We’ve done it. Finally! We’ve completed (for now, this aspect of) our study of Civil Government. It’s been a pretty drawn out study, but fruitful. And truth be told, we’re still finishing up our “Family Read-Aloud” of Abigail Adams’ biography. But it’s purely for pleasure, no assignments or “studies” remain on my “really want to do” list. Most importantly I’m pleased at the children’s understanding of the Biblical Principles we have learned – and the Notebooks they have produced.
This study was quite different from the last time our family went through this study. I was teaching primarily to teens then, now I have primarily young children again. I knew adjustments would have to be made. Gary DeMar’s God and Government series, Steven McDowell’s Liberating the Nations, Slater & Hall’s Rudiments of American Christian History and Government, and Clarence Carson’s American Government would be way over their heads. But there were many concepts within these books and many others that I wanted to incorporate, on their level. F.A.C.E.’s Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History, and Noah Plan History and Geography Curriculum Guide helped give me some ideas to bring it down to their level.
I based this study on 7 Biblical Principles of Civil Government, that we worked through, with plenty of “enrichment” added in, mostly in the form of biographies and projects related to them. Our HisStory focus for this study was the Constitutional Convention and first years as a nation (thus the Abigail Adams book – our oldest is also finishing up a biography of John Adams). We also read about and studied Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, and read several short biographical sketches of other men from the Convention.
The 7 Principles we studied were:
1) Civil government exists to protect its citizens and punish evildoers.
2) God establishes thrones and rulers, no matter what type of human government is in place. (covered various types of governments)
3) Godly government is based on Biblical Principles of Law & Liberty. (looked at Federal Christian Constitutional Republic)
4) God’s Story of Liberty & Law follows the PIPEline of HisStory westward. (looked at the history of government and liberty as it led up to this point – Declaration and War for Independence)
5) The first and fullest expression of Christian Civil Government was established in the United States – “One Nation Under God”. (studied the Constitution itself, and 3 Biblical aspects of our government: Principle of Representation, Separation of Powers, and Dual Natural /Federal – State)
6) If Principles of Godly government are not guarded & protected, they will be lost. (looked at the decline of our nation & 3 things needed to guard and protect liberty: prayer, education, and action)
7) It only takes a remnant & God to restore the foundations. Me and the Future – regaining “One Nation Under God” (looked at: My duties as a Christian – (commanded in scripture) pray, obey the law, pay taxes (and when not to, to obey God first) and My duties as a citizen – vote, jury duty, fight, petition/write civil officials.
Each of these was based on Scripture, and supporting Scriptures were added to many. Each Principle also branched out into studies in other areas. Our study of Ben Franklin led to my daughter’s discovery of his invention, the Glass Armonica, which she fell in love with and had to find and buy a music CD of.
Now for a couple of days of relaxing, before I put my head back in the books to discover the next place God desires to lead us in discovering His Principles, His Hand, and His Plan in His big, wide world. To Life and Learning! God is Good!
