Religious Teaching

Cahaya Bangsa Classical School is first and foremost a Christian school, and explicit Christian teaching will occur throughout the school day. The CBCS Statement of Faith, The Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed serve as the foundation for all religious instruction at CBCS.

CBCS Statement of Faith

The Statement of Faith forms the foundation of beliefs upon which CBCS was established.

  1. We believe in one God, creator of the universe, eternally existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Triune God has created man in His own image and has called him to manifest and reflect holiness through obedience to His commandments. Because man has woefully fallen in this responsibility and entered into a state of moral corruption, he has subsequently become estranged from his Creator.
  2. We believe that because of a profound love for His creation, God has initiated a plan of redemption, which He has accomplished on behalf of His people in the realm of temporal history. The apex of this redemption is found in the historical incarnation of God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We confess Jesus to be the Messiah of Old Testament prophecy, being at the same time fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and He lived a sinless life of perfect obedience. He was crucified as a substitutionary atonement for sinners. He was raised from the dead on the third day and is sitting at the right hand of the Father interceding on behalf of His people.
  3. We believe that we receive salvation from the penalty of sin and the just wrath of God by grace alone, through faith alone, on the merit of Christ alone.
  4. We believe that the risen and ascended Christ has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in the hearts of His people, affecting their regeneration and operating in their sanctification to enable them to live godly lives.
  5. We believe that the entire Bible in the originals, being 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, which are Genesis through Malachi and Matthew through Revelation, respectively is divine revelation. We submit to its authority, acknowledging it to be inerrant and inspired by God and carrying the full weight of His authority.
  6. We believe in the Lordship of Christ over all of life. We believe that God’s commandments are relevant and necessary to our present culture and that our faith should be visible in concrete models of personal and social behavior. We seek to be faithful disciples of Christ, pursuing our callings in love and obedience until He comes again to consummate His kingdom.
  7. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: They that are saved, to the resurrection of life and eternal joy and they that are lost, to the resurrection of damnation.
  8. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
  9. We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25).
  10. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
  11. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Cahaya Bangsa Classical School as a Christian school and to provide a biblical role model to the CBCS members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by CBCS in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22).
  12. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).
  13. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of CBCS.

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

Religious Teaching Policy

Cahaya Bangsa Classical School has adopted a mainline evangelical, non-sectarian policy to its theological and religious instruction. Cahaya Bangsa recruits teachers and staff members from a wide variety of church backgrounds, and we expect all teachers and staff to subscribe and adhere to the following CBCS policy on religious instruction:

  1. Teachers must have experienced the regenerating process of the Holy Spirit through a “new birth” experience (born again), as Jesus outlined in John 3:3-8.
  2. Teachers must agree with and adhere to the CBCS Statement of Faith, Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed.
  3. Teachers must be an active member of a Bible-based local church (which excludes being a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses or adhering to its teaching, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints / Mormon or adhering to its teaching, Christian Science or adhering to its teaching, or being a member of other outlawed or underground Christian cults less prominent).
  4. Teachers must maintain an excellent Christian testimony and an exemplary Christ-like lifestyle both on campus and off campus, avoiding explicitly unbiblical activities which could pose a stumbling block to students, parents, and other teachers. Violation of this standard may provide grounds for termination of employment.
  5. Teachers must refrain from speaking negatively about other orthodox local churches and church organizations.
  6. Teachers will answer wisely and discreetly, avoiding dogmatic responses when answering questions about disputable contemporary topics and public figures. Answers will be presented as opinions that may have opposing arguments, and students will be encouraged to seek further counsel from their parents or their church leaders.
  7. Major and Minor Doctrines: Religious instruction will be limited to the timeless, transcendent truths of the scriptures known as the major doctrines encompassed within the CBCS Statement of Faith. In response to questions about minor doctrines, teachers will present them as topics with more than one side and will treat all viewpoints respectfully. Students will be referred to their local churches and/or parents for further discussions of minor doctrines. Major doctrines and minor doctrines are defined as follows:
Major Doctrines
  • The Word of God, its divine origin, its history, and its infallibility
  • God, the Creator, Jesus Christ, the Savior, The Holy Spirit, the Teacher and Comforter and The Trinity
  • Sin – the fallen state of man
  • Redemption and Salvation
  • Judgment
  • Eternal Life / Eternity: Heaven and Hell
  • Biblical Christian virtues / character 

Minor Doctrines

The list of minor doctrines and controversial topics is not exhaustive, but the following list provides a good sample of contemporary controversies:

  • Predestination vs. Arminianism
  • Baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues
  • Use of the name “Allah” for “God” in the Indonesian language
  • Deliverance Ministry
  • Inner Healing
  • Spiritual Warfare and demonology
  • Second Coming theories (Pre-tribulation rapture, amillennialism, postmillennialism)
  • Water Baptism – sprinkling vs. immersion
  • Holy laughter and other Toronto Blessing phenomena
  • Home church movement
  • Prosperity

Expected Student Outcomes

Since the students are being prepared to build the nation through the Christian worldview of loving and serving their fellow man, the school has concrete outcomes that are expected from its student graduates. The expected student outcomes are the portrait of a CBCS graduate and are defined as measurable learning objectives.

A CBCS graduate will be able to:

  1. Understand a Biblical worldview 
    1. Recognize God’s grand story of reality as creation - fall - redemption - restoration
    2. Submit to the Bible, God’s Word, as the final authority
    3. Differentiate between a biblical worldview and other worldviews 
    4. Apply a biblical worldview in decision-making and cultural interactions
  2. Impact positively the community and nation for the glory of God 
    1. Treat all people with respect as image-bearers of God
    2. Demonstrate key leadership skills: communication, organization, collaboration, and leading by example
    3. Understand  Indonesia’s history and various cultures
    4. Serve the local community, especially those in need or marginalized
  3. Think wisely  
    1. Analyze and evaluate information 
    2. Make informed decisions
    3. Discern fallacies and errors in reasoning
    4. Discern and apply truth, goodness, and beauty 
  4. Act purposefully
    1. Demonstrate integrity & ethical behavior consistent with teachings of Christianity
    2. Think before acting
    3. Understand long-term impact of decisions on self and others
  5. Communicate effectively 
    1. Speak in public with eloquence, persuasiveness, and confidence
    2. Write clearly with the audience and purpose in mind
    3. Master English and academic Indonesian
    4. Speak the truth with compassion
  6. Possess the tools for lifelong learning 
    1. Demonstrate mastery of CBCS curriculum
    2. Read for understanding and further knowledge
    3. Solve problems with perseverance
    4. Collaborate with others through healthy interpersonal skills
    5. Demonstrate curiosity, creativity, and imagination

 

Source: The Standard 2023-2024, English