Posts tagged: Spirituality

This week (June 23) on Shabbat Night Live, the Torah is our example for everything — in fact, the way that YeHoVaH wants to hear and obey, learn from him, and keep his word and do it is the same way we need to teach our children.

Kraig and Anne Elliott explain how inspiration and visions from the Father set the framework for their Torah-observant homeschool curriculum.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) How has the component of leadership as an outcome of a good education become almost forgotten in our contemporary world? To what extent has the marginalization or elimination of our Judeo-Christian culture contributed to teaching and learning as a relativistic or even arbitrary activity that is no longer oriented toward the pursuit of truth?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) Similarly, how has the weakness throughout conventional education for theoretical jargon and superfluous innovation in classroom approaches served to further undermine student awareness of their own innate capabilities and limitations? How has the trendy notion that “learning styles have changed” ultimately raised more questions than it has answered?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) How might the Hebrew language serve as a model for the next generation of students who must learn proper English to assume significant positions within the professional world? How does the Hebrew tradition of close reading, textual accuracy, and spiritual interpretation suggest an orientation for the lingua franca of English that could improve communication through precision and articulation? 
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) What are some examples of how the Bible could be utilized as remediation for students who have experienced brain damage or who are afflicted with vision or comprehension difficulties? How does the Hebrew practice of transcription recall the simplicity of learning through copying, which has become lost in the present-day administrative categorization of “special needs” students?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 32:00) Similarly, how has the familiar reflex toward bureaucratization throughout our schools and universities prevented many otherwise intelligent students from reaching their potential because of categorization and division? How do expressions such as “learning disability,” “individualized education,” and “compensatory programs” become euphemisms that can impede improvement through the stigma of demarcation?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 38:00) Many theologians and media commentators throughout the Christian world have recently advocated for a rediscovery of discipline and application in both schooling and professional life. How has a growing lassitude toward the practice of diligent, focused work as a fundamental value undermined the learning potential of today’s students, many of whom view education more as an entitlement than an earned goal?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 42:00) Similarly, how has our educational system lost sight of instilling the value of having a purpose in life in the minds of students? How are our arbitrary and time-worn distinctions between “vocational-technical” and “social science-humanities” belied by the ethos of Proverbs 22:29: “Do you see a man who excels in his work? / He will stand before kings”?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 46:00) How can the questionable approach toward educational training (its lack of scholarly specialization in teacher programs, its syndrome of overwork, and low pay for teachers) be blamed for our diminishing educational profile against other nations? To what extent can this also be blamed on the relegation of Sunday school programs to well-intentioned but unlearned volunteers?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 50:00) In light of the imagery and sentiment of Isaiah 57:14, what constitutes the “stumbling block” that has impeded our Western approach to education over the past half-century? What are some examples of attempts to clear the path of learning that have failed through over-theorization, politicized curricula, and so-called deep learning through technology?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 54:00) How might latter-day infiltrations of such elements as LGBTQ Pride, gender dysphoria, or pedophilia effectually undermine and corrupt our educational institutions to the breaking point?  How does the hyper-sexualization of vulnerable young people in this environment serve to demonstrate the power of demonic influence that appears to be marshaled against marriage and the nuclear family?

This week (June 16) on Shabbat Night Live, school is not what you think it is, and neither is homeschooling!

