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Heritage 4: Our United States (4th ed.) Biblical Worldview Scope

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Biblical Worldview Scope for Heritage 4: Our United States

Introduction: This document is an attempt to answer the question, “What must a fourth-grade student comprehend and value in order to think about US states and territories in a biblical way?” What follows is a list of the themes we believe are essential for students to understand and internalize. We anticipate that early in the course students will be asked to recall and explain these themes. However, as these themes recur, students will also evaluate ideas, formulate a Christian understanding, and apply what they have learned to real-life situations. High levels of internalization result when students apply their learning.

1. Environment: How should people interact with their environment?

God created a variegated world suitable for people, who He calls to exercise wise stewardship over its many different regions.

 

As a large country, the United States exhibits incredible environmental diversity. From the frozen tundra of Alaska to the tropical paradise of Hawaii, and from the imposing redwoods of California to the tumbleweed of Texas, God’s marvelous creativity is on display. Such diversity is not merely a curiosity but rather a powerful influence on the development of government and culture. Geographic features and natural resources shape the lifestyle of a region’s inhabitants. At the same time, people have a significant effect on their environment. This is according to the plan of God, who allots territory (Acts 17:26) and has given people authority to manage their environment for the purpose of human thriving (Genesis 1:28). Doing so requires wisdom, which God provides through natural and special revelation. Because the unique natural resources and features of each region have played an integral role in shaping the American states, students must consider the relationship between man and environment throughout a region’s history. This will help students to better understand the present.

The Fall has affected the earth and human stewardship of it.

Adam’s sin radically altered God’s perfect creation, introducing great suffering and difficulty (Genesis 3:17–19, Romans 8:20–22). This includes environmental challenges such as hurricanes, floods, famines, earthquakes, and epidemics. Some regions of the United States experience these challenges more than others.

Sin also impacts human stewardship of the environment. Reckless and destructive behavior is widely practiced and accepted (e.g., pollution, squandering resources, and mismanaging land). Some have reacted unbiblically to such abuse by moving to the opposite extreme and worshipping created things rather than the Creator. Still others, pressured by scarcity and discontentment with God’s provision, have coerced or attacked others to seize their resources. All these behaviors are present in US state and national history. Students of American history should evaluate the sin-cursed state of nature and identify how Americans have contributed to environmental problems. They should also consider how governments have interacted over resources and evaluate the worldview claim that human beings are a blight on the environment.

Wise stewardship requires love for God and others.

Christians should aim to be wise stewards of creation, a task that has become significantly more difficult after the Fall. They must learn to adapt to challenges while also learning to adapt their environments to meet their needs. Additionally, they should challenge the many improper ways people treat the earth (mentioned above). The goal of creation care is human flourishing with minimal environmental disruption, a balance of immediate need and long-term benefit. This is motivated by a love for God and those made in His image rather than devotion to the earth itself. With this mindset, students should formulate ways to wisely steward the resources in their region of the United States. They should also practice applying these principles (which often requires sacrifice and effort) and try advocating for righteous governmental action regarding the environment.

Sample Objectives:

  • 64–65.4 Describe geographical features of Florida and their importance.
  • 55–56.4 Assess the impact of the coal industry on West Virginia’s history and economy.
  • 139–40.6 Propose ways to direct worship to God as Creator through appreciation of the creation.
  • 112–13.6 Apply principles of wise stewardship to environmental concerns.

 

2. Religion: How should I respond to people with different religious beliefs?

 

As God’s creatures, it is our highest privilege and responsibility to worship our Creator.

Religion, as systems of beliefs and worship practices regarding supernatural beings, is universal. All people are religious by nature because they are made in the image of God. They share an awareness of their Creator, a dependence on Him, and an innate need to worship (Romans 1:19–20). Religion helps to organize and unify people in their understanding of who God is and how He is to be worshipped. God’s revelation provides the intended framework for all religion.

As people spread throughout the earth and began to diversify, God’s standard for religion was intended to be an important influence in the development of cultures. It provided limits for cultures within an acceptable range of religious practices, requiring unity where necessary but allowing for healthy variety that glorified God. The foundational influence of religion on culture is evident in the development of the various regions of the United States. Students should especially consider the historically dominant role of Christianity on much of American life.     

Fallen humans refuse to glorify God, instead inventing their own religions.

God intended for each civilization to develop its own unique flavor of religion, but they have done so in ways that ignore His revelation in creation and in Scripture. Despite knowing the truth about God, people refuse to honor Him or to worship Him as He requires. Instead, they invent other gods and deviant forms of worship (Romans 1:18–32). This occurs at a cultural and individual level (Deuteronomy 12:2–8, 29:18) as people attempt to satisfy their innate need to worship. The default religion of fallen man is self-serving, evident in the worship of so-called gods designed to meet a civilization’s needs or a belief in no gods at all (secular humanism). Such religions are merely tools used to legitimize sinful actions and values.

Even cultures founded strong biblical values can drift over time. Though religion drives culture at its formation, culture gradually changes over time and influences religion accordingly. A people group’s religion may completely change once enough time has passed. This is often in a negative direction as sin becomes more culturally acceptable.

