Thoughts on Christian Education

***WARNING: RIDICULOUSLY LONG POST AHEAD***

Lately I have been wrestling with the implications of certain Christian theologies for education. I consider myself a staunch orthodox Lutheran, but I work at a non-denominational classical Christian school with heavy Reformed influence. I commend their commitment to Christian education (reflections on the "classical" aspect are for another post). But I question their line of argumentation it in favor of pulling kids out of public schools and sending them to private Christian schools or homeschooling.

They begin with the premise that Christian parents have an obligation to provide their children with a Christian upbringing, which would include a Christian education. Agreed. Not many Christians would argue with that one.

Next they point out the anti-Christian nature of the public school system (conceding that there are, in fact, committed Christian teachers in the public school setting) as well as its declining academic quality. Ok, no problem there.

Christians therefore need viable, academically rigorous alternatives for their children. Indeed!

The next step is often to point out how Christian children who receive a Christian education will grow into adults who influence the world by "taking dominion" of creation. Now I'm starting to get uncomfortable, but I'm still listening.

They say Christians are to "transform the world through the power of the Spirit."* This seems to stand in opposition to the Lutheran understanding of the two realms, the same understanding which some Reformed actually "blame for the rapid secularization of the West."* I am now on the alert for a path of escape.

Finally, some Christian education proponents argue, "if Christians remain faithful in influencing their world with the gospel, actions of the ungodly will be eliminated."* What?! No more sin? Does this mean Christian education will lead to Heaven on earth? As appealing as that sounds, I need to find the exit! (And no, the eschatalogical influence here has not escaped me.)

*Note: I'm leaving the sources for these quotes unnamed, but I will provide them privately upon request.

Analysis:

I realize that not all Reformed follow this admittedly simplified line of reasoning. I also know that not all who argue in this fashion would label themselves as Reformed or be accepted by others who call themselves such. My point is that the argument taken as a whole would likely not be adopted by an orthodox Lutheran, at least, not this orthodox Lutheran. We have therefore moved beyond "mere Christianity" into terrain that divides Christians. If we are divided, then the secularists have won.

It has been hard for me to put my finger on the fundamental differences. I'll point out the one difference that has become clearer for me in the last few days. Using H. Richard Niebuhr's categories, I think that a "Christ transforming culture" approach and a "Christ and culture in paradox" approach will often look very different when it comes to the why and how of Christian education. Yes, the Christian is transformed, we might say regenerated, in Christ. What's missing is the acknowledgement that the Old Man still exists even within the most devout believer. Simil iustus et peccatur. Simultaneously saint (justified) and sinner. The tension between these two natures is the paradox Lutherans point out. The Old Man must daily be drowned and die, but he is with us until we are with Christ.

So what's the big deal? It's not as if the Reformed are saying we are no longer sinful once we come to faith. But I think it is a big deal. I think the Gospel is at stake. Focusing all our energies on transforming the culture with the expectation that we will, invariably, see the good fruit of our labor takes our eyes off of the cross and our desperate need for forgiveness. "But of course we still need forgiveness," a Reformed educator may say. At least, that is what my headmaster will say. And yet he would not hesitate to admit that the knowledge of Christ crucified for our sins is typically taken as a given, that the Christian already knows he is forgiven for Christ's sake, so let's get on with our sanctification...

...and that is precisely the problem. I work in a Reformed setting, I have been to two national conferences for Reformed Christian education, I have read many education books by Reformed authors, and I still have to whip out the geiger counter for a trace of the Gospel. "You are forgiven," I tell my students. "Jesus died on the cross FOR YOU!" They know it, but they still need to hear it. I know my husband loves me, but I still need to hear it. Constantly.

I believe in Christian education. I support efforts to persuade parents to take their children out of the public schools and offer them something better. I think Christian academics have a shining legacy in the history of western civilization. But I know that Christian schools are staffed by sinners, and attended by sinners. I do not harbor any illusion that these noble efforts in a broken world will result in anything other than a world that is still broken. And yet, we are forgiven in Christ. In that forgiveness, we can move forward, free to continue in our imperfect efforts, with the sure knowledge that Christ has already conquered.