Monday, October 22, 2007

How to Think Like a Christian About Education

There are many concerns in the Christian community about education. There are the familiar discussions and debates about public schools vs. Christian schools, or public vs. home schools. Many people get worked up about higher education. They believe that it is possible to be “too educated.” These concerns do not even begin to deal with the issue of science and it’s seeming contradictions with faith.

So, where to begin? How about starting with a few observations?
  • Jesus was an educated person. There is every indication that Jesus studied in rabbinical schools until he was an adult. His disciples, and others, referred to him as rabbi. This denotes a level of respect and education that many had not attained. Some people have even suggested that by the time he was an adult, Jesus would have memorized the books of Moses, Genesis- Deuteronomy.
  • God created everything about people, including their brains. He commanded Adam and Eve, and later Noah and his sons, to be stewards over all creation. This would include your mind. You are responsible for developing and using all of the gifts and assets that God has given you. Naturally, this includes your brain.
  • The Scriptures admonish us to study (2 Timothy 2.15), train others (Proverbs 22.6) and to use the spiritual gift of teaching (Ephesians 4.11).
  • Education, secular and Christian, is good for you. As your mind is developed and trained, it wards of problems.

There is no such thing as too much education. God expects all of us to learn as much about him, his word and his world as we can. We must be careful, however, about the education that we receive. Be careful to not blindly accept teachings or philosophies that run counter to the Scriptures.

I did not deal with the big issues yet, did I? How about this? Public school is great in the USA. All children are offered a generally excellent education for free. But remember two things; Parents are the primary educators of their children. It is the responsibility of parents to insure that the education of their children is effective and accurate. And secondly, if all the children of all Christian families were home-schooled or placed in private schools, there would be even less Christian influence in our schools and society.

Get as much education as you can and as often as you can. And when you are not in a position to receive formal education, become your own teacher. Find ways to learn.

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