"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, 'Look! This is something new'? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time."
(Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, NIV)

The author of Ecclesiastes points out a truth that it takes many of us a great deal of time to realize: the troubles we see in the world today have been here longer than we’d like to admit and they may not be going away as soon as we hope. So what are we to do about it?

If our school’s goal is to “equip students to serve Japan and the world for Christ,” then our job as the social studies department is to give students the tools to do so. As such, social studies education at CAJ is more than what is taught in the classroom. While the teachers here are passionate and knowledgeable about their disciplines, it is not enough to simply hope that students share our enthusiasm. We have a responsibility to challenge students to think for themselves, to help them be prepared to face the problems of the future while understanding the complexities of the world and the need for grace and truth.

So how do we “equip” them? CAJ students learn to connect the past to the present as they study history. They build research skills and media literacy as they explore current issues and seek solutions. They develop argumentation and communication skills in discussion and debate. They build empathy and advocacy through service projects and trips. And at the end of all this, they test and prove their preparedness by addressing an issue of their choice in their Senior Capstone project.

Ultimately, we hope that students will live up to the ideals set forth in Romans 12, summarized in verse 2: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (NIV)

Whatever their future path may hold, wherever they may find themselves, we hope each student can look back on social studies at CAJ and see how each class was a step towards becoming the person that God wants them to be.