Americans practice a variety of religions, and the prevalence of these religions is heavily influenced by geography. Students should trace the rise and fall of various religious groups throughout the United States. Additionally, they should evaluate unbiblical elements within them, including errors within American Christianity (e.g., prosperity gospel, pragmatism, syncretism with new age thought, and hyperindividualism).

The Christian gospel offers hope for people immersed in other religions.

False religions or false ideas that have been added to American Christianity need to be identified and challenged (Matthew 7:15–16). Students should compare biblical Christianity to other religions and consider the effects of these religions on US history and culture. They should also apply the lessons learned to their own practice of personal evangelism.

People with different religious views should not be avoided. Christians should love them and discern how best to share the gospel with them. God stands ready to forgive those who renounce false religion and submit to Him through Christ. All who have been converted to this true religion are obliged to share such good news with others (1 Peter 2:9). While the goal of evangelism is personal salvation, it also restores religion to its proper role. Religion ceases to be a tool for permitting injustice and becomes an integral part of social life, a powerful righteous influence on culture.

Sample Objectives:

  • 11.3 Identify different religions in the United States.
  • 38–39.7 Compare and contrast Amish beliefs and practices with biblical truth.
  • 44–45.8 Formulate a response to the position that the Bible and tradition are equally important.
  • 133–34.6 Propose ways believers can influence the West with the gospel.

 

3. Culture: How can I help reform culture in the United States?

 

The Creation Mandate includes God’s intention for people to create culture.

Culture is the natural result of being made in God’s image. People were made to reflect Him not only in who they are but also in what they do. Culture is the outward expression of deeply held ideas. In other words, it is the expression of a worldview. As people organize around shared beliefs and values, they will establish certain customs and habits and produce everything from laws to literature and food to fashion. Creating and inventing mimic the Creator of all things and are necessary aspects of the Creation Mandate. A shared culture enables people to work together and thus more effectively exercise dominion over God’s creation.

The people of the United States share a culture characterized by freedom, individualism, equality, and growth. Students should consider the biblical roots of these ideas. Students should also identify the distinct regional subcultures within the United States. Such cultures need not be identical to be consistent with creational norms. Variety was God’s intention from the beginning. The glory of God is on display in the rich range of these cultures, just as it shines through ecological diversity and through the diversity of the universal church (Revelation 7:9–11).

Every culture is now impacted by the Fall, including the cultures of the United States.

When fallen human beings carry out the Creation Mandate, they produce broken cultures. Their sin nature permeates their practices and products. Unbiblical worldviews like secularism, materialism, and pragmatism counteract righteous influences from religion and encourage misplaced priorities and debauched forms of entertainment. Students should evaluate how the Fall has negatively affected American culture and its regional subcultures. They should also analyze how the shared values of freedom, individualism, equality, and growth have been twisted in ways that dishonor the Creator.

While every culture is impacted by sin, no culture is as bad as it could be. Therefore, students should evaluate what is broken in a culture without overlooking the positive contribution each culture makes to human civilization. The image of God in man is only marred, not destroyed, so glimpses of God’s good creation can still be found in human efforts.

Christians can develop ways to cultivate and reform their own culture.

Reform, rather than radical revolution, is the most effective way to transform a system (Matthew 13:33). Reforming culture in the United States is not about allegiance to a political party or an ideological movement. Instead, it depends on a return to creational and biblical norms. By keeping a clear eye on these norms, Christians can discern what is good in a culture and celebrate it. By the same knowledge they are able to detect what is broken, decry it, and formulate ways to restore what is best. This moderating path reinforces the good but presses for constant improvement toward the ideal. Formulating methods of reformation could include learning about the political process and the legislative process in order to improve the legal system. It could also involve comparing the American idea of freedom with the biblical concept of freedom. Students could also apply this mindset of reformation toward God-honoring culture-creation. Seeing how their hobbies and activities contribute to the Creation Mandate can be an exciting way for students to appreciate cultural reform.  

Sample Objectives:

  • 92–93.4 Analyze Indiana’s role in the Underground Railroad.
  • 146–47.4 Evaluate the impact of gambling on Nevada’s economy and culture.
  • 51–52.6 Formulate ways citizens can work for change peacefully.
  • 72–73.6 Develop several criteria for choosing music that glorifies God.

 

4. Citizenship: How should I exercise my citizenship for the good of my community?

Citizens are people with certain rights and responsibilities under a government.

Each person is a unique reflection of his or her Creator and, as such, has been granted a degree of both personal autonomy and responsibility (Romans 2:6–11). At the same time, people were created for community. After all, God announced that it was not good for Adam to be alone (Genesis 2:18). All people are born into a number of communities beyond their choosing, such as a families, towns, and nations. Each person bears many obligations to his or her communities throughout life.

In order to fulfill the Creation Mandate, individuals must learn to cooperate with their communities, seeking good for others and for themselves. The conflicting priorities of the individual and the community must remain in proper balance. Neither the individual nor the community should become subservient to the other, but the two must be united in service to God according to His revelation. Governments exist to facilitate this difficult balance and united purpose (Romans 13:3–4).

The United States was established with the recognition that citizens are endowed—not by the government but by their Creator—with inalienable rights. Yet these same citizens also bear responsibility to contribute to the welfare of their communities by voting, working, and helping their neighbors. Students will investigate citizenship in a national context and will explore the ways each regional American culture further developed its own expectations for citizens.

