Modern social work values provide the basis for practitioners to teach future professionals skills and provide them with much-needed knowledge for efficient practice. Throughout history, the Bible has promoted guidelines concerning many issues that can be linked to social work. According to The Carter Center (2018), these are promoting an idea of the inherent worth of man, educating people about the significance of knowledge and wisdom, and working with vulnerable groups in their social context. The same values and principles underpin the efforts of modern social workers and educators by advancing an understanding and appreciation of human life, human dignity, and personal experiences in complex social contexts.
From the biblical point of view, all human beings are born free and equal. This can be assumed from the declaration that people are created in the divine image. As per Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over […] every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth” (Bible Gateway, n.d.a). Creation in the likeness of God has been subject to different interpretations, one of which states that the application of the divine image to all proclaims fundamental human equality. That is, not one single person has more of the image of God than another.
In addition to that, the biblical viewpoint asserts that human knowledge is possible only in the light of the actions of God. It means that scientific inquiry cannot claim to be able to discover all knowledge. According to Psalm 19:1, the world is His mysterious creation: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Bible Gateway, n.d.b). Therefore, the Bible supports scientific discovery within the constraints of the observable world revealing truth about itself and God.
References
Bible Gateway. (n.d.a). Genesis 1:26. Web.
Bible Gateway. (n.d.b). Psalm 19:1. Web.
The Carter Center. (2018). Scripturally annotated Universal Declaration of Human Rights [PDF document]. Web.