SECONDARY SCHOOL

Year 9 Humanities – WW1 A Biblical Reflection

A Biblical Reflection of this period of our history

God is good. As many have questioned God’s intent, capacity to control, relevance or even existence during difficult times we reflect on World War One. 

God created order, authority, and relationships to reflect his character, most fully experienced in community (cf. Rom 7:4).  We bear that image and that mandate to steward and continue to create.  These relationships also extend into all of the created realm as does our mandate to care. All these things have been distorted and abused due to sin.  Political structures were corrupted to be used as weapons for power over others rather than as channels to serve and empower (cf. Matthew 20:20-28). Institutional, nationalistic and militaristic fervour denied the intrinsic value of the other as also created in God’s image (cf. Gen 1:27).  Idols of empire were reinforced.  Alternative stories to the gospel’s massage of acknowledgement of sin and reconciliation through Christ (2 Cor 5: 18) as the path to the good life were promoted. God’s people, the natural and built environment, and political and cultural norms, (as a fulfilling of God’s charge to “fill the earth” - albeit also distorted by sin), were killed, damaged and subverted. 

The secular humanistic understanding of the inevitable societal progress of the West was challenged in two ways simultaneously. It became self-evident that the origins of the war were greed and self-interest, and an idolatry of nation and empire, in “lording it over others” (Matthew 20:25) in both in the domestic and, through the imperialistic conquest and colonisation, international fields. This was the rational thought championed by the wise of the age, as the ‘way of salvation’. However, it is in the exercise of leadership through servanthood that one becomes great in Jesus’ Kingdom (Matthew 20:26-28).

It also became clear that the consequences of war were the second challenge to the secular humanist understanding of inevitable societal progress.  Technological innovation and scientific advancements were continued to be hailed by Scientism as evidence of this natural progress following the Industrial Revolution. However, instead these developments enabled warfare to be conducted on an industrial scale, with a consequentially massive death toll. Science is simply a tool to be used for good or evil.  At this time it was predominantly used as a means of giving flesh to a cultural story – a making of the world in our image. What was a localised conflict became a global catastrophe.

Even in the midst of military conflict evidence for the Kingdom was still evident.  The ‘Christmas Truce’ demonstrated that our image bearing of God can still be displayed in community in the valuing of the enemy soldier as human, like the combatants on their side.  Those who wrestle with understanding God’s care and protection in these extreme days can find solace: Psalm 23:4 “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”  We anticipate a new heaven and a new earth: the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1,2) – God’s renewal of his good creation.  This is a redemption of empire, where there is healing for the nations (Rev 22:2) and “All nations will come and worship before you” - for those who worship the true God as their saviour and King.

A renewed desire to not repeat this episode, the “war to end to end all wars”, was to fail within a generation.  Could the sacred claim that “Greater love hath no man”, (John 15:13) etched into the floor of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne to remember those killed in conflict, be the origin of the new secular Australian idol of the Anzac legend?

We long for restoration… “Come, Lord Jesus” 

Revelation 22:20

Doug Allison

Head of Learning & Teaching - Secondary

Sustainability at Home Competition

Calling all Year 7, 8 & 9 Students!

This is your invitation to enter the St Andrews Christian College 2021 Sustainability Audit @ Home Competition.

• The Sustainability Team members have decided to conduct a Competition.
• You can get involved by completing an Audit Document [see link below] by 20th October 2021 and emailing your entries to Mr Fernandes.
• If you have any further questions, please email lfernandes@standrews.vic.edu.au.

Looking forward to see who WINS this competition!

God bless,

Mr Fernandes

Year 8 Media - R U OK Day Message

Year 10 2D Art 

It has been so encouraging to see students persisting despite difficulty working at home to produce such creative pieces. Below is a draft artwork from a Year 10 student.

Year 12 Theatre Studies

The Year 12 Theatre Studies class had visits from some of our wonderful alumni; Katelyn Farmer (2020 College Captain) and Becky Schenker (2020 Performing Arts Captain) who were both High Achievers in the subject last year. 

Having spent so much of their final year of school learning remotely, Katelyn and Becky had a wealth of useful experience and advice for our current class, including study habits, ways to stay connected with others, and strategies for preparing for the monologue exam while in isolation. Thank you Katelyn and Becky!

Kathryn Brown

Theatre Studies Teacher