Because we live in a fallen world, citizens often abuse their rights and neglect their responsibilities.

When Adam ate the forbidden fruit, He rejected God’s authority and embraced radical autonomy. Fallen people continue to do as they please, living as if they are unaccountable to God or any authority that He has appointed. Rather than living as image-bearers, they become usurpers of the divine role and live in conflict with one another, even in those natural communities to which they belong (Titus 3:3).

In response to such chaos, some make the community king through the power of government. They coerce individuals to meet the needs of the group, rejecting personal autonomy and the individual’s value as one made in God’s image. Such tyranny scorns God’s design.

Americans tend to be particularly emphatic about individual rights to the exclusion of their responsibilities. Students should evaluate some of these errors in their studies. Some Americans expect the government to wield almost no authority and provide them with absolute freedom. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are twisted in self-serving ways that violate others’ rights. Other Americans adopt an entitlement mentality, even insisting that government guarantee additional rights beyond its God-ordained responsibility (e.g., free college, free housing, etc.). In either case, citizens fail to fulfill their roles and responsibilities. As a result, relationships in every sphere of American society suffer.

Christians should be known as the best citizens of the United States because they seek the good of their communities.

Christians are part of God’s redeemed community, the church. As members of the church, they relearn God’s expectation for the proper balance of rights and responsibilities. Most American Christians find that they have focused far too much on their own rights rather than serving others. The biblical alternative is exemplified in Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:3–11). The Bible requires sacrifice, seeking the good of other Christians and even unbelievers (Galatians 6:10). That includes working to preserve the rights of other citizens and holding them accountable for their responsibilities as a means of loving one’s neighbor. Students must formulate a clear idea of Christian citizenship in an American (and regional) context.

Christians must live as model citizens of their nation in service to their true King (Philippians 3:20). Students should learn to influence their governments toward closer alignment with God’s design for citizens. Further, American Christians should be willing to surrender their rights for the good of others, especially for the advancement of the gospel. At the same time, they should caution citizens about the dangers of a government that overemphasizes community to the detriment of personal freedoms.

Sample Objectives:

  • 21–22.6 Describe taxes and the role of citizens.
  • 122–23.3 Evaluate the actions of the “sooners” during the Land Run of 1889.
  • 169–70.4 Propose a way to help minimize a local environmental challenge.
  • 53–54.3 Identify significant historical figures from Virginia.

 

5. Economics: What should motivate my economic activity?

 

Economics is an aspect of the Creation Mandate because it relates to the production and consumption of goods and services for the good of the community.

God’s normal way of meeting needs is through our own labor and the labor of others. From the very beginning, the Creator provided both raw materials and the ability to work but expected humans to apply that ability (Genesis 2:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:10). Economic activity occurs when people harness natural resources and develop skills to meet their needs and to serve one another. An individual does not have to be a specialist in every field. When all citizens exercise their gifts and abilities, the entire community benefits. Such specialization and cooperation is a vital part of fulfilling the Creation Mandate and mimics the model given for God’s church (1 Corinthians 12). Students should consider the many positive examples of cooperation, diligent effort, and specialized economic activity in the United States.

In a fallen world, there are no perfect economic systems. Some are better than others, but they are all riddled with problems.

 Various economic systems have been created throughout history. And over time, each of these systems has been manipulated and abused to enrich one group (of any size, from international to individual) at the expense of others. This consolidation of power is then often used in unloving, self-serving ways. The sheer amount of biblical content condemning the abuse of the poor proves that it is both common and utterly despised by God.

The United States’ free-market economy has been a model for countries around the world. Yet it too is corrupted by sin, specifically a love of money that multiplies evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Many of history’s failures were driven by man’s greed, sloth, and lack of self-control, sinful habits that continue to be a problem in America. Some businesses are dishonest (e.g., overcharging customers or knowingly selling faulty products). Some have dangerous work environments or fail to fairly compensate employees (James 5:1–5). Still others are underhanded toward their competitors. Able-bodied individuals may refuse to work and instead take advantage of services meant for the needy. And some people are irresponsible consumers who spend wastefully and fail to save for needs or to share with others (Proverbs 13:4).

Restoring confidence in the economic system of the United States requires a restoration of integrity.

As with culture, reformation is the solution to a predatory economic system. Revolution will only perpetuate suffering, simply covering the same problems with a different veneer. Christians must lead the charge in reformation because they understand the necessary virtues that must replace cultural vices. They must work to restore trust and instill love in a system driven by sin.

God expects people to care for one another as fellow image-bearers, even if marred by sin. Christians’ primary motive in economic activity should be love of neighbor. They should be honest in their dealings and genuine in their well-doing. They must work diligently and treat customers with dignity and respect. And they must be examples of hard work and discipline, serving their Lord (Colossians 3:23).

Students should formulate ways to protect consumers and employees from mistreatment in the American marketplace. They should also consider ways to benefit others through ingenuity and invention. Ultimately, students must learn to apply biblical wisdom to their money management (e.g., tithing, saving, spending, etc.). Realizing that most Americans are rich compared to the rest of the world, Christians should live by 1 Timothy 6:17–19. They must be generous with all that has been entrusted to them in service to their Lord.

