Stories from the Field: Strategies for Teaching Biblically in Language and History

Our first article of specific subject area strategies for teaching biblically focused on Math and Science. In this article, we’ll take a look at strategies aimed at teaching biblically within the content areas of language arts and history.

“The teaching process itself carries in its patterns
a faith-inflected vision of how we should live and learn together.”
– David I. Smith, On Christian Teaching[1]

• For each unit, I try to consider what a central theme of the literature is and think about how that may connect with who God is. For example, identity is a common theme topic, and incorporating key scripture related to who God says He is is helpful. In one kind of lesson, I have students write identity poems, and we study the claims God makes about himself in Isaiah, for example. Another assignment I sometimes give is assigning a perspectives chart, particularly if the readings provide contrasting worldviews. Students track the views of the characters and / or society as well as note the biblical perspective and even their home culture perspective is. We then discuss these comparisons and make sure we identify each belief system represented, and reflect on what it means for us as believers to understand these different viewpoints and how beliefs turn into action. – Name withheld by request

• When I teach prehistory about the appearance of man on earth, the curriculum requires me to talk about Darwin's theory of evolution. I teach as the curriculum requires, but at the end I quote Genesis 1:1 about creation. And at the end, the students themselves say that only God created us and we are not the result of evolution. – Merlin M.

• One year, I was teaching 6th-grade English and Bible. Our students were in the middle of a unit on writing research papers and also 1st and 2nd Timothy. Because of our focus on these two units, we had great conversations on recognizing the difference between Fact, Truth, and Opinion and how this can affect our worldview. – Matthew B.

• In English, I focus each year on a big question. This year, our question is how a good God could allow so much pain in the world. We then use our poetry and literature to explore this issue. This year, we'll look at texts like The Giver, The Hiding Place, and The Problem of Pain. As we discuss these texts and write about them, I try to keep coming back to the big question. – Danielle B.

• Finding ways to integrate the Bible in natural places instead of forcing it to fit has allowed students to more grasp a biblical worldview. In the older grades, asking students what the Bible has to say about different things. Because I currently do literature, a perfect way is to find allusions to Scriptures within our texts because there are so many. Looking at different themes in our stories and comparing them to the biblical worldview as well is good integration. – Kacie S.

• I teach high school language arts, which covers literature, and writing. I have one of the easiest subjects to integrate biblically. It is relatively easy to integrate a biblical world view through almost any piece of literature that we read. Strategies I’ve used in the past include such things as looking at particular scriptures that correspond to the positive or the negative things in the story. For almost each story or novel we read we have class discussions about revenge, hatred, redemption, sorrow, grief, pain, or whatever subject lends itself to bringing scripture into the discussion. I do a lot of group activities, and several times, after we have read a portion of the story, I will give each of the groups a particular scripture to look at along with some questions. It’s the responsibility of that group to discuss that scripture and then consider how it applies to what we’ve been reading. Of course, one of the questions will lead them in the right direction. Other times I might just do some questions out loud and ask students. What do you think of these characters? How do you think their behavior or their attitudes or are lining up with what we know should be? Either way as long as we begin to bring a biblical world view into our discussions, the students seem to get it. Writing is pretty much the same way. My students keep a journal in which I often give them an assigned prompt to answer. Generally speaking, the prompt will be based upon a character or an event in the story. The journal responses are written individually, and the students’ responses often indicate where they are spiritually. – Deborah T.

• A specific example of biblical integration which is more overt is what I pitch to students as an exercise in lateral thinking. In the course of working on their research paper (which itself is an example of biblical integration, as students are asked to present a Christian response (in their opinion) to a current issue which people are struggling with) I ask them to journal reflectively about any connections they see between a given Bible passage and their topic. – Jonathan P.

• I emphasise the ways in which the skills involved in literary study also apply to biblical study. Some of the same symbols, themes, motifs, and narrative structures that we encounter in class are also present in biblical texts. It is easy to work biblical allusion into regular teaching, since the canonical texts we read in my class incorporate the influence of a culture shaped by the Bible. In some units, we will directly engage biblical texts as literary texts and apply the skills we've developed to them. Questions of ethics and morality in the stories we read easily invite comparison to Christian tradition. – Jon d.T.

• The main focus of my 9th-grade English class is argumentation. When I teach students about the importance of evidence in making claims, we start by looking at the Old Testament requirement of 2 or 3 witnesses to make any charge (Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15). Not only is this a helpful illustration for argumentation, but more importantly, it captures God's perfectly just nature. Another example is how, in my fiction writers workshop, I often tell my students that "writing is revision." I compare the writing process to how God is always sanctifying his people until, one day, they will be perfected in his presence. – Jacob C.

• Teaching critical lenses is an effective way to bring biblical integration into the English classroom at the high school level because it guides students through a framework for thinking about literature, showing students that the perspective we take on the world matters. Go back to the lesson that you think the author is teaching in this story and run that idea through the biblical lens that we have been using, the feminist lens, the new historical lens, and the Marxist lens. – Lindsay N.

• In reading, we will study Bible stories alongside other literature to learn about character, choices, and consequences. In science, we will connect discoveries about creation to God’s power as the Creator. Through these connections, I want students to grow not only in knowledge but also in faith, understanding that all truth is God’s truth. – Ruth A.

History

• Social studies is probably the best class for biblical integration.  Seeing how the events of the Bible coincide with other historical documents or stories. This can range from early Mesopotamian stories about the great flood that washed away everyone, to seeing how the spread of the early church took place because of the persecution done by Roman rulers. – Matthew B.

• When I talk about historical events, I always remind the kids God's plan for humanity and that our duty is to bring peace and love as God did to our lives, no matter how many time humans do bad, we always have hope. – Daniel R.

• In my history classes I do a lot of discussion-based learning where students are encouraged to ask questions and dig into the historic context of scripture. It is especially easy when we are comparing scripture to other ancient texts. For example, we have a discussion comparing the Epic of Gilgamesh to the flood account in Genesis. Discussions like this help students learn about the character of God and how He differs greatly from the false gods of the ancient world. – Kylie S.

• We're starting each day with prayer for global churches and peoples to enrich our social studies and understanding of the world. – Sarah R.

• Reading and history always provide plentiful opportunities. It's valuable to reflect on characters in books and leaders in history and have discussions around their motivations, thoughts and actions. How is God's character reflected/being distorted? How might Jesus respond? – Liz B.

We invite you to use the above strategies in your classroom and to share with us both the results and any other strategies the Lord gives to you. Send us your comments at onpractice@teachbeyond.org.