A Defense of Christian Education

This semester I will again be teaching a class called "Aprender a Pensar" or "Learning to Think." I teach this class to all of our new incoming freshmen. It is the only non-Bible class that I teach and I enjoy it very much because it gives me a chance to get to know all of our new students, including those who are not theology majors. I've been working on a new lecture for that class that deals with the Christian's use of the mind and with the importance of education. While preparing that lecture, decided to re-read a chapter from John Piper's book, The Pleasures of God, called (somewhat cumbersomely) "The Pleasure of God in Concealing Himself from the Wise and Revealing Himself to Infants."

There are several things that I like about this outstanding chapter. One is Piper's masterful theological exposition of Luke 10:21-24, which serves as an excellent introduction to Christian epistemology (the study of the nature, foundations and origin of knowledge).

Another thing I like about this chapter is Piper's excellent defense of Christian education. Since Luke 10:21-24 indicates that knowledge of God comes to us only though revelation from God himself, why do we need to study, search for knowledge, and educate our children? As an educator this is a question that greatly interests me.

So why is education important? Here's one of Piper's answers in what he calls "a compelling reason for rigorous training of the mind." (It's a long quote but well worth the read.)

One basic and compelling reason for education--the rigorous training of the mind--is, very simply, so that a person can read the Bible with understanding.

This sounds too obvious to be useful or compelling. But that's just because we take the preciousness of reading so for granted or, even more, because we appreciate so little the kind of thinking that a complex Bible passage requires of us.

The book of Hebrews, for example, is an intellectually challenging argument from Old Testament texts. The points that the author makes hang on biblical observations that come only from rigorous thought and mental effort. The same could be said for the extended argumentation of Romans and Galatians and the other books of the Bible.

This is an overwhelming argument for giving our children a disciplined and rigorous training in how to discern an author's thoughts from a text--and especially a biblical text. They must learn an alphabet, vocabulary, grammar, syntax, the rudiments of logic, and the way meaning is imparted through sustained connections of sentences and paragraphs.

The reason Christians have always planted schools where they have planted churches is because we are a people of "the Book." It is true that the Book will never have its proper effect without prayer and the Holy Spirit. It is not a textbook to be debated; it is a fountain for spiritual thirst, food for the soul, a revelation of God, a living power, and a two-edged sword. But none of this changes the fact that apart from the discipline of reading, the Bible is as powerless as paper. Someone might have to read it for you; but without reading, the meaning of the power of it are locked up.

The ability to read does not come intuitively. It must be taught. And learning to read with understanding is a lifelong labor. The implications for Christians are immense. Education of the mind through the rigorous discipline of thoughtful reading is a primary goal of school. The Church of Jesus is debilitated when his people are lulled into thinking that it is humble or democratic or relevant to give a merely practical education that does not involve the rigorous training of the mind to think hard and construe meaning from difficult texts.

The issue of earning a living is not merely so important as whether the next generation can grasp the meaning of the Word of God. We need an education that puts the highest premium, under God, on knowing the meaning of God's book and growing in the abilities that will unlock its riches for a lifetime. It would be better to starve for lack of food than to fail to understand the written Word of God.

Very helpful. I find that in teaching exegesis and biblical exposition, one of the greatest challenges is that my students simply don't know how to think logically and/or read well. I don't mean that they are slow readers. I mean that often their minds simply have not been trained to follow a hefty and rigorous argument. As Piper pointed out, following the argument of Hebrews or of some of Paul's writings requires a great deal cerebral energy and strength. Reading (well) is a skill that is developed over a lifetime of mental exercise and discipline. But it is also something that can be taught and cultivated in the classroom by others who have already acquired some of the necessary skill.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen" (Rom 11:36a). Among the "all things" of this verse is education. All knowledge and intellectual pursuits are from him (all truth is his truth), through him (all knowledge comes through his gracious revelation), and to him (it's all to be done for his glory). May God be glorified through the training of Christian young people at La Universidad Cristiana de Las Amércias. Soli Deo Gloria!