In this episode, Kraig and Anne Elliott explain how to make the most of your children’s education — in far less time per day than you might think — and why having a conversation with your kids is the best way to teach.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) Why have numerous educational innovations in recent decades – homeschooling, charter schools, asynchronous online learning – failed to cohere into a satisfying standard for most parents who seek proper schooling for their children? Are biblical- or Torah-based curricula sufficient to counteract the relativism and sexualization of children that have become entrenched in most public schools?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) Despite the historical reputation of the “one-room schoolhouse” as an inferior model, its recent repurposing as the “microschool” purports to offer an affordable, constructivist dynamic of hybrid and real-time learning for today’s young learners. How could its flexible schedules and lack of age restrictions be further enhanced by curricular programs that are grounded in scripture to combat the politicization of today’s classrooms?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) Similarly, how likely is a rediscovery of unstructured learning to provide enhancement of education for all age levels through the mentoring of beginners by advanced students? Is this practice vulnerable to loss of a valuable resource like time through vapid, endless discussion, or could it potentially enrich both learning and morale by removing the stigma of age-based grade levels and false distinctions of students’ “falling behind”? 
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) How has the reflex toward homeschooling ironically served to remind the general public of the still-controversial adage that the most important life lessons are “learned at home”? How do various overlooked passages in texts like Deuteronomy and Proverbs underscore the need for engagement between parents and children for enculturation and formation of a faith-based intellect?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 32:00) Similarly, how does Ephesians 4:11 serve as a reminder of the importance of education as part of YeHoVaH’s plan for our individual apostolic work during our lives? How is its reference to teachers further enhanced in verse 14 by its warning against children being misled “by the trickery of men,” whether in ministry or through those who would trivialize the educational endeavor through false teaching or power-seeking?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 38:00) How does today’s reflex toward faith-based education differ from previous efforts in times of excessive politicization, such as the founding of Great Books programs in liberal arts colleges in the 1990s, many of which were sponsored by major denominations? Will current endeavors also be marginalized or dismissed as reactionary and impractical, or will they inspire a developing trend?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 42:00) Similarly, how might this earlier development be likened to the experience of the younger Hebrews, who, having been brought to the Promised Land, then faced the prospect of settling, civilizing, and cultivating it? Is today’s generation of proactive educators like that of Joshua’s followers?  If so, how might they prevent the decadence of their successors, who were castigated in the Book of Judges?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 46:00) Why have such factors as the time-efficiency and personalized potential of homeschooling and asynchronous learning been prevented from development by an adherence to the 9-month agrarian calendar that still dominates primary, secondary, and higher education? What are some examples of questionable bureaucratic interests or influences that continue to confound ongoing efforts of reform?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 50:00) How has the constant updating and revision of curricula that is made possible by the online environment not only transcended the limitations of print culture, but also that of administrative agendas and their resistance to change? How might this contemporary factor provide an unexpected parallel with the Hebrew ethos of fostering a constant, interactive practice of learning between parents and children?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 54:00) Similarly, how is this ancient example poised for rediscovery in the near future thanks to geopolitical and infrastructural changes that have occurred since the millennium? If, as recent commentators have said, we now inhabit a leaderless, multipolar, and digital-based world order that is largely governed by technology companies, how has the struggle for control of our children’s education escalated to the scriptural perspective of a battle between good and evil?

This week (June 9) on Shabbat Night Live, is it possible to use the Word of God to teach every subject in school? Even most Christian homeschool curriculum programs say “no.

Kraig and Anne Elliott explain why they decided to take a leap of faith and develop their own way to teach school using the Bible as a master textbook.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section, and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) How does the contemporary argument in favor of sustainability conflict with the Hebraic proscription against particular foods? How should faithful followers of the Torah attempt to negotiate the latter-day reflex of highly processed comestibles that purport to prolong both human life and the environment, yet also violate the dietary laws that support the faith lives of many?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) Why is it difficult for many believers to discern the sometimes inexplicable paths on which YeHoVaH leads us as part of our individual apostolates? How do such figures as King David, Elijah, and Paul demonstrate our need to accept interruption and even obstruction as inextricable elements of our spiritual growth and as cautions against presumption or false pride?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) How does the ongoing proliferation throughout religious education of new programs, teaching approaches, and curricula serve to indirectly reveal scripture as the most fundamental and influential “syllabus”? How have efforts to make doctrine more contemporary or relevant to successive generations of learners reflected a man-centered and secular ethos?
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) Similarly, how can the marginalization of the Bible as a source of diverse instruction be viewed as a factor in our chaotic present-day educational environments, from primary to college-level? What are some examples of subjects, ideas, and intellectual orientations in today’s curricula that flagrantly violate the moral and ethical precepts delineated and developed from the Tanakh through the Christian New Testament?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 32:00) Despite the inherent personal drama of conversion, how does one’s earliest experience of religious formation often continue to influence or even compromise future spiritual growth? How does the imperative for every believer to recognize this factor become an inextricable element in the critical perspective that we must develop as we engage with YeHoVaH’s plan for our salvation?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 38:00) Although Psalm 23 remains unsurpassed as a popular verse used for personal testimony of praise for YeHoVaH, how might Psalm 19 become a rediscovered text that stands as a comprehensive statement delineating a code of conduct as well as belief? How do its images hearken back to the ethos of the Torah and foreshadow the fulfillment of Messianic worship?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 42:00) How has the notion of dietary restriction become narrowly defined or even ridiculed throughout the Judeo-Christian world, both within religious institutions and among the general public? Why has a more enlightened view of such practices as the refusal of pork, abstinence from alcohol, or vegetarianism as voluntary apostolates failed to become accepted by many as examples of strength and integrity within faith?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 46:00) As referenced earlier, how does YeHoVaH often guide us on our apostolic path through restriction, frustration, or delay as part of a providential plan of discovery of our own hidden resources? Further, how can the “easy grace” of much evangelical Christianity offer a false perspective of material prosperity as reward for spirituality that can potentially lead to the sin of despair through its absence?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 50:00) What is the likelihood in today’s climate of agnosticism of a reflex toward Western religion as a response to curricular needs in public education? How might scripture provide a subtle but formidable template for virtually all disciplines as a delineation of moral, ethical, and cultural values that would illuminate the inherent failure of ongoing back-to-basics efforts?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 54:00) Aside from its fundamental importance to our engagement with YeHoVaH, how is obedience an essential element in our efforts to persevere in the face of limitation while seeking answers to our prayers?  Why are we, as fallen creatures, so often reluctant to make an examination of conscience part of our faith lives, even amidst evidence of its place in our private revelations?

