Statement of Educational Basis

God's Word is the basis for the child's educational experience at Rivendell. All trustees, faculty, and staff of Rivendell School accept and affix their signatures to the following as the biblical basis for Rivendell's educational philosophy:

❖ The Bible, God’s written Word, teaches us of God; of His Word, which orders creation; of mankind as God’s servant; and of Christ, the Word Incarnate, as the Redeemer.

❖ God’s written Word tells us what to believe and how to live (Matt. 5: 18-19; John 17: 17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

❖ By His Word, God created the world, declared that it was good, and upholds it (Gen. 1:31; Jn.1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:3). Making humanity in His image, male and female, He offered them life, meaning, and purpose through communion with Him. Our rejection of this offer subjected us and God’s creation to chaos, disorder, and ultimately a loss of meaning, purpose, and life itself (Rom. 1:28, 5:12-14).

❖ While acknowledging the real and tangible effects of the Fall on our hearts, minds, and bodies, we celebrate and affirm God’s design in creating two complementary sexes out of which God’s good purposes for individuals, families and communities is upheld in either celibacy or in the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:23-24; Matt. 19:4-6; John 1:3; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 5).

❖ All of human life is religious service of one kind or another, either of God or of an idol (Rom. 6:15- 23). Education, therefore, is never value-free but unfolds in obedience or disobedience to the Lord.

❖ By His grace, God has pursued humanity from the beginning (Gen. 3:15). This long pursuit culminates and is fulfilled in the work and ministry of Christ who redeems and renews all things – including education (Rom. 8:21). And yet, this redemptive and transformative work will not be completed until Christ returns (Rev. 21).

❖ Knowledge of God, of His Word, and of creation is the work of the Holy Spirit in human hearts and minds (John 14:26, 16:13). It is He who directs us in education according to God’s Word.

❖ God’s Word calls us to be stewards of the earth (Gen. 1:28; Gen. 2:15) by, among other things, guiding students into a deeper understanding of God’s world and its history. Through this guidance, students are to attain responsible maturity that is grounded in biblical faith. They can then assume their specific life responsibilities and vocations in a manner pleasing to the Lord.

❖ The communal pursuit of scholarship is a matter of obedience to the Lord as it seeks to develop an appreciation of the structure of creation (Psalm 19).

❖ The teaching staff of the school, under the care and supervision of the school’s governing authorities, is directly and communally responsible to the Lord for the execution of the educational task and to teach and act in accordance with Rivendell’s Affirmations of Faith.

❖ The educational curriculum is the framework that unifies teachers, students, and subject matter. We follow an integral curriculum, reflecting the wholeness of God’s created order.

❖ Parents have the responsibility for determining the spiritual direction of their children’s education (Prov. 1:8, 4:1-4, 6:20-23), and the body of educators in the Christian community has the responsibility for articulating the content of the curriculum.

❖ With the Scriptures, we affirm the value of each student as an image bearer of God to be guided with truth and grace towards responsible maturity. This process can only begin as students understand that life is meaningful when persons assume their place in society as God’s servants and stewards.