By David Quine
FIREWALLS
I am sure you have heard people talking about "computer firewalls," but what are they and what do they do? Do you know? Are there literally walls inside my computer that stops fires? Actually, no. Did you know that the word, firewall, originated in the context of buildings?
A Building Firewall is a fire-resistant barrier used to prevent the spread of fire. Fire barrier walls are typically continuous from an exterior wall to an exterior wall, or from a floor below to a floor or roof above, or from one fire barrier wall to another fire barrier wall in a building.
A Computer Firewall is a vital piece of your business's defense against electronic threats on your computer system. Serving as a gatekeeper between your company's servers and the outside world, a properly maintained firewall will not only keep external threats out, but it can also alert you to more subtle problems by intercepting outgoing data as well.
But what do "firewalls" have to do with CORNERSTONE CURRICULUM
"See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (plain nonsense), following human tradition (men's ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
You may not have thought too much about it, but it is important that you and your children have a strong Spiritual Firewall.
"... taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one ... " (Ephesians 6:16).
The shield of faith is our Spiritual Firewall. By setting up a barrier between the many "world view systems of thought" and the hearts, souls, and minds of your children, the flaming arrows of doubt and compromise are extinguished.
How can we prepare our children to "stand firm" against the "flaming arrows" of false ideas coming their way?
What kind of preparation will it require? As students are involved in their study of each subject - science, history, literature, economics, etc - we must be helping them build a barrier - a firewall - to stop the false interpretations and explanations.
Apologetics is the only adequate firewall which can withstand both the false ideas and at the same time equip our children to explain why they are Christians when mocked. Said another way: A change in questions - from "how do I become a Christian?" to "you are a Christian?" - requires a change in preparation.
An apologetics approach to teaching and learning gives students the ability "to give an answer" to anyone who might ask them why they are Christians and at the same time shields them from the "flaming arrows" of false ideas and mockings which are attempting to erode and destroy their evangelical Christian faith.
WORLD VIEWS of the Western World
Renewing Minds - Transforming Hearts WORLD VIEWS of the Western World is a study of ideas, their implications and consequences in society in the flow of history. The biblical world view is the only true gauge against which all ideas can be evaluated. WORLD VIEWS of the Western World is a complete high school curriculum (18 Carnegie Units) directing students in such an evaluation. What ideas shaped authors, painters, or composers? What ideas shaped the thoughts and explorations of scientists? What ideas shaped the policy of politicians and economists? Were these ideas founded on the ideas of the Biblical world view or some other world view? Answering these questions is the quest of WORLD VIEWS of the Western World. WORLD VIEWS of the Western World engages high school students in "a personal analysis of the key moments in history which have formed our present culture, and the thinking of the men who brought those moments to pass" (How Should We Then Live, Francis Schaeffer).
WORLD VIEWS of the Western World builds a barrier between their personal faith and the outside world view systems which are attempting to challenge and destroy their faith. It is this preparation which will help give your high school students a strong defense system intercepting false world view threats on their hearts, souls, and minds.