This week (June 2) on Shabbat Night Live, just when you think you have it all figured out, YeHoVaH takes you to the next level.

From coaching football, teaching in France, and detouring through a Native American reservation, Kraig and Anne Elliott learned to trust the Almighty’s leading — and ended up with everything they needed for a dream career they could never have imagined.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section, and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) How has the advocacy of cultural relativism, sexual transgression, and radical egalitarianism by the radical Left continued to undermine homeschooling, despite its utilization throughout contemporary faith communities? Have Christian colleges and universities been negligent in recognizing forgotten values owing to their reputations as reactionary institutions?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) How has the notion of teaching as a higher calling become corrupted by the cynicism of administrative pursuit of power and control, along with falling standards of competency within faculties? Is it still feasible for an educator to pursue an apostolate in primary and secondary education in the face of inflated bureaucracy and massive teacher unions?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) More optimistically, can the hand of YeHoVaH be discerned in the potential fragmentation of public and higher education thanks to the moribund nature of accreditation, tenure, and the brick-and-mortar campus? Could the homeschooled children of believers soon redefine independent learning through their utilization of digital media?
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 27:00) How has the latter-day normalization of sexual transgression and promiscuity throughout our culture served to corrupt our standards of education, particularly at the primary level? How can recent curricular changes and textbook selection be viewed as evidence of Satan’s attempt to target the family as part of his agenda of the destruction of YeHoVaH’s creation?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 31:00) How is the difficulty of evangelizing Native American communities as described here further compounded by forces on the cultural Left who continue to exploit these peoples as victims of colonial oppression? How has a view of Christian faith efforts as cultural imperialism only served to reduce them to a stereotype of unurbanized nature-worshippers rather than viable converts to lives of faith?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 36:00) Similarly, how has the familiar practice of community outreach toward other faith cultures in the United States been obstructed by ostensible collusion with the very same media-industrial complex that could facilitate its success? Is the provision for religious freedom in our First Amendment in danger of extinction, despite its anti-state orientation?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 40:00) As with homeschooling, why does the larger matter of homemaking as a career continue to be controversial, despite its proven advantages to the personal and spiritual growth of children? What is the fear behind the reiteration of the chauvinist cliché of the “stay-at-home mom”?  How does this reflect the failure of the cultural Left to recognize the nurturing power of women as a defining characteristic of genuine feminism?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 44:00) How has the spiritual ethos of today’s clergy been progressively undermined by the same bureaucratization that has afflicted most professional institutions in our contemporary world? How have members of the laity unwittingly contributed to ecclesiastical “administrative bloat,” owing less to spiritual zeal than to the temptations of power, however illusory?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 48:00) Furthermore, how has this phenomenon indirectly encouraged the exploitation of disabled or special needs children as a designated group for public education in its perpetual search for funding? How could a reintroduction of Judeo-Christian values into today’s curriculum, however incremental, arguably achieve more rapid results than merely demarcating these students as an unofficial “cash cow”?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 52:00) Similarly, how could an innovative ministry such as that introduced by the Elliotts be viewed as a viable conduit for these values?  How might such a program of study lead to the rediscovery of an Old Testament text such as Proverbs, which continues to be a relevant source of learning, professionalism, and ethics despite its ancient provenance and its general neglect within denominational Christianity?