Sample Objectives:

  • 57–58.5 Identify major industries of North Carolina.
  • 49–50.3 Explain the relationship of slavery to the early economy of the Southeast.
  • 89–90.6 Formulate guidelines for compensating workers fairly.
  • 96–97.7 Execute a plan in which the class combines their resources to meet a specific need in their community.
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As a buyer, it is your responsibility to determine that you have the appropriate hardware/software internet and service connectivity to make use of digital files and that the file format is appropriate for your needs. No refunds are available in these cases. Content removed from the Service due to a complaint of copyright/trademark infringement, or for any other reason, are not eligible for a refund.

 

E. Member Representations and Warranties; Licenses to Other Users.

 

When you  post a link to content on or through the Service, you represent and warrant that (a) you have all the rights and/or licenses necessary to use, reproduce, publish, publicly display, publicly perform, distribute, and otherwise exploit such content in connection with the Service, including the right to grant to others all of the rights and licenses contemplated herein; (b) the content will not infringe or otherwise violate the copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights of any third party; and (c) you have the consent, release, and/or permission of each identifiable person depicted in your content to upload, transmit, publish, sublicense, and/or disseminate their name and/or likeness through the Service. You retain ownership of any rights – including, but not limited to, copyrights and trademark rights – you claim to your submitted content. Nothing in the Service or in these Terms limits the existing rights of Members under the Copyright Act, including but not limited to rights under Sections 110(1) (classroom teaching), 110(2) (distance learning), or 107 (fair use) of the Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. 101 et seq.).

 

2. Registration Obligations.

 

In consideration of your use of the Service, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age and are not a person barred from receiving these services under the laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdiction. You also agree to: (a) provide true, accurate, current, and complete information about yourself as prompted by the Service’s registration form (the “Member Data”) and (b) maintain and promptly update the Member Data to keep it true, accurate, current, and complete at all times. If you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current, or incomplete, or if Teacher Tools Online® has reasonable grounds to suspect that such information is untrue, inaccurate, not current, or incomplete, without limiting any other remedies, Teacher Tools Online® has the right to suspend or terminate your Member Account and refuse any and all current or future use of the Service (or any portion thereof). Please see our Privacy Policy for further information.

 

3. Member and Visitor Conduct.

 

This Service and affiliate services are provided by BJU Press. You understand and agree to the following:

 

- You must use a valid e-mail address and create a username and password during the registration process.

- You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your username and password. You should not disclose your password to anyone. You must keep your password confidential. We may refuse, at our sole discretion, to allow you to register a username that is trademarked, inappropriate, or impersonates another individual.

 

- You are responsible for all uses of your account. You agree to let BJU Press immediately know of any unauthorized use of your account.

 

- When registering with Teacher Tools Online®, you must provide, and maintain, accurate, current, and complete information about yourself.

 

- You are 18 years or older. By registering, you are indicating that you have the capacity to understand these Terms of Service. BJU Press will not be held liable for any loss or damage for noncompliance.

 

- You are solely responsible for your conduct and any content, materials or information that you submit, post, and display on the Service, or that is submitted, posted, and/or displayed on the Service under your Username.

 

- You understand and agree that BJU Press does not control, verify or endorse links, communities, forums, chat, events, or messages, unless explicitly stated. Any links that take users out of Teacher Tools Online® are not under the control of BJU Press, so BJU Press is not responsible for any of the content, functions, services, or links of third party sites.

 

- BJU Press reserves the right to refuse the Service to any user.

 

- You agree that you will not attempt to, nor encourage or assist any other person to, circumvent or modify any system, security technology, or other software that is part of the Service or used to administer the rules contained in this Agreement.

 

Further, while using the Service, Members and visitors agree not to:

 

-upload content directly to the Service

 

- upload, post, email, transmit, or otherwise make available any content, material, or information to, on, or through the Service that is fraudulent, unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, pornographic, profane, sexually explicit or indecent, invasive of another’s privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable;

 

- upload, post, email, transmit, or otherwise make available to Members or visitors any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, “junk mail,” “spam,” “chain letters,” “pyramid schemes,” “affiliate links,” or any other form of solicitation;

 

- transmit any worms or viruses, spyware, malware, or any other harmful or destructive code;

 

- violate any applicable federal or local laws in your jurisdiction (including but not limited to intellectual property laws or tax laws);

 

- use the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose;

 

- impersonate any person or entity, including without limitation, a BJU Press employee or Teacher Tools Online® user, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;

 

- transmit email or any other content that includes personal or identifying information about another person without that person’s explicit consent;

 

- transmit email or any other content that is false, deceptive, misleading, deceitful, or constitutes “bait and switch”;

 

- offer stolen goods and/or materials that infringe a patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights of another person, or entity or that violate any rights of privacy or publicity, or that defame or libel any person or entity, or offer content that you do not have a right to make available under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships (including without limitation any goods purchased or obtained by you without right of resale such as promotional materials or school market-restricted materials);

 

- include hyperlinks, on Teacher Tools Online®, to the website of any other platform or service offering or facilitating the sale of teaching materials or other educational products.

