"For even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures." - ROMANS 1:21-23
Does this scripture have a familiar ring to it to you? It should, as many, if not all of us have watched the fast decline into foolishness by the state school system, both at the grade school and the college levels. What many people do not realize is that this did not begin in the 1960s with the outlawing of prayer in the public school system; but it started as early as the 1840s when Horace Mann, "the father of progressive education", following his pilgrimages to Europe and his study of their philosophies of education, removed the Bible and its sacred purposes from the schools .
The history lesson is great, but what message does it hold for us? There are a number of things of importance that this brings to our attention, but one that greatly calls attention to itself. Education is undeniably and inseparably a religious discipline. One always is teaching doctrine, whether Christian or otherwise. This should be a great concern to us because true knowledge is only available to those who acknowledge God as God. This is made clear by such verses as "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." - PSALM 111:10A and "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction" - PROVERBS 1:7, as well as the counterpoint of ROMANS 1:21-23. This thought process can be logically followed to realize that it is folly to adopt worldly methods of education, as they are entirely foolish.
Here is one major example: the teaching that truth is relative. This may seem ridiculous to even bring up, but research shows that the vast majority of those claiming the name of Christian in America do not believe in absolute truth. This obviously is largely because that is what they are taught, both in our schools and in our churches. Scripture clearly puts down this doctrine. In JOHN 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." Then, as John states earlier, in JOHN 1:1, Jesus is established as the Word of God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Therefore, Jesus, as the man and as the Word of God, is absolute truth, and should be taught as such. Every subject is connected in showing the plan of God, and each point to Him in its own unique way. Math and science show His order and His intricacy, as well as His overall connection to every part of nature. English articulates His gospel, exercises God given creativity, and speaks of the beauty of His creation. History proclaims His providential blessing and judgment respectively on those who are obedient to Him and on those who rebel against Him. The point to be made here is that God and the Word of God are absolute truth, and all subjects can and ought to be taught in connection with each other, showing their complementing and encompassing of the providential plan of God for the lives of His people and for His creation.
As Christian educators, as those bearing the torch of true wisdom and knowledge, let us remain vigilant to interpret the Word of Truth correctly and to teach God's perfect and providential
plan not as a hornet's nest of unrelated subjects but as a whole, properly equipping our young men and women to carry the torch and to, in turn, pass it on to those who come after them. Let us also do this so that they are prepared to uphold the Word of Truth before an ever-watching world and so that they can stand in the gates and not be ashamed.
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