The Future of Christian Education is Now
By Dr. Denis M. Boyle
What would you say
is the single most important duty towards your children as a parent? If you stopped to think just for a moment, if
you were forced to name the one obligation Christian parents have before God,
what would be your first choice? As a
Christian parent, short of making you and your children’s election sure, did
you choose education?
Character development
must have been high on your list - their ability to not only distinguish
between right and wrong but to act rightly and not wrongly. Of course we also
want to ensure that our children become good parents and good citizens. How
to achieve a balance between accomplishment and virtuous living probably made
selection of a single clear directive very difficult indeed. We have to both
live 
well
and work well. The question now becomes:
How much of your children’s lives are you accountable for before God?
R.L. Dabney, a 19th century theologian, essayist and staff
officer for Stonewall Jackson writes of the education of children: “The
education of children for God is the most important business done on
earth. It is the one business for which
the earth exists. To it, all politics,
all war, all literature, all money-making, ought to be subordinated; and every
parent especially ought to feel, every hour of the day, that…this is the end
for which he is kept alive by God - this is his task on earth.”
A common perception
today is that the word “education” applies strictly to knowledge at some level
in various subjects such as literature, history, math or science. Its purpose, we are told, is to acquire
specialized skills for college, or pursue specific vocational programs through
prescribed state requirements so every adult will have a job and feel good that
the beehive runs well. It has become the completion of a prescribed program of
studies by tradition only, fashioned and re-fashioned by experts unconcerned
with the spiritual outcome of students. This represents a glaring absence of any
educational philosophy, and is certainly inconsistent with a Christian
worldview.
The statement by Dabney clearly goes much further than mere acquisition of
skills or knowledge. We are to take captive all learning for God. Education is the moral imperative; we are to dedicate
our life’s work to God and likewise prepare our children. The home-schooling movement began from the
recognition of this concept as much as a reaction to the incurable state of
affairs from government-sponsored education and secular universities. The child
is the gift of God to the parent, and the child must be the gift of the parent
to God.
Recently, a high
school valedictorian from a Blue Ribbon school in New Jersey announced during
his valedictory speech that his education was “hollow” and that “the spirit of
intellectual thought is lost.” He wondered aloud why questions of ethics,
religion and the existence of a creator were left out of his education. The
students agreed something was missing as those present stood and clapped.
To take another
example, a recent assessment (2002) of the overall knowledge of graduating
seniors from Arizona public universities was undertaken to determine if they
have received a well-rounded, liberal education. The results showed that the
vast majority of students surveyed earned a failing grade on the test of
general knowledge and reasoning, and a passing grade in only four of eleven
subject areas. Moreover, there was a dismaying lack of knowledge in vital
subjects such as American history and quantitative analysis. It was found these
state universities have no meaningful core requirements in mathematics, natural
sciences, social sciences, literature, art, music, history, philosophy and
comparative religion. The essential disciplines of the arts, humanities and
social sciences are neglected. There is typically no foreign language
requirement, and these schools emphasize and/or require subjective cultural or
gender diversity courses. Could it be that this separation of the mental
culture from the spiritual culture actually benefits no one?
Even though the
path of educational decay was recognized in this country over a hundred years
ago, this is the apparent fate of those who attend many state universities
today. Nationally, whereas only 44% of high
school graduates go on to a four year university, only 33% graduate. How can Christian parents (or any parent) possibly
embrace this near total collapse in learning for their children?
This head-in-the-sand
state of affairs present in secular institutions will continue until replaced
or it fails on its own. Nevertheless, we are faced with a challenge, and we
as Christian parents need to be more 
answerable
to the mandates of our faith regarding the administration of the education
of our children.
The actions and
teaching of Jesus Himself clearly demonstrate the highest importance and place
of children. Surprisingly, while the New Testament has practically nothing
to say about the training of the
child, the parents’ duty to the
child is absolutely binding. And significantly, this duty is laid squarely
on the shoulders of the father. The worst fate is reserved for the man who
causes a child to stumble.
Children are the
living pattern of citizenship of the Kingdom and must be constantly reminded to
love the Lord God with all their mind. The Old
Testament teaches us that bringing up our children in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord is not situational.
Even the Christian school cannot usurp the authority of the parent. And,
while this does not prevent us from educating our children in the public
schools, the pervasive polemical and politicized atmosphere in secular
institutions today (particularly in universities) makes this a near impossible
task to avoid error. All knowledge, every subject, needs to be informed by
Scripture.
So how do parents
obtain a good Christian education for their children? In general, at the secondary level including
home-schooling, there is a return to more traditional educational models to
re-establish intellectual proficiency through a stronger focus on a comprehensive
liberal arts curriculum. This is true for many formal Christian schools as
well. One particular example experiencing rapid growth that must be mentioned
because of its attractiveness to Christian parents is classical Christian
education.
This combination of
a rigorous teaching methodology, when ordered by a Christian worldview, has the
promise to deliver transformational and durable changes to our culture and
country while discharging our obligations to God. Historically, where classical
education has experienced renewal, cultural revival has occurred.
As difficult as it
may be, we parents need to at least reexamine our ideas and priorities for the
future of our children. How will this nation - your children and grandchildren who
will be its leaders - successfully manage the critical and complex issues, such
as stem cells, euthanasia, homosexual marriage or abortion, that are
increasingly demanding forceful attention?
Parents, but especially
the fathers, ask yourselves this question. Have you
scrutinized all learning opportunities for your children against God’s Holy
Word, or have you merely provided academic achievement that could be a stumbling
block and lead to disbelief?
Dr. Denis M.
Boyle is a Board Member and Science teacher at Liberty Classical School in
O’Fallon, MO. He has been a
research scientist for over 25 years, an author and is currently employed
in the biotechnology industry. He is
a member of Liberty Christian Church in O’Fallon and has five children.
