DISCLAIMER: The following post was originally completed as part of my coursework for EDUC 520-Student Learning and Motivation, one of my grad classes. If you are not interested in education, this is going to be wicked boring. Please feel free to check out some of my other posts!
All teachers want students who can think critically. Yet many teachers find we lack the time to teach critical thinking skills when we also have to teach a rigorous curriculum. So we find ourselves quickly mentioning critical thinking concepts and hoping our students catch on. I would propose that intentionally teaching critical thinking not only saves time in the long run, but intentional use of the Bible to teach critical thinking will help form a much-needed biblical worldview.
Recognizing and understanding problems is the crucial first step of critical thinking (Ellerton, 2020). We all deal with problems of all kinds on a daily basis, but few possess the ability to frame the bigger problems correctly, which results in misunderstandings, confusion, and conflict. As Christians, we should frame our problems with a biblical mindset. The Bible tells us to recognize problems: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” which means that we should be aware of the world around us and our own fleshly desires (Ephesians 5:15). This is the very heart of every problem from a biblical worldview! The Bible also repeatedly tells us to seek knowledge and understanding, another major tenet of critical thinking. Proverbs 15:14 states, “The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.” One example of an exercise to help students understand and frame a complex problem asked them to evaluate which athlete was the greatest. They had to define terms, gather and evaluate information, and report and defend their claim (Ellerton, 2020).
Evaluating the quality of one’s own thinking and reasoning is another important part of critical thinking. This includes analyzing the structure of one’s arguments to see whether they are strong arguments (Ellerton, 2020). Christians should consider this, but we should also consider all of our thought processes in light of Scripture to make sure that our thinking is in line with God’s. Perhaps the best example of biblical thinking exemplifying the principle of gathering and evaluating information can be found in the Berean church in Acts 17:11: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” One method that teaches students to evaluate their own thinking is argument mapping, in which they visually trace the problem, relevant information, their own reasoning, and the conclusion (Ellerton, 2020).
I encourage biblical critical thinking every day in my classroom through an exercise I call a Proverbs Paragraph. I give a verse or two from Proverbs, give a writing prompt, and have the students write a reflective paragraph about that verse. Sometimes the question is simply meant to have students recognize a potential problem in their thinking. Other times the question forces them to make a value judgment, such as whether it’s better to have a good reputation or riches. Either way, they have to be able to think critically about the Bible and defend their position.
A final thought: the best way to encourage biblical critical thinking in our students is to model it ourselves. Answer every question using God’s Word. Reframe the question biblically if necessary. Challenge them to answer it biblically themselves, but also be ready to curate Scripture references for them to refer to. Most importantly: “...be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you…” (I Peter 3:15b)
References:
Ellerton, P. (2020, January 27). Thinking about thinking helps kids learn. How can we teach critical thinking? The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-thinking-helps-kids-learn-how-can-we-teach-critical-thinking-129795
The Holy Bible, King James Version.
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