By Kaitlyn Mullan, SBS Lower School Art Teacher
Awe is where learning truly begins. Such wonder awakens a curiosity in us that ultimately draws us to seek what is true. This is why art holds such an important place in education. It is more than a means of creativity or individual expression; it is an invitation to behold the Creator Himself.
Before all time, God, infinite in beauty, truth and goodness, created. What a magnificent way to start. His mighty words, spoken into nothingness, created everything we see. This is how God wishes to introduce Himself to mankind. Though He is perfectly holy and just, omniscient and powerful, He first introduces Himself as Creator.
In John 17:17, Jesus prays, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” Jesus, being fully God and fully man, understood the temptation to seek these things (truth, goodness and beauty) in other places, but prayed that believers would seek the Lord in all things, that we would be sanctified and restored. Sanctification is not a singular moment, but a lifetime of submission to the Father, allowing Him to continue to make us more like the image of His Son. This is the continued education and formation that all believers participate in, and it starts when we first believe. As Christian educators, our first responsibility is to help our students have a full understanding of the love of God and His sacrifice, so that they can be in right relationship with Him. Everything else pales in comparison to the surpassing knowledge of Him.
I remember when I realized the weight of that. Our holy God desires first for us to know He is Creator. There are so many principles bound up in that one statement, but one of the most crucial for us to recognize is that I was created, God was not. He has always and will always exist. As the origin of all things, He is perfect in every way and we see throughout Scripture that all truth, goodness, and beauty originate in God Himself.
This is the place that a well-rounded Christian education begins—training in truth, goodness and beauty.
Knowledge of God Through Truth
While curiosity often leads to seeking out knowledge, in Christian education, the goal is not simply to fill students with information but to help them grow in wisdom. Because every person is made in the image of God, each student has inherent value and dignity, and has the ability to reason, imagine, and create. Education then is not only about gaining knowledge but about shaping the whole person–mind, heart, and character.
In Christian education, parents and teachers have an important responsibility. We help students learn to think carefully and recognize truth. A good teacher encourages curiosity, discipline, and a love of learning. Learning involves more than memorizing facts. God’s creation invites us to explore, ask questions, and know His greatness. Scripture tells us that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. Wisdom grows through study, practice, and discipline.
Without a right understanding of who God is, we cannot comprehend wisdom. As educators, we bear this responsibility to first instruct our students in the truth.
Right Understanding of God’s Goodness
It is through the demonstration of God’s goodness that the words of Truth take root through lived experience. Students best understand lessons when they have both heard and experienced these truths. There are many opportunities, both directly and indirectly, for us to demonstrate God’s goodness to the students in the ways that we interact with them and others around them. Our example often teaches as much as our instruction.
As it is said in Philippians 4:8-9, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Astonished by Beauty
When we have a right knowledge of God through the Truth, and a right understanding of God through His goodness, we are astonished by His beauty. It becomes our task, then, to exemplify the beautiful. It is the role of the educator to not stop at simple knowledge and understanding of God, but rather lead our students further into the awe and wonder of who God is.
When we have an understanding of this, we see that because God is Creator and mankind is made in His image, mankind has been created to participate in creation. In fact, when we create, we have the opportunity to reflect God’s very nature back to Him, bringing Him the glory and honor that He deserves.
Typically, art education can have selfish ambitions to simply be a place for self expression and enjoyment. While these are not exclusively sinful expressions, they lack the depth of their potential meaning. Just as any other subject, it is crucial that the art educator start with Scripture as the origin of each lesson and the basis for why we educate in art in the first place.
Art has a special role in the school, as a place for students to both worship God by reflecting His nature, as well as worship Him due to their awe and wonder of Him as Creator. All created things are mere reflections of His creation, so we are consistently reminded that He is marvelous and we are created.
Art education also provides a place to put into practice the principles that are taught in the traditional classroom. As many students are still developing skills required to make “good” art, they can become frustrated or discouraged. The art educator must remind them to persevere, work diligently, be kind and patient with one another, and exemplify goodness through what we choose to represent in our artwork.
Ultimately though, the art room is a place for students to further learn about the nature and essence of God through the Word of God, through the lives of the artists studied, and through our example.
The Cyclical Nature of Awe
Christian education is about more than academic success. The goal of education is to help students grow in wisdom, character, and faith so that they may live faithfully in God’s world. Our awe leads us to curiosity, then to truth, then to goodness and back to God’s beauty; and beauty leads us back to the God who is the source of them all. In this way, we experience the process of learning with our students as we continue to grow in each of these ways as well.
Let this be both an encouragement and challenge to Christian educators and to every parent, that we continue in our own study and sit at the feet of Abba Father, so that we may be made complete, equipped for every good work.
May our students see that same wonder reflected in us and be drawn to know Him more deeply for themselves.
