Educating for Christian Living in a Humanistic Age

Abstract

Wayne M. Borgwardt’s essay addresses the challenges Christian educators face in a culture increasingly influenced by secular humanism. Delivered at the Wisconsin State Teachers’ Conference in 1981, the paper critiques humanistic philosophies—especially values clarification, moral development theory, and behavior modification—for promoting man-centered ethics and moral relativism. Borgwardt contrasts these approaches with Christian morality rooted in Scripture, emphasizing justification, faith, and life in Christ. He warns against adopting secular methodologies without discernment, noting the dangers of absorbing underlying philosophies. However, he acknowledges that some techniques, such as role-playing and behavioral strategies, may be useful if grounded in biblical principles. Borgwardt calls Christian teachers to be models of faith and morality, guiding students with law and gospel. The essay concludes with a call to educate youth for Christian living, not merely moral behavior, and to resist both secular humanism and politicized moral movements like the Moral Majority. Abstract generated with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).