Who do we want our students at Edmonton Christian Schools to BE and BECOME? That’s an important question for a school to ask itself! The answer can, in part, be found in what we call ‘Throughlines.” Throughlines get their name from the fact that they run through our entire curriculum, our school culture and indeed through life itself. They describe who we can BE and can BECOME as we live in God’s story.
We use ten throughlines at Edmonton Christian Schools that help us to answer the question we started with. We have a deep hope that we and our students will live as (in no particular order): Community Builders, Earth Keepers, God Worshippers, Servant Workers, Justice Seekers, Idolatry Discerners, Image Reflectors, Creation Enjoyers, Beauty Creators and Order Discoverers. If these Christ-following traits can be used to describe our students, it is evidence that they have accepted “Christ’s invitation to live lives of renewal”( vision statement).
In addition to all of these throughlines weaving their way through our curriculum, there is a throughline devotional focus and calendar page (available on Schoolzone) each month. September we focussed on community building; October was God Worshipping. (An article about each of these was tweeted @edmchristian) This month the focus is on Justice Seeking.
The Bible leaves no doubt that Christian lives must be lives of justice. It is the first requirement listed in answer to Micah’s question, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Many Biblical stories admonish God’s people to seek justice wherever people suffer from unfair treatment and broken relations. Feeding the hungry, caring for the weak and oppressed, welcoming the visitor, advocating for the marginalized and addressing unjust practices in our own lives are what we are called to do. BEING and BECOMING justice seekers is something that we pray will happen for all of us here at Edmonton Christian Schools.