianity have become separated in our thinking. Identified in an address to the Pilgrim Seminar in Plymouth, Verna M. Hall profiled modern Christians in two categories: One group is “known for attempting to solve our national problems. Indeed it is difficult to tell where this type of Christianity leaves off and good humanism begins. The other group has become so concerned with endeavoring to defend the faith itself, that they have withdrawn almost completely from the affairs of man in his daily walk. . . . forgetting or forsaking the Hand of God in history, forgetting or forsaking the Word of God as our American political textbook, our economic textbook, our social, cultural, educational textbook; this alone has produced the results we have in our nation today.” (Verna M. Hall, excerpts from an address to the First Pilgrim Seminar, Plymouth, MA, November 18, 1971)

Providence is the key to understanding history as it reveals God’s Hand moving in the affairs of individuals and of nations to fulfill His purposes here on earth. It presents the whole view from eternity’s perspective. It plants hope and purpose in the hearts and minds of individuals, challenging them to assume their God- ordained purposes in directing human events.

Teaching Subjects Providential Answers:

Who? God—His Sovereignty, His Purpose, His Nature, His Character

What? Events and Individuals

Where? Geography—the Stage for Man’s Activities

Why? The Gospel Purpose for the subject

The Chain of Christianity®

The Chain of Christianity® is defined as God’s use of individual men and of nations to move the Gospel westward and to effect internal liberty in the civil sphere. The concept of the Chain of Christianity® has several themes:

How are men governed?
How did God use individual character to forward Christ, His story?

Since Adam’s disobedience and fall, man has been trying to establish a government to hold in check his wickedness and inhumanity. While God’s principles were related to the civil sphere, the concept of individual liberty came into existence and increased the desire to restrain the power of government over those it governed. It took 1620 years from the time Jesus Christ appeared for Christian liberty to be seen as God-given, not government granted. The Pilgrims understood that government is first internal as each individual accepts the liberty which only Christ can give. It is external in the civil sphere and, if Christian in nature, will reflect a greater freedom from the restriction of government in the life of the individual. The concept of government on the Chain of Christianity® reveals more liberty for the individual as the Gospel continues moving westward. Liberty culminated in the civil sphere in America with the formation of the world’s first Christian constitutional republic. This is one of the two major themes that should be taught to the student every year, beginning in kindergarten.

The second theme that should be included when teaching the Chain of Christianity® is how God has used individual character to forward His plan and purposes here on the earth. After the appearance of Jesus Christ, the focal point of all history, character became related to individual salvation. The Old Covenant required obedience to God’s Law which was written on stone tablets. However, in the New Covenant, God’s indwelling Spirit writes His Law on the tablets of human hearts and minds providing greater internal liberty.

A timeline is an excellent tool for illustrating the major links on the Chain of Christianity. One should be developed for each classroom and hung over the chalkboard for easy reference and use in all subjects. See an example a timeline on page 46 and a discussion of timelines with an example on the following pages.

Key Links on America’s Christian History Timeline

“For God has allowed us to know the secret of his plan, and it is this: He purposed long ago in his sovereign will that all human history should be consummated in Christ.”

— Ephesians 1:9-10

History is “Christ, His Story.” As Christians we recognize that God is the disposer of men and nations for His purposes and plans and ultimately for His glory. In His sovereignty, God assigned to each nation a special role to play, contributions to make, and all of these separate stones and pillars became building blocks to be used by the Master Builder as the Chain of Christianity® moved westward to America.

The Christian history timeline for primary and elementary grades contains ten key links from the Chain of Christianity. These same ten links are found on each timeline developed, regardless of the subject, individual, event, or nation researched and presented. They are the key individuals, key leading ideas, key nations, or key events that God, in His sovereign Providence, purposes for Christ, His Story in the westward course of the Law and Gospel. These major links illustrate and teach the two themes of the Chain of Christianity.

God created and fashioned everything for His purpose. Therefore, every subject has a biblical foundation, every subject has a Christian history, every subject has a Gospel purpose! When teachers identify and organize their curriculum in this manner, every teacher becomes a Christian history teacher. This method of curriculum developed and classroom presentation shifts the emphasis in teaching and learning from memorizing and parroting information and facts to thinking and reasoning from leading ideas and principles. This shift in curriculum development and teaching methods firmly establishes the Biblical principles upon which students can interpret the the cause and effect of all historic and current events.

