Journal: Faith and Mission
Volume: FM 19:3 (Summer 2002)
Article: Biblical Integration or Biblical Unveiling?
Author: Mary Zullig

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FM 19:3 (Summer 2002) p. 82

Biblical Integration or Biblical Unveiling?

Mary Zullig

Middle School Principal
North Raleigh Christian Academy
7300 Perry Creek Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27616
Special Student
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587

While lecturing at Dallas Theological Seminary in 1952, Dr. Frank Gaebelein effectively fired a shot heard around the Christian educational world. In this treatise, published under the title “The Pattern of God’s Truth: The Integration of Faith and Learning, he coined the term and educational paradigm of “biblical integration.” Dr. Gaebelein’s expose on one aspect of Christian education was both sweeping and insightful: Curricula following basically secular patterns sprinkled with religious jargon or even Bible-coated with Scripture verses do not make for true Christian education. Much deeper than that, Gaebelein’s vision involves recognizing the universal scope of God’s general revelation inherent in and through the various educational disciplines while bringing God’s special revelation to bear upon the general truths at hand, thus integrating biblical and secular knowledge.1 Gaebelein went on to insist that merely having Bible departments is not the means to achieving this integration; rather, teachers of the academic disciplines must themselves be students of the Word of God, able to integrate its truths from within their own subject areas—”Bible teachers in secular departments.2

Though the term “biblical integration” bears some scrutiny, the general idea appears legitimate and is assumed as a major paradigm funding this discussion. At its heart, biblical integration involves the disclosure or unveiling and application of God’s special revelation as it bears upon the general pursuit of all truth, either explaining, realigning, or defending it. The high school English department is of special importance here as literary man seeks to explain, realign, or defend his particular worldview. In light of this, the curriculum of an English department should assume a defining role in fostering solid biblical integration, or rather biblical unveiling, which will guide students to develop a personal Christian worldview.

What should a secondary English curriculum entail in order to foster Christian education which makes biblical unveiling a major instructional paradigm? A set of central principles or “ideas” which comprise man’s quest to understand God and himself must be presented to the students. These ideas should be of

FM 19:3 (Summer 2002) p. 83

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