Mike Winther continues his discussion on Biblical Principles of Government. This episode will focus on history, but he begins the lecture by highlighting two key solutions to our problems: the political solution and the educational solution. All of our efforts to change the world can be divided into these two categories. We either try to change society politically or through education. Unfortunately, we often concentrate all our efforts on the political solution, when focusing on education is the real answer. Spending just one-tenth of what is spent on political campaigns on biblical education could significantly influence the outlooks of future generations. Mike also emphasizes the importance of reading physical books, underlining, and bookmarking the best passages. Mike kicks off the history portion by breaking down the etymology of the word "history." He discusses how history is important to God and uses the Bible as an example. Mike then explores the six philosophical views of history that shape how people perceive it. We learn that history is the study of the consequences of ideas. Mike strives to make history interesting and ties it back to the Biblical Principles we cherish. You’ll Learn:

[01:02] The political and educational solutions to our problems. We either try to change society politically or through education.
[01:41] Sometimes we get our focus wrong and put all of our effort on the political solution and neglect education.
[05:32] If we spent 1/10 of what is spent on political campaigns on education and teaching High School students this course, it would change society.
[12:16] Mike talks about the importance of reading and how we all need to be readers.
[16:06] History and the etymology of the word. His story or the working out of God's story.
[19:15] History is important to God. Just try to find a book in the Bible that isn't about history.
[19:44] Psalm 78 and Joshua 4 and Judges 5 and the New Testament.
[22:23] Mike talks about the six philosophical views of history that frame how people view history.
[23:15] The state of society, good or bad. Early time and later time. This charts the views of History.
[23:46] 1. The random view of History. Things are sometimes better and sometimes worse.
[24:13] 2. The pendulum view of History where we swing from one extreme to another.
[24:51] 3. The evolutionary progress view. This is where everything evolves over time and gets better.
[25:39] The first three views of history are atheist or agnostic. The next three are compatible with Christianity.
[25:41] He also talks about what all Christians agree on.
[27:13] 4. The pessimistic view. Things get worse and worse until the second coming.
[27:46] 5. The neutral view. We're not getting more or less righteous, things just vacillate back and forth.
[28:08] 6. The optimistic view. Over time, the church has more influence, and the level of righteousness improves.
[28:46] Psalm 110
[36:37] History is simply the study of the consequences of ideas. It gets exciting when you think about the stuff that really happened.
[37:48] The Magna Carta was the first time a king was seriously challenged.
[38:36] The Great Charter was the start of a multi-millennial challenge to the power of the king.
[39:46] Mike shares the history before the landing of the Mayflower.
[40:30] The Gutenberg Bible gave more people access to read God's word.
[42:28] Separatists were people who were tired of the Church of England and were separating. The Puritans were trying to purify and solve all the flaws.
[43:11] The pilgrims lived in Holland before they came to Plymouth. John Robinson preached all of God's words.
[44:14] The number one reason they left Holland was because their children were too influenced by the secular nature of Holland. The fifth reason was to evangelize the natives of North America.
[48:20] The Mayflower Compact. The first constitution in the US.
[51:51] The providential view of history says that Providence or God intervenes in history.
[56:24] The pilgrims didn't have enough crops to sustain themselves.
[01:00:35] The first experiment in socialism was a failure. Once it was abandoned they had more food than they could use.

Your Resources:

Biblical Principles of Government (9a)