The same ten key links on the Chain of Christianity® are presented chronologically each year in the elementary history curriculum, beginning with “Creation” and ending with “Restoration.” A different link is highlighted and taught in depth each year. The seedbed of each link—is presented in kindergarten—the primary, recurring Biblical principles and leading ideas—is presented in the kindergarten program and expanded throughout the years. Following is a brief overview of each major link developed from the Rudiments of America’s Christian History and Government course written by Rosalie J. Slater and Verna M. Hall, 1968 and published by the Foundation for American Christian Education.

The First Link: Creation

God’s Principle of Individuality, the key to the study of history, is emphasized and expanded throughout the years to include: God as Creator and Sovereign Ruler; the attributes of God’s character and nature; geographic individuals; man is God’s property and made in His image; conscience; the fall of man and the need for a Savior; the origin of the races, religions, languages, civilizations; the establishment of civil government.

The Second Link: Moses and the Law

The Providential purpose, preservation, and preparation of Moses, the first historian and lawgiver, are emphasized including: the Ten commandments—God’s eternal Law written on stone tablets; distinctives of moral, ritual, and civil laws; Egypt—a place of refuge; Israel—Hebrew republic; Greece and Rome—pagan republics—aesthetic and political links of preparation for Christianity.

The Third Link: Jesus Christ, the Focal Point of History

In God’s fulness of time, He sent His Son to the earth. Christ’s birth death, and resurrection and His eternal effect on history are studied including: Christ’s character; Christ fulfilled the Law; God’s Law now “written upon fleshly tablets of the heart,” the basis for Christian self-government; the Law and the Gospel—the two legs of civil government; the contrast of Christianity and paganism.

The Fourth Link: Paul and the Christian Church

The Apostle Paul, New Testament scholar, heeded the Macedonian cry for help and established the Gospel and the New Testament Church in Europe, turning the course of Christianity westward. The study of this link includes: Paul’s missionary journeys; his epistles to the first century Christians and his teachings on civil government; the writing of the New Testament and the establishment of the New Testament Church—a mini-republic.

The Fifth Link: The Bible in English

In order to understand the history of civil liberty, the history of the Bible in English must be studied. Liberty for the individual is directly proportionate to the individual’s possession and ability to read the Holy bible in his own language. Supporting this leading idea is: the Magna Carta; how the Bible in the hands of the individual gives rise to an internal reformation and then reformation and then reformation in the civil sphere: the European Reformation, its reformers and Bible translators—Wycliffe, the “morning star of the Reformation,” Tyndale, Coverdale, the Geneva translation, and the King James Authorized Version.

The Sixth Link: Columbus, “Christbearer” to the New World

The preparation of Christopher Columbus, who knew God had a distinct call upon his life, is studied. Providential preparation is evidenced in Marco Polo’s journals, Prince Henry’s School of Navigation, the invention of navigational instruments and the development of the caravel as the Era of New World Exploration began. One of the themes studied is the preservation of the mainland of North America until God had a people prepared to establish the fullest expression of a Christian civilization.

The Seventh Link: Christian Founding

The Pilgrims and their Christian character became the seed of our American Christian republic. Providentially prepared, the Pilgrims possessed the Christian character, self-government, economics, education, and unity needed to produce a Christian constitutional republic. America’s heritage of Christian character, the Providence of God through the Reformation; Holland as a place of refuge; the writing of the Mayflower Compact; God’s preservation through Squanto; Thanksgiving; fifty-year peace with the Indians; communism versus free enterprise; Bradford’s of Plymouth plantation; and the founding of Jamestown are included.

The Eighth Link: American Christian Republic

As Christianity moved westward with its fullest expression in government, the Christian character of the patriots and pastors of the founding and constitutional eras of our nation and their documents of liberty and contributions are studied: Sam Adams, father of the American Revolution, and his Committees of Correspondence; George Washington, father of our country; Thomas Jefferson; John and Abigail Adams; Benjamin Franklin; Patrick Henry; John Witherspoon; James Madison; John Marshall; the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

The Ninth Link: Westward Expansion and Erosion

The Bible, Biblical principles of self and civil government, and Noah Webster’s “Blue-Backed Speller” all went westward with the pioneers and pathfinders. As the nation “flowered,” the Era of Enterprise and Invention is highlighted. Other topics covered are: westward expansion; the Civil War; erosion of unity; reconstruction. The character and contributions of such Christian men as Noah Webster, Matthew Maury, Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee are identified.

