What is a Classic?

What is a classic book? The answer depends on who you ask. A classic to a Christian can be quite different from the world’s definition. In a broad sense, the term classic is applied to anything accepted either as a model of excellence or as a work of enduring cultural relevance and value. The differences between Heart of Wisdom’s classical list and the classics included in classical secular education are the book lists.

Classics According to Classical Education

Encarta defines classical education as the study of Greek and Roman literature, one of the oldest forms of education known.  In classical education, a classic is any ancient Greek or Roman literary work of the first or highest quality.

The modern classical approach focuses on the Great Books of the Western World (GBBWW). Virtually every book in this collection is required reading in a liberal arts curriculum, and includes works of art, science, philosophy, poetry, prose and history from the time of the Greeks until the early 20th century. Plato, Herodotus, Virgil, and Aristotle are some of the main authors. This list was developed by Mortimer J. Adler and Britannica Editors. They believed these books were the core of Western learning and culture. Most of the books on this list were written by non-Christians, men like Aeschylus, Apollonius, Aquinas, Dewey, Euclid, Euripides, Freud, Hippocrates, Homer, Marx, Plato, Ptolemy, Muhammad (the Quran or Koran), Thoreau, etc.

Classics According to Heart of Wisdom

Heart of Wisdom’s suggested books lists include models of excellence or  works of enduring cultural relevance and value, and do not include mythology nor books by the ancient Greek philosophers.

Free: Choosing and Using Resources

Free Choosing and Using Resources Booklet (31 pages PDF)
Includes Classics by Grade Level

Download a 31 page PDF
to view classics we recommend by grade level.

Historians concur that the Greeks were destroyed by moral decay. Pursuing knowledge without God is a recipe for disaster. We simply cannot survive without clear moral direction. Look at the differences in education goals:

To understand the Early Church we must dig through layers of a mountain of man’s influences shoveling off and discarding man’s traditions, theories, interpretations, and philosophies from Greek and Roman civilizations, Aristotle, Constantine, Marcion, etc., to be able to examine the Early Church.

During the Reformation, men such as Wycliffe and Calvin were digging in the right spot. They dug up and discarded many theological errors and found a view of God’s plan of salvation by grace, but anti-Semitic layers remain and now there are new layers of tradition, interpretations, western thought (a return to the Greek and Roman philosophy) and conditioning that need removal. Only then can we have a clear view of the Early Church.

Greek philosophy between Aristotle and Augustine is the foundation of Western thought (Aristotle tried to merge the Bible and Plato = Hellenistic Philosophy). This is the reason for so much Greek philosophy in the church. Explore the differences between Eastern and Western thinking and how it affects each culture with this Interactive data file at FollowtheRabbi.com – Jesus, our Rabbi and Savior.

For more on Greek vs Hebrew Education see

• My Big Fat Greek Mindset by Tim Hegg, homeschooler speaking on Worldviews.

• The Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach: Bible-Based Homeschooling

The Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach is for all homeschoolers who want to make the Bible the center of their school day. This giant 500+ page book provides you with the methods, program, and resources for a course of study where students spend half the school day studying God’s Word and the other half studying God’s world (academics). Students study history chronologically and science in the order of the days of Creation. This book will encourage, motivate you and instruct you, step by step, how to give your child a Bible-focused, comprehensive education from preschool through high school; one that will train him or her to read, to study, to understand, to love to learn and, most importantly, to desire and seek true wisdom. This approach can be used for all grade levels.

When homeschoolers are asked about this book, one word continues to come up over and over–Wow! Read the excerpt today to see what all the wow is about.

• The Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach (FREE 60-page excerpt PDF File)
• Start reading the Ebook today! $17.00 Add to cart
• Order the bound book. Retail $34.95 NOW $27.95 Add to cart

It is never to late to read aloud. I read to all my children when they were teenagers.

You can download a 31 page list of classics by grade level (K-12) at the bottom of this post.

Did You Know You Can Get the Classics FREE?

You can get original versions of several classics on the  FREE on Kindle or phone apps!

Many are also available in ebook format from Project Gutenberg. Once you get an ebook online you can usually send it to your e-reader.