 

- advertise any illegal products or services or the sale of any items the sale of which is prohibited or restricted by applicable law, including without limitation items the sale of which is prohibited or regulated by applicable law;

 

- provide materials or any other content for download that contain viruses or any other code, files, or programs designed to interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment;

 

- disrupt the normal flow of dialogue with an excessive number of messages (flooding attack) to the Service, or in any manner that otherwise negatively affects Members’ and visitors’ ability to use the Service;

 

- employ misleading email or IP addresses, or forged headers, or otherwise manipulated identifiers in order to disguise the origin of content transmitted through the Service;

 

- attempt to gain unauthorized access to Teacher Tools Online®’s computer systems or engage in any activity that disrupts, diminishes the quality of, interferes with the performance of, or impairs the functionality of, the Service;

 

- attempt to regain access to Teacher Tools Online® following a ban or account termination, including without limitation by means of opening or attempting to open a new account under the same or different Username;

 

- “stalk” or otherwise harass anyone on or through the Service;

 

- collect any personally identifying data about Members or visitors for commercial or unlawful purposes; or

 

- use automated means, including spiders, robots, crawlers, data mining tools, or the like to download data from the Service-except for internet search engines (e.g., Google or Yahoo!) and non-commercial public archives (e.g., archive.org) that comply with our robots.txt file, or that are “well-behaved” web services/RSS/Atom clients. We reserve the right to define what we mean by “well-behaved,” and to develop, invoke, or utilize any means to disrupt, diminish the quality of, interfere with the performance of, or impair the functionality of any automated means you may use to access the Service.

4. User Behavior:

You are fully responsible for your behavior on Teacher Tools Online®, which includes the way that you utilize any aspect of the Teacher Tools Online® service.

1. You are completely and solely responsible for the content you post on Teacher Tools Online®, which includes, but is not limited to, photos, messages, chat, personal profiles, community posts, broadcasts, blogs, events, audio and video clips. Unauthorized or illegal content includes, but is not limited to:

(a) the display of sexually explicit material

(b) the display of abusive, harmful, racially or religiously offensive or bigoted, obscene, or libelous material.

(c) the use of flaming or trolling

(d) the display of material that encourages criminal behavior that violates any local, state, national, or international law or regulation.

(e) the use of the Service for unauthorized advertising, which includes MLM/pyramid schemes, spam, chain letters, sweepstakes or contests.

(f) the transmission of viruses, worms, or Trojan horses to destroy or limit any functionality of the software or hardware of Teacher Tools Online® and its users.

(g) the display of information about another person without their express consent, or the posting of any copyrighted material that you do not have legal authorization to use.

BJU Press has the right, in its sole discretion, to determine whether content is unauthorized, offensive, harmful, illegal, or in violation of the rights of others.

2. You agree and understand that BJU Press can delete any content that is offensive, illegal, harmful, or in violation of the rights of other.

3. You understand and agree that you can only use Teacher Tools Online® for academic use. You cannot use Teacher Tools Online® for any commercial or business purposes.

4. Any member who demonstrably harasses or abuses another member will be removed from Teacher Tools Online®.

5. Other unauthorized or illegal behaviors include, but are not limited to:

(a) the display of false information about yourself or anyone else

(b) changing, in any manner at all, or reverse engineering any aspect of Teacher Tools Online®. You may not attempt to derive source code from the Teacher Tools Online® service.

(c) the use of any search/retrieval application (e.g., robot, spider) to index any aspect of Teacher Tools Online®

(d) the posting of information that implicitly or explicitly implies that it is endorsed by Teacher Tools Online®

 

5. Inappropriate User-Submitted Content.

 

Teacher Tools Online® prohibits certain user conduct and content described above and, without obligation, will use reasonable efforts to eliminate such conduct and content from the Service. Nevertheless, you acknowledge and agree that (i) Teacher Tools Online® is not and cannot be responsible for any content, information, or materials posted by users on the Service, (ii) you may be exposed to any such materials, information, or content, and (iii) you must bear all risks associated with the exposure to and/or use of any such materials, information, or content, including without limitation any reliance on the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of such materials, information, or content. Without limitation of the foregoing, Teacher Tools Online® has the right to, but may or may not, pre-screen and/or monitor content posted on the Service, and without limiting any remedies, may remove, edit, move, or close, in whole or in part, any content, information or materials, or thread or posting in any chat room and/or similar feature on the Service, at any time for any reason, in Teacher Tools Online®’s sole discretion.

 

6. Links to Other Sites and Resources.

 

The Service contains links to other websites or resources. Teacher Tools Online® has no control over such external sites and resources. You agree that (i) Teacher Tools Online® is not responsible for the availability or accuracy of such external sites and resources, and (ii) Teacher Tools Online® does not endorse nor is it responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products, services or materials on or available from such external sites and resources. Any reliance on the contents or services of such an external website or resource is done at your own risk and you assume all responsibilities and consequences resulting from such reliance.

 

7. Copyright Infringement:

BJU Press respects copyright and other laws. BJU Press requires all users to comply with copyright and other laws.

BJU Press does not provide you with file-sharing ability so that you can violate the copyright of third parties.

As a member of Teacher Tools Online®, you agree that you must not use Teacher Tools Online® to infringe the intellectual property of others in any way. The unauthorized reproduction, distribution, modification, or posting of copyrighted work is a violation of copyright law.