The Tenth Link: Restoration, My Place in God’s Providence

The Role of the American Christian for the twenty-first century is to aid in restoring and reclaiming our heritage of Christian character and civil liberty. God has a unique and special purpose and place on the Chain of Christianity® for each one of us, as well as for each individual nation. Every student is inspired and encouraged to assume his responsibility for the stewardship of his internal and external property, his scholarship and productivity, and to follow Christ in his daily walk, thereby fulfilling God’s divine purpose for his life as a young American Christian statesman.

Using a Timeline in Teaching Providential History

The use of a timeline and its role in teaching any subject, especially history, are vital. All subjects have a history and a God-given purpose and should be initially introduced to students by imparting that knowledge. In history there is a natural order, that of chronological sequence. If you mentally examine your own history memory bank, you will find that your understanding of chronology was added piecemeal, as your knowledge of history increased, forming association with prominent events and historic characters. Memorizing a list of dates and events serves no purpose in historic literacy needed to distinguish between the important and the inconsequential. It is of far more value to know the order of the relative significance providentially and to be able to reason from cause to effect. This is where the role of time mapping or the use of a timeline is so worthy.

We are not born with an innate or developed sense of chronology. Time is a developing concept in the young elementary-aged child, one that must be learned. Young children initially require concrete or visual impressions for learning (pictures, maps, globes, handling objects). The abstract capability of reading with symbols must be learned and developed. In order to introduce the concepts of sequence and time, the timeline serves as a concrete method. Children first learn the idea of sequence as a preliminary step for the understanding of chronology and dates later on.

There are many ways to divide time. All of history can be divided into millennia, centuries, or epochs and the critical events and characters mapped that way. But there would be many events that would be inconsequential in the study of the Providential hand of God in history. As the Chain of Liberty moved westward from Creation to the present, ten major events, characters, or links on the Chain of Christianity® have been selected. The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the focal point of all history and should be highlighted in some way on each timeline. These links become “pockets” into which children deposit their growing knowledge of history. For example, when the establishment of Jamestown, the first permanent English colony in America, is studied, the children are taught that its founding lies within the same time frame as the American Founding, a major link in America’s Christian history. Therefore, children quickly learn the significance of events in God’s timetable and then grow in their sense of time and chronology in relation to Christ, His Story.

At StoneBridge School, a F.A.C.E. demonstration school in the Principle Approach®, every teacher makes a timeline that is place over the chalkboard in front of the classroom. Each one reflects the creativity of its designer, but all have the same ten links or “memory pockets” represented. In this way, characters and events that are taught in each grade can be added to highlight the curriculum.

Following are several examples of successful StoneBridge timelines. In kindergarten one teacher used pictures, the same ones she had the student place in their history notebook when they were studied. These pictures represented the event or character of the ten links. She then joined them together with a paper chain. She collected from parents a picture of each of her students and placed them under the tenth link, so that when the children arrived the first day of school, they realized there was something important about the chain on the wall and it had something to do with them!

One sixth grade teacher designed her timeline and placed it on the wall prior to the first day of school. Then in the first few weeks she had the art teacher work with the children to create the figures and representations of events, using construction paper in three-dimensional designs. This was a very successful way of deepening the students’ understanding of the value of the timeline and their sense of time and chronology.

A teacher had her six-year-olds create a personal timeline with the help of their parents. Several timelines that were brought in extended nearly the length of the classroom wall! These young children and their parents were drawn into the concepts of the Providential hand of God, sequencing, and time.

Quite often in individual lesson, teachers have asked children to represent characters on the timeline. A human timeline is formed in front of the class and then the character or event being taught that day is represented by a student and placed in line.

Timelines can be designed vertically or horizontally, and should always be placed in each student’s notebook accompanying the subject overview. When introducing new material, it is very beneficial to have the students quickly draw a timeline in their notes with the ten key links and place the character or event being studied on the timeline in a different color. Then through the years of elementary education, students master the chronology of the Chain of Liberty and are able to place all other historic information within those “memory pockets,” discerning whether they contributed to or hindered the westward move of the Gospel. God’s plan for internal and external liberty is visually and permanently recorded in their brain!

