Torch, Winter 1978

experiences-involves value laden, moral choices. For example, to include sex education and exclude Latin is to value one above the other. Furthermore, we even reserve the term "education" for positive learning experiences. One rarely would say "Joe was educated to steal." Instead, we would normally say "Joe was trained, or he learned to steal." In other words, "educate" is usually applied to learning which is socially valued. One of the clearest indications of any culture's ultimate values is its educational objectives. For instance, ancient Sparta did not adopt the educational system of Athens for one simple reason: Athen's values did not promote Sparta's objectives. Because values (scriptural or unscriptural) are at its base, education initiates children into a particular way of life. This becomes a crucial point for parents to consider. I became sensitive to this as a fledgling assistant principal of a Christian school as I sat in the back of the church sanctuary for the opening chapel period. The pastor was emphasizing how the children were to act in God's house; everyone listened attentively. Suddenly a frail little kindergartener realized that her mother was gone, leaving her alone, surrounded by strange people. This realization brought tears to her eyes and bellows from her lungs. Since I was the only one with nothing to do, she was brought back to me and perched on my lap. In spite of my consolations, she soon quieted down and with half an ear toward the pastor's talk, she looked up and asked: "When's God coming out?" Stunned by this five year old literalist, I "alertly" said: "What?" She repeated, "When's God coming out?" I surely gave her the blankest look that has ever come from one human being to another. To this day, I cannot recount my reply to her, but I continually ask myself "When's God coming out-in my life, in my teaching, in my every word and deed?" When does God come out in a child's day at public · school? "When IS God coming out?" As a book's Table of Contents and Introduction reveal an author's purpose, so a public school reflects a society's conception of the "good life". Indeed, a school's curriculum is its Table of Contents and Introduction to life. Contemporary society and its schools are quite content to define the"good life" apart from God. Whereas few public educators explicitly deny God's existence, many of them implicitly teach that God is irrelevant to life, unrelated to academics, and indifferent to behavior; God is simply unimportant. On the other hand, the essence of Christian education is to define life in terms of God, clarify academics in light of the Word, and mold behavior by submission to the Holy Spirit. While God has been taken out of secular education, He comes out of Christian education. In Leviticus 20:23 God gave His people a command which has never been revised or rescinded: "And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation. . ."Moreover, in verse 26 God explained why the lifestyle, traditions, values, and thought processes of the world are unacceptable:"And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." To remain in but not of the world requires assessment of the "manners" (lifestyle) of the world, for that which is naturally valued by society is likely to be of the world and that which is considered wisdom by this world is likely to be the truth of God which has been changed into a lie (Romans 1:21-25). Any system of education seeking adjustment to this life without analysis of it must be viewed with suspicion. Christian education seeks to 11 analyze and challenge the contemporary conception of the "good life." By teaching that God is the source of Truth, Jesus is the incarnation of Truth, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and the Scripture is the Word of Truth, Christian education asserts aggressively that the godly life must replace the "good life," for to assent to God's creation of life is to affirm God's central role in describing and prescribing life. As one is challenged to employ the Word of Truth as the ultimate criterion of life, the subsequent, godly life transcends the societal norms of today. Alexander Solzhenitsyn spoke well to his Harvard audience when he asserted: "A loss of courage may be the most striking feature . . . in the West in our days." And Christian educators speak well when they remind their students to "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the elementary principles of the world rather than according to Christ" (Col. 2:8, NASB). Spiritual vitality and strength of character belong to those who daily consider Him "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). Dr. Biddle is ChaiITT1an of the Department of Education at Cedarville College.