A Few Free Ebooks from Kindle

• Robinson Crusoe
• Treasure Island
• Pride and Prejudice
• The Secret Garden
• A Tale of Two Cities
  
• Little Women

You don’t have to have a Kindle to get free Kindle books. See Free Kindle Reading Apps

Kindle offers more than the classics free. See free Christian fiction here. And more free books online you can send to Kindle here.

Originals or Adaptations?

You can’t beat free books. If you have a Kindle you can get dozens of free books. The

Kindle is less than half what I paid for it at $135 it would pay for itself.

The library offers originals and condensed versions free.

However, long chapters and difficult language can  overwhelm and  obscure the richness of the story. i.e. my boys listen better and enjoy the story.

Literature for the masses or literature for the lazy? Does it matter?

We recently read aloud a  children’s adaptation of Robinson Crusoe (apologies to Charlotte Mason- she prefers the originals).

Remember the goal is first to encourage a love of learning.

Differences in Originals and Adaptions

Let’s look at the adaptation I just read to my boys.  The original Robinson Crusoe included cannibals and was a bit daunting  for younger children.

But before you jump on the adaption bandwagon you should know  some children’s adaptations leave out things like Crusoe’s religious experiences to meet the public school agenda.

I wanted the religious part did want the cannibalism or a super long book. So we purchased Robinson Crusoe (Scribner’s Illustrated Classics) (99 cents on Kindle and under $4 with shipping and handling used on Amazon).

Bonus: Since we purchased the paperback I put it on PaperBackSwap when finished!  (Read more about PaperBackSwap here))

The Book: Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1719 . The book is a fictional autobiography of  an English castaway who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island and documents Crusoe’s spiritual journey as he comes to peace with God

The Author: Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) wrote more than 500 books, pamphlets, articles, and poems. Among the most productive authors of the Augustan Age, he was the first of the great 18th-century English novelist.

Consider expanding the book with lesson plans:

Most classic have lesson plans. Look at all these for Crusoe:

• Religious Purpose in Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe – This book is a heavily religious novel. This is signified through three instances in which religion emerges as a major theme at pivotal points in the plot.
• Robinson Crusoe Island Adventure Lesson Plan from Crayola. Write original Island Adventures with detailed characters, setting, and plot, then construct an island environment using a paper bowl and Crayola® Markers.
• Island Survival – In this activity, students will participate in a simulation of life on a deserted island. They will be challenged to use their critical thinking skills and knowledge of islands to “survive” and ultimately return to safety. Grades 4-12.
• The Original Survivor – PDF. With this unit, students will understand the connection between classical literature and the human experience. Grades 4 & up.
• Robinson Crusoe Island of Despair Study Guide- PDF
• Robinson Crusoe Teaching Unit (Prestwick House) – A complete teaching unit and reproducible individual learning packet including a chapter-by-chapter study guide, topics for discussion, vocabulary, and a multiple choice and essay test with answer key.
• Robinson Crusoe Lesson Plan from Reading A-Z - Vocabulary, questions, grammar and other activities.

Classic Literature With Similar Themes

Family Guides to Great Reading

Books with annotated lists of classics, Bible stories, biographies, and more.

My List

Free Choosing and Using Resources Booklet (31 pages PDF)
Includes Classics by Grade Level

Logic is a skill or a tool like a hammer. A hammer can be used to build something useful or as a murder weapon.

The words logic, classical, philosophy, dialectic, and reasoning sound extremely intelligent to our Greek ears. Homeschoolers immersing their children in the study of formal logic have well-meaning motives; it is understandable that homeschoolers want their children to become critical thinkers. We want to be able to defend the Gospel logically. We want our students to learn to evaluate their beliefs and the beliefs of others before they take on a course of action.

But logic and reality are not the same. Logical consistency does not always mean truth.

Sample of Man’s logic:

Now they said: Come now! Let us build ourselves a city and a tower, its top in the heavens, and let us make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered over the face of all the earth ! ( Genesis 11:4 )

Sample of God’s non-syllogistic logic:

God said, Nevertheless, Sara your wife is to bear you a son, you shall call his name: Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as a covenant for the ages, for his seed after him . ( Gen 17:19 ) Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set-time of which God had spoken to him. ( Gen 21:2 ) He said: Pray take your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and go you forth to the land of Moriya and offer him up there as an offering-up upon one of the mountains that I will tell you of. ( Gen 22:2 )

Human reasoning is limited by human experience. Eve trusted her reason over what God had said and logically concluded that eating the fruit of the forbidden tree was the best choice for her and Adam. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did ea t ( Gen 3:6 KJV).