You are responsible for your behavior on Teacher Tools Online® and for making sure that it does not violate any copyright laws. If you violate copyright laws, then you may be exposed to civil and criminal liability, including possible fines and jail time.

We respect the intellectual property rights of others, and we ask that our Members and users do the same. It is our policy to disable access to or remove material that we believe in good faith to be infringing on a copyrighted work. We also disable and/or terminate the accounts of users who we believe in good faith are repeatedly infringing copyrighted works. Our Copyright Policy has been developed in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and other applicable laws. By accepting these Terms of Service, you agree to be bound by our Copyright Policy, which is by this reference expressly incorporated into this Agreement.

 

8. Privacy Policy

 

We take the privacy of our users’ and Members’ information very seriously. Our Privacy Policy is available at www.TeacherToolsOnline.com/Privacy-Policy. By accepting these Terms of Service, you agree to be bound by our Privacy Policy, which is by this reference expressly incorporated into this Agreement.

 

9. Indemnity

 

By accepting this Agreement, you agree, at your expense, to indemnify, defend, and hold BJU PRESS and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, employees, partners, and licensors harmless from and against any and all loss, cost, damages, claims, demands, liabilities, expenses, or tax assessments, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of any claim made by any third party or any action taken by any governmental or regulatory body (including, without limitation, the Federal Trade Commission or any state attorney general), due to, arising out of, or relating to actions or allegations of infringement based on information, data or content you submitted in connection with the service, (i) any fraud or manipulation, or other breach of this agreement by you, or (ii) third party claims, actions or allegations brought against BJU Press arising out of your use of the service or software, (iii) any product, content, information, or materials that you submit, purchase, post, transmit, provide, or otherwise make available through the Service, (iv) your use of the Service, (v) your connection to the Service, (vi) your actual or alleged breach of this Agreement (including our Copyright Policy and Privacy Policy), (vii) your actual or alleged infringement of any third party intellectual property or proprietary rights, or (viii) your actual or alleged violation of any applicable laws, rules, regulations, or rights of another.

 

 

10. Warranty Disclaimers

 

YOU AGREE THAT THE SITE AND THE SERVICE ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, AND THAT YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE PROVIDED BY BJU PRESS SHALL BE AT YOUR SOLE RISK. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BJU PRESS, ITS AFFILIATES, AND ITS AND THEIR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN CONNECTION WITH THE WEBSITE, THE SERVICE, AND YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE THEREOF, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. BJU PRESS MAKES NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE CREDIBILITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SERVICE; THAT MEMBERS WILL PERFORM AS PROMISED; ABOUT THE TRUTHFULNESS, ACCURACY, OR COMPLETENESS OF THE SERVICE’S CONTENT OR THE CONTENT OF ANY SITES LINKED TO THIS SERVICE; ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY, QUALITY, CHARACTERISTICS, LEGITIMACY, FUNCTIONALITY, PRICING, SHIPPING, DELIVERY, SECURITY, OR SAFETY OF ANY PRODUCTS OR CONTENT LISTED FOR SALE ON THIS SERVICE; OR ABOUT ANY PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS OR PRODUCT LITERATURE. BJU PRESS ALSO MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES THAT THE CONTENTS OF THE SERVICE OR ANY PRODUCTS LISTED FOR SALE ON THE SERVICE ARE FIT FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR WILL MEET ANY USER’S REQUIREMENTS, AND ASSUMES NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY (I) ERRORS, MISTAKES, OR INACCURACIES OF CONTENT, (II) PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, RESULTING FROM YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SERVICE, (III) ANY UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR USE OF OUR SECURE SERVERS AND/OR ANY AND ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION AND/OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION STORED THEREIN, (IV) ANY INTERRUPTION OR CESSATION OF TRANSMISSION TO OR FROM THE SERVICE, (IV) ANY BUGS, VIRUSES, TROJAN HORSES, OR THE LIKE, WHICH MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO OR THROUGH THE SERVICE BY ANY THIRD PARTY, AND/OR (V) ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN ANY CONTENT, OR FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF ANY PRODUCT OR CONTENT POSTED, EMAILED, TRANSMITTED, SOLD, OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE VIA THE SERVICE. BJU PRESS DOES NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE ADVERTISED OR OFFERED BY A THIRD PARTY THROUGH THE SERVICE OR ANY HYPERLINKED WEBSITE, OR FEATURED IN ANY BANNER OR OTHER ADVERTISING, AND BJU PRESS WILL NOT BE A PARTY TO OR IN ANY WAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING ANY TRANSACTION BETWEEN YOU AND THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. AS WITH THE PURCHASE OF A PRODUCT OR SERVICE THROUGH ANY MEDIUM OR IN ANY ENVIRONMENT, YOU SHOULD USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT AND EXERCISE CAUTION WHERE APPROPRIATE. ADDITIONALLY, BJU PRESS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS THAT RESULT FROM MEMBERS DIRECTLY CONTACTING OTHER MEMBERS OR FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS RESULTING FROM TRANSACTIONS CONDUCTED OUTSIDE OF THE SERVICE, INCLUDING TRANSACTIONS THAT MAY ORIGINATE THROUGH THE SERVICE BUT ARE TAKEN OFFLINE OR OUTSIDE OF THE SERVICE. BJU PRESS AND ITS AFFILIATES, PARTNERS, AND CONSULTANTS DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR THE CONTENT, COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, LEGALITY, RELIABILITY, OR AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION OR MATERIALS DISPLAYED ON TEACHER TOOLS ONLINE®. YOU AGREE THAT THE USE OF THE SERVICE AND ANYTHING THING THAT YOU DOWNLOAD FROM TEACHER TOOLS ONLINE® SITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK, DISCRETION, AND RESPONSIBILITY. YOU WILL BE WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT RESULTS FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE OR THE DOWNLOADING OF INFORMATION. TEACHER TOOLS ONLINE® DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR THE CONDUCT OF ANY MEMBER. TEACHER TOOLS ONLINE® WILL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY INTERACTIONS YOU HAVE WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THE LMS. YOU AGREE THAT BJU PRESS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OR LOSS THAT OCCURS AS A RESULT OF SUCH INTERACTIONS AND THAT BJU PRESS _ HAS NO OBLIGATION TO BECOME INVOLVED IN ANY SUCH DISPUTES; FURTHER, YOU RELEASE BJU PRESS FROM DAMAGES OF ANY KIND THAT ARISE FROM SUCH DISPUTES. TEACHER TOOLS ONLINE® OFFERS ALL OF ITS SERVICE ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, WITH NO WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER. TEACHER TOOLS ONLINE® EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW ALL EXPRESS, IMPLIED, AND STATUTORY WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT OF PROPRIETARY RIGHTS.

