This article discusses educational models and principles, provides a practical example, and includes some principles from Ellen White that may be useful in dealing with tensions such as these four examples:
1. How sensitive should an Adventist teacher be about initiating faith-based discussions, given the various religious and cultural views represented on many Adventist campuses? Are there issues he or she should avoid?
2. When the teacher learns that topics presented in class or in the reading assignments have unintentionally challenged a student’s faith, how should this be handled?
3. Should the teacher ever intentionally choose curriculum content (e.g. science, theology, or philosophy) that challenges his or her students’ faith convictions? If so, how should this material be presented?
4. What is a reasonable approach to use in studying and discussing topics where scientific data/perspectives differ significantly from the biblical perspective? How can the teacher maintain a comfort level for students holding conflicting views?