Hey guys,
I thought that this article was really great. It kind of makes me want to yak though. What do you think?
Story Printer
Thursday, December 23, 2004
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Everyone needs an outlet for their thoughts. I am new in town and don't have a lot of friends. This blog is mine.
4 comments:
Interesting article Jenny. Its really hard for me to decide how I feel about this case. It sounds like his heart is in the right place, and that the law protects the expression of any system of beliefs in the classroom, so long as they aren't Christian. Still, whether we like it or not, there will always be a double standard, and there must be some way of balancing our call to share the gospel, unafraid and unashamed, and also submitting to the laws of the land and the authorities places over us. It doesn't sound like this teacher used the best judgement as to how and when he chose to talk to students about God.
Just my 2 cents worth...
Anyhow, may you have great joy as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Well, on a barely related note, looks like there's at least one opening in the high school math teaching job market in easter NE...
In response to what you said Justin, I think that you have good thoughts. In this case that line of thinking is exactly the "rub" for me. Should we submit to the authorities when God clearly tells us to do another thing (although this might actually be the place my argument breaks down: Did God want Rob to share his faith at the expense of his integrity as someone who agreed to teach math- But this line of thinking carried too far would say that you could never integrally take a job that included anything other than 24 hour evangelism). Alright, enough of that. My rub is the fear of taking that line of thinking too far. Should we in any context be agreeing not to share our faith boldly and constantly.
I have been thinking about this for a while just so you know because I have been in "full-time" missionary work and see how I have been neglectful with the gospel in the past. Should there even be a balancing act between sharing our faith and a job?
My suspicion is that (as in most areas spiritual) it matters a LOT more where out hearts are than exactly what we do. So by that thesis, it may have been particulay obedient for Rob Z to share his faith at the expense of his job.
As for the implications of this decision and what the community is fighting I don't particularly agree with the school's stance or seeming partiality (ie. if he spent 10 min a class period discussing "diversity" not only would he probably not have lost his job but would be awarded for his multicultural approach).
I don't know where to stand as far as what the school should think. On one hand, I say Jesus is really God and we should conform all of life to that. On the other hand, I firmly believe that you can't legislate Christianity and even if you could that it won't bring saving faith. Beacause that comes from a heart change prompted by the Holy Spirit not by conforming to or being exposed to the right actions. So, I say the school was justified in firing him and I am thankful for his example of Christ in the midst of it.
It will be interesting to see what this means for teachers in the future.
AND yes Jake, there is an opening in Papillion. They offered me a job a few years ago.
I got a kick of of Jake's comment because that's exactly what I was thinking when I read the article. In fact, I just started my application to Papillion yesterday. But news like this tears me in half, as I am trying to make a decision whether to pursue a career in teaching or missions. I don't think I could accept a teaching job and feel right about talking about God when I knew beforehand it was forbidden. And I know that God calls Christians to (almost) every kind of job and that not everyone can do full-time missions. I get excited about the opportunity to teach math. On the other hand, I have this deep feeling that there is no real (eternal) value in knowing math, and that having daily contact with at least a hundred kids is worthless if you never get a chance to teach them what really matters. I've gone around and around on this issue so many times I'm perpetually dizzy! I've been meaning to post on it myself, and will when I get a chance to really think as I type.
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