 

 

11. Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT, SITUATION, OR CIRCUMSTANCE WILL BJU PRESS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OR RESULTING FROM YOUR USE OF TEACHER TOOLS ONLINE®, WHETHER OR NOT BJU PRESS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FROM UPLOADED OR DOWNLOADED THIRD PARTY CONTENT, AND DAMAGES FROM THE INTERRUPTION OR TERMINATION OF THE TEACHER TOOLS ONLINE® SERVICES. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OF EXCLUSION OF LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN NO EVENT, SITUATION, OR CIRCUMSTANCE WILL BJU PRESS BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR AN AMOUNT EXCEEDING FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500.00).

YOU AGREE THAT BJU PRESS, ITS AFFILIATES, AND ITS AND THEIR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND/OR AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, REPUTATION, USE, OR DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM: (I) THE ACCESS TO, USE, OR THE INABILITY TO ACCESS OR USE THE SERVICE; (II) THE COST OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS AND SERVICES RESULTING FROM ANY GOODS, DATA, INFORMATION, OR SERVICES PURCHASED OR OBTAINED OR MESSAGES RECEIVED OR TRANSACTIONS ENTERED INTO, THROUGH OR FROM THE SERVICE; (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA; (IV) STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE SERVICE; OR (V) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICE. SOME STATES OR OTHER JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. BJU PRESS’ LIABILITY TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY SHALL IN NO EVENT BE, IN THE AGGREGATE, GREATER THAN THE LESSER OF (A) THE TOTAL AMOUNTS PAID BY YOU TO BJU PRESS DURING THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CLAIM OR ACTION ALLEGEDLY GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500.00).

 

YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BY ACCESSING AND USING THE SERVICE AND AGREEING TO THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, YOU MAY BE WAIVING RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO CLAIMS THAT ARE AT THIS TIME UNKNOWN OR UNSUSPECTED. IF YOU ARE A CALIFORNIA RESIDENT, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVE, THE SECTION 1542 OF THE CIVIL CODE OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH PROVIDES AS FOLLOWS: “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.” FURTHERMORE, IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF ANOTHER STATE OR JURISDICTION, YOU AGREE TO WAIVE IN ADVANCE ANY SIMILAR LAWS OF SUCH OTHER STATE OR JURISDICTION.

 

12. Termination

 

BJU Press can refuse membership to anyone at its sole discretion. In addition, Teacher Tools Online® can terminate the membership and delete any related information of any member at any time for any reason. If BJU Press terminates your membership, then you can no longer use the Teacher Tools Online® service or the services of any of its affiliates.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate, or take any other action or remedy that we deem reasonable, appropriate, or necessary, in our sole discretion, with respect to your Member Account immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason. If we terminate your account, your right to use the Service will immediately cease. You may terminate your Member Account at any time and for any reason, and we will make available through the Service reasonable means for you to do so. When these terms come to an end, those terms that by their nature are intended to continue indefinitely will continue to apply, including but not limited to, ownership provisions, licenses, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

 

13. Miscellaneous Provisions

 

- Ownership of Site. This site, the Service, and all text, graphics, user interfaces, visual interfaces, photographs, trademarks, logos, sounds, music, artwork, content, and computer code therein (collectively, the “Teacher Tools Online® Content”), including without limitation the design, structure, selection, coordination, expression, “look and feel,” and arrangement of such Content is owned, controlled, or licensed by or to Teacher Tools Online®, and is protected by trade dress, trade secret, copyright, patent, and trademark laws, and various other intellectual property rights.

