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Education is inescapably religious. Like all things human, it is will be directed in the service of the Triune God or in the service of some idol. But “service” implies not only a transcendent authority—a Lord who must be obeyed—, but also a revelation from that authority that includes specific requirements. (“Service” also implies sanctions.[2]) If we are going to serve God in our teaching and learning, we have to know what He has revealed and what He requires. We have to know what God has said. Then we have to submit to it. This means we must bring our educational beliefs and practices captive to the word of God, to holy Scripture. Today, however, there are voices within the Christian community—or at least, just outside its walls—that are finding God’s revelation, God’s will, in high human tradition, in Aristotelian logic, or in the pagan classics. If we want to humanize and civilize our young, they say, we must begin with the Greeks.[3]
Now, Paul knew Greek philosophy and culture. He had read the Stoic poets. He could quote them from memory.[4] Yet he pointed Timothy, not to the local academies, but to the inspired word of God that was able to make him “perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim, 3:14-17). As far as Paul was concerned, the classical world was morally corrupt, epistemologically bankrupt, and religiously demonic (Rom. 1:20-32; 1 Cor. 10:19-21). The classical world needed the gospel. The issue at stake here is not whether we should read Homer and Plato. The issue is how we should read them. How will we analyze or make use of what we find there? Will we begin from Scripture, with its doctrines of divine transcendence and sovereignty, of total depravity and sovereign grace, and let Scripture critique and condemn Greek humanism? Or will we begin with Greek humanism and try to baptize it with some bland moralisms in the name of Christ? Will Scripture be our foundation or our afterthought? If we are going to serve Jesus, the answer shouldn’t be difficult. Read more. |
