Creativity flows from the heart through the right side of the brain.
Creativity is an expression of vision and intuition. These two faculties are
both right-brain functions. Other right-brain functions include music,
three-dimensional forms, and art awareness.
These stand in stark contrast
to the left-brain functions which are emphasized in the western rational
educational model. Left-brain functions include reasoning, reading, written
language, number skills, and spoken language.
What's your
elective?
If you reflect on the western educational model, you will
recall that the "three R's," the skills required of all, are "reading, ?riting
and ?rithmetic." These are all left-brain functions, while the electives in the
western educational system, such as art, music and drama, are all right-brain
functions.
I doubt whether God
gave us two hemispheres of our brains so we could make one required and make the
other an elective. I also doubt that God gave us a brain so we could use it,
even though this is what is commonly taught. I believe that the Bible teaches
that God has given us a body, soul and spirit so that we can give them back to
Him as a living sacrifice, allowing Him to fill and use them?
"Therefore,
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God?this is your true and proper
worship." - Rom. 12:1.
As applied to this situation, that means that we
are to learn how to present our minds to God so He can use them. Or even more
specifically, for the artist, composer, and inventor, how to present the right
side of our minds to God to fill and flow through.
We're off
balance.
It has been discovered that in the United States, when a person
graduates from high school, the left side of the brain weighs slightly more than
the right side. How is that for a culture out of balance, a culture which has
worshiped at the throne of rationalism so long that it has caused an internal
imbalance in the brain that is so great that it can be weighted and
measured?
Surely, this is not what God intended. We were given two
hemispheres of our brains for a reason. We were all given the ability to be
creative through the gift of God. God, Himself, has shown His creativity
throughout the Bible and, most apparently, through all the wonders of creation.
Surely, there is a better way to education our children, a way which uses the
whole brain, not just the left side.
I'll continue to examine this idea
of whole-brained education in additional articles I'll be releasing. Look for
the article, "Is The Pursuit Of Rationalism Really Rational?"
Mark
Virkler is with Christian Leadership University. CLU is a Christian University and Online Bible
College offering Christian education including Christian counseling and Christian theology
seminaries and offers certificates, undergrad, Masters, and Doctorates in
the various Christian
colleges of CLU.