The Seven Principles of American Christian History and Government

In Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History: The Principle Approach®, seven principles are identified and defined across the curriculum for the use of educators. These seven principles form the Biblical reasoning in every subject for the teacher and learner. A brief summary and reading guide follows:

1. God’s Principle of Individuality:

Everything in God’s universe reveals His infinity and diversity. Each person is a unique creation of God, designed to express the nature of Christ individually in society. The parent and teacher cultivate the development and flowering of the talents which God has place within each child. Do we each appreciate how unique and special each of us is? See Teaching and Learning, pp. 65, 141-183.

2. The Christian Principle of Self-Government:

Simply stated, the Christian principle of self-government is God ruling internally from the heart of the individual. In order to have true liberty, man must be governed internally by the Spirit of God rather than by external forces. Government is first individual, then extends to the home, church, and the community.

What can self-government mean in the classroom or homeschool setting? It does not mean relinquishing control to our children. Children need to know the demands upon each one of us and they need to learn how to live with these demands voluntarily. When there is evidence that an individual can begin to assume more responsibility and become “self-governed-under-God” in a few things, then there will be opportunity for more experience. Fortunately, God has provided parents, adults, and teachers to help boys and girls learn how to make choices and decisions which are responsible. There may be mistakes, but if the lesson is pointed out, the Christian self-government has been strengthened. See Teaching and Learning, pp. 69-72; 184-209.

3. America’s Heritage of Christian Character:

The image of God engraved upon the individual within, brings dominion and change to his external environment. The model of American Christian character is the Pilgrim character, which demonstrates these qualities: Faith and steadfastness, brotherly love, Christian care, diligence and industry, and liberty of conscience. Learning work habits begins at home and extends into the classroom. Becoming accountable for one’s learning and productivity is the fruit of Christian character. See Teaching and Learning, pp. 73-75; 210-224.

4. “Conscience Is the Most Sacred of All Property.” (James Madison):

God requires faithful stewardship of all His gifts, especially the internal property of conscience. This is a tool for self-government as each child learns the revelation of consent. Each individual governs his life through the voluntary consent to do right or wrong.

It means to value your Christian conviction and conscience above all external possessions, even life itself, as did the first century Christian martyrs. We learn from our founding fathers that property begins with individual responsibility and productivity—stewardship first, then ownership.

In the home or school setting, property is learned as both internal and external. Not only convictions, but also possessions need to be protected and safeguarded. Property is an individual responsibility and an individual stewardship. Only as it is learned individually will it be mutually valued. How much can you teach of this important principle at home and in the classroom? See Teaching and Learning, pp. 65, 141-183.

5. The Christian Form of Our Government:

The divine flow of spiritual power and force through self-governing individuals, whose God-given rights are protected by laws established by their elected representatives. Proper government requires a balance of internal power and its external form as seen in the separation of powers and its dual form with checks and balances. The Christian form of our government finds its source in “the American political textbook”—the Holy Bible, and its principles embody both the law and the Gospel. To make Christian constitutional government effective, the power of government—sovereignty—must be restored to the individual. How important then, to accustom our young children to think of the importance of individual action and influence. See Teaching and Learning, pp. 79-81; 240-249.

6. How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted:

Christian self-government begins with salvation and education in God’s Law and Love, and flows in governing oneself, one’s home, church, and community. The Chain of Christianity® is made up of individual links. The “mass mind” and the “common man” are empty words; for collectivism is defeated when each individual learns to see himself as God sees him. Even in the family group or the classroom, individuals must take responsibility or blame, in order to discover and correct errors. “Liberty is an individual responsibility.” (See Adams, Father of the American Revolution.) See Teaching and Learning, pp. 83-84, 250-261.

7. The Christian Principle of American Political Union:

Internal agreement or unity, which is invisible, produces an external union which is visible in the spheres of government, economics, and home and community life. Before two or more individuals can act effectively together, they must first be united in spirit in their purposes and convictions.

The entire program of teaching and learning America’s Christian history and form of government is to encourage families and schools to teach with a positive emphasis upon what is right, true, and changeless. The purpose is to provide young people with a dearly defined American Christian standard of reference for every situation. This “built-in” Christian self-government predicated upon the Word of God. This enables you to extend your influence and example into the lives of our children when we are not with them to guide and counsel.

Educators are encouraged to take the time to clearly define foundations—Christian principles which changelessly turn to the compass point regardless of which direction the individual faces. This will demand of you the vision which keeps you making the sacrifice of time and more time, to think through the lesson which you will teach, and the principles which you must define and redefine by many illustrations and personal example. See Teaching and Learning, pp. 85-87; 262-268.