Heart and Mind: How the Bible Shapes Social-Emotional Learning (Part 1 of 4 Installments)

Introduction: The Motivation and Purpose for Connecting Social-Emotional Learning and the Bible

The Bible, God’s inspired word, is filled with stories, illustrations, and characters that exemplify the brokenness of humanity and the wholeness of Christ. From the Garden of Eden to the exiled island of Patmos, God, in his omniscience and grace, spoke through prophets and apostles to reveal his timeless, inspired word. At the center of it was his promise to restore us through his messiah. His word shows us the raw, unedited lives of God’s chosen that demonstrate how His perfect plan was carried out through imperfect people, which ultimately brought about salvation through His Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Trust, courage, and bravery. Patience, stillness, and hope. Repentance, humility, and obedience. Virtues such as these are taught to us from the inception of our faith. Models of a righteous walk with God. So, too, are the antithesis of these ways portrayed to illustrate the emptiness and unfulfilled life of those who journey a different path. And, of course, there is the in-between, where most of humanity finds a connection. Complicated stories of faithfulness, perseverance, loyalty, doubt, fear, rejection, and struggle. Men and women, after God’s own heart, who, because of sin, fall short repeatedly. Men and women who, as Paul writes in Romans 7:15-20, don’t do what they want to do, but rather do what they hate. We strive to live in social and emotional connection with God, self, and others but find that most of the time, we are drawn into discontented disconnection.

What can be learned about the Bible's social-emotional models (good and bad), and how do these examples point us to a better understanding of Jesus? Because God is all-knowing, He knew there would be such a time as this when the world would define and understand a collection of skills yet lack the central truth of why such skills are important. Therefore, as believers, it is helpful to learn what the Bible says about social-emotional learning to understand ourselves better, our relationship with others, and, ultimately, our relationship with God. This is the first installment of a four-part series that will explore all five SEL competencies by grouping related concepts together in certain posts. Each installment will link Biblical examples and provide context to present-day applications. In each of the installments, we will begin by understanding the definition of the specific competency or competencies that will be discussed. Then, we will explore the Biblical models of these competencies. Finally, we will point to the wholeness of the Trinity as we recognize how our God exemplified each characteristic with perfection.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines SEL as “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions” (CASEL, 2020, p.1). Through this definition, they illustrate five inter and intrapersonal competencies that reflect the cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains: (a) self-awareness, (b) self-management, (c) social awareness, (d) relationship skills, and (e) responsible decision-making (CASEL, 2020, p.2). Within each domain, CASEL provides examples of skills that align with the competency. In the chart below are examples that will be used to further explore and discuss some key Biblical illustrations to highlight SEL connections:

Woven throughout the Bible are illustrations of growth. This can be seen in the character development of figures like Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Peter & Paul—each experienced transformations of such significance that they received new names. God revealed their identity in Him, which led to an internalized belief that their life had a greater purpose that flowed out to their sphere of influence and ultimately impacted the future. Time after time, connectedness with God led to an anchor within, grounding emotions, offering humility, revealing awareness, and driving sound decisions. But the consequences of disconnection also resound. As fallen humans, we live in both states, connected and disconnected. So, too, did the characters of the Bible. God’s word is a gift that guides our character development and leads us to social and emotional maturity in, with, and through Him. Therefore, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is not something to disregard because of modern-day secularism and political polarization. Rather, it should be studied through the lens of a creator and redeemer who perfects the imperfect. Christ is perfection personified. He embodies all listed above and all that has yet to be discovered.

In our next installment, we will dive into how prayer leads to the SEL competency of Responsible Decision Making.

References

CASEL. (2020). CASEL’s SEL framework: https://casel.org/casel-sel-framework-11-2020/?view=true

Sara Morgan is an Associate Professor of Teacher Credentialing, the Education Specialist Credential Program Director, and the Faculty Lead for the CalTPA at Concordia University, Irvine. She worked in K-12 public education for many years as a teacher, TOSA, and Program Specialist. She supported the preparation of Education Specialists in acquiring their Autism Authorization and developed training courses for instructional assistants to support positive behavior intervention and effective teaching strategies. Her scholarship focuses on integrating Social-Emotional Learning competencies and Universal Design for Learning guidelines to promote equity and access for diverse populations. 

Robin Gomes serves as an Assistant Professor of Education at Concordia University Irvine, where she teaches in both the Teacher Credential and MAED programs. With over 25 years of experience in Lutheran education, Robin has served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in Lutheran elementary schools across Nevada and California. She holds a Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University Irvine and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Teacher Education at Chapman University. Robin is passionate about preparing future educators to create inclusive, engaging learning environments that support all learners.