 

Except as expressly provided in this Agreement or otherwise permitted by law, no Teacher Tools Online® Content may be used, copied, reproduced, modified, republished, disassembled, reverse engineered, uploaded, posted, publicly displayed, publicly performed, publicly performed by means of a digital audio transmission, encoded, translated, transmitted, or distributed in any way to any other person, computer, server, website, or in any other medium for any purpose, without Teacher Tools Online®’s express prior written consent.

 

- Entire Agreement. The Terms of Service, including Teacher Tools Online®’s Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference above, constitute the entire agreement between you and Teacher Tools Online® and governs your use of the Service.

 

- No Agency. Teacher Tools Online® is not the agent or representative of any site users, nor does it operate under their authority for any purpose.

- Governing and Applicable Law. This Terms of Service Agreement is governed in all respects by the laws of the State of South Carolina, USA without regard to its conflict of law provisions. In the event of any dispute related to this Agreement, the parties will attempt resolution pursuant to biblical principles utilizing negotiation and mediation. If this is unsuccessful for any reason, disputes arising hereunder shall be submitted to state or federal courts in Greenville, South Carolina, and you agree to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts. The Service is operated by BJU Education Group, Inc. from its offices in South Carolina, in the United States of America. BJU PRESS makes no representation that materials or content on the Service are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Those who choose to access the Service from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable. Software from this site is further subject to United States export controls. No software from www.TeacherToolsOnline.com may be downloaded or otherwise exported or re-exported (i) into (or to a national or resident of) Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Syria or any other country to which the United States has embargoed goods; (ii) to anyone on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the U.S. Commerce Department’s Table of Deny Orders; or (iii) in any other manner that violates U.S. law. By downloading or using any software, you represent and warrant that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country or on any such list.

 

- Dispute Resolution_: Any dispute arising out of or relating to these terms or the Service shall be submitted exclusively to confidential binding arbitration in Greenville, SC, except that to the extent you have in any manner violated or threatened to violate BJU PRESS’s intellectual property rights, we may seek injunctive or other appropriate relief in any state or federal court in the State of South Carolina. You hereby consent to, and waive all defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction and forum non conveniens with respect to venue and jurisdiction in the state and federal courts of South Carolina. Arbitration under these Terms of Use shall be conducted pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules then prevailing at the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrator's award shall be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no arbitration under this Agreement shall be joined to an arbitration involving any other party subject to this Agreement, whether through class action proceedings or otherwise. If a suit, action, arbitration or other proceeding of any nature whatsoever is instituted in connection with any dispute or controversy arising out of or related to the subject matter of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the non-prevailing party, in addition to any other available remedy, all reasonable costs, including without limitation court costs, attorneys’ fees, and other expenses incurred in such proceeding.

 

- Waiver and Severability. The failure of BJU PRESS to exercise or enforce any right or provision of the Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any provision of this Terms of Service shall be held unlawful, void, or unenforceable for any reason, then that provision shall be deemed severed from this Terms of Service and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions. The severed provision shall be deemed modified so that its purpose can be lawfully effectuated and enforced.

 

- Notices. Teacher Tools Online® may provide you with notices, including, without limitation, those regarding changes to the Terms of Service, product updates, teacher conferences, and other service-related announcements, by email or postings on the Service.

 

- BJU PRESS may change or amend these Terms. If we make material changes, we will notify you, either through the user interface, in an email notification, or through other reasonable means. Your use of the Service after the date such change(s) become effective will constitute consent to the changed terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must immediately stop using the Service. Otherwise the new terms will apply to you.

 

- Future Changes in the Service. BJU Press reserves the right at any time (and from time to time) to modify, suspend, or discontinue providing the Service or any part thereof with or without notice. BJU Press will not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuance of the Service.

 

- Assignment. BJU Press may assign this agreement to any successor or purchaser of BJU PRESS or all or substantially all of its assets.

 

- Headings. Section titles and headings in this Agreement are for convenience only, and have no legal or contractual effect.

 

- Trademarks. BJU Press, the BJU Press logo, Teacher Tools Online®, Shop Talk, and other BJU Press logos and names are trademarks of BJU Education Group, Inc. You agree not to display or use these trademarks in any manner without prior, written consent of BJU Education Group, Inc.

 

- If any aspect of this agreement is deemed invalid, then the remaining provisions shall still be enforced.

You may not assign or transfer this Agreement or any of your rights or obligations hereunder, and any attempt to the contrary is void.

BJU Press is not responsible for any delay or failure in performance resulting directly or indirectly from causes beyond BJU Press's reasonable control.

Any correspondence about this Agreement will be sent to you via the email that you provided during registration.

14. International Use:

If you are not a resident of the United States of America, then you agree to follow all applicable laws and local rules regarding the transmission of data from the United States or the country in which you live.

We hope that you enjoy your use of Teacher Tools Online®. These Terms of Service are necessary and allow us to offer this Service to you – our valued user. Official correspondence must be sent through postal mail to:

BJU Press Customer Service
1700 Wade Hampton, Blvd.
Greenville, SC 29614

This Terms of Service represents the complete, entire, and exclusive understanding and agreement between you and Teacher Tools Online®. It supersedes all prior, written or oral, understandings or agreements. You understand and agree that you have read these Terms of Service and that amendments can be posted to this Terms of Service. You agree and understand that your continued use of the Service represents your consent to such amended terms.