Come, Let Us Reason Together

Come, let us reason together ( Isa 1:18) and look at more examples from the Bible.

• Was it logical for Peter to get out of the boat?
• Is it logical to consider it all joy when you encounter various trials ( James 1:2)?
• Is it logical to believe that God created the earth in six days?
• Was it logical for Cain to sacrifice fruit of his own work instead of a blood offering?
• Was it logical for Noah to build an ark where there was no water?
• Was it logical for man to build the Tower of Babel?
• Was it logical for Abraham to move away from his family and all he knew based on what he had heard from an invisible voice?
• Was it logical for Sarah to have a baby so late in life?
• Was it logical for Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?
• Was it logical for Gideon, with the weakest clan, (Manasseh), to save Israel from the Midianites?
• Is it logical to turn the other cheek when someone slaps you?
• Was it logical for Christ, who was completely without sin, to give His life for us when we are so full of sin?
• God has every logical reason to punish us for our sins; but in His grace and mercy, He offered us His pardon through His Son.

There is no doubt that God wants us to use our minds. You are reasoning and analyzing now as you read this. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord ( Isa 1:18). The word reason in the Hebrew is a legal term used for arguing, convincing, or deciding a case in court. God said, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge ( Hos. 4:6).

Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom

The Bible teaches that knowledge, understanding, and wisdom are virtues to be sought after. We are commanded to get wisdom and to get understanding ( Prov. 4:5, 7; 16:16, see also Ps a. 119:104). Paul prayed for Christ’s followers to grow in knowledge, wisdom and understanding ( Eph. 1:16-18; Phil. 1:9; Col. 1:9).

The Bible speaks negatively of ignorance ( Ps a. 73:22; Isa. 56:10; Rom. 10:3; 1 Cor. . 14:38; 2 Cor. 2:11; 2 Peter 3:5). Paul frequently made the statement, I would not have you ignorant ( Rom. 1:13; 11:25; 1 Cor. 10:1; 12:1; 2 Cor. 1:8; 1 Thess. 4:13; See also 2 Peter 3:8, 1 Tim. 1:13).

The Hebrews, however, never viewed wisdom as merely factual, cognitive information. Rather, wisdom was seen as understanding how to apply knowledge to a specific area. Wisdom began with the ability to see and evaluate all of life from God’s point of view (Proverbs 1:7).

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking is the ability to look at information, understand it and then determine how it relates to what one is studying. Being able to think critically helps us express ideas clearly and systematically. A critical thinker uses broad in-depth analysis of evidence to make decisions and communicate beliefs clearly and accurately. The lessons in the Heart of Wisdom unit studies encourage critical thinking skills through sorting, sequencing, selecting, connecting, rejecting, and classifying the information that has been learned.

If we teach our children to become critical thinkers do we really need to also teach formal logic? Logic has limits. Countless problems have been presented to graduate students that arrived at the wrong answer (as defined by the rules of logic), whereas other students arrived at the right answer for the wrong reasons. Logic is not the only means of gaining knowledge and understanding. There is also experience, intuition, direct revelation, inspiration.

Author of several critical thinking books, Diane F. Halpern gives the follow fictional vignette that was taken from a real-life debate.

As far as Joan’s opponent was concerned, the debate wasn’t going well. It was clear from the sea of nodding heads and sounds of “uh huh” and “yeah” that Joan was scoring points and convincing the audience; whereas, her opponent seemed to be losing support every time he spoke. He wasn’t surprised; he had been warned. Joan had studied reasoning and now knew how to make people believe anything. Soon she would have everyone convinced that the war was justified and what was wrong was right. The way she’s going, she could probably make people believe that day is night. It certainly wasn’t fair, but what can you expect from someone who studied reasoning?

We normally think of logical reasoning as an important critical thinking skill—the sort of skill that you would use to make valid conclusions when dealing with information that is complex and emotional. But here one debater accused the other of cheating by using logical reasoning as a trick. Is this the way we want to win an argument?

What is Logic, Rhetoric and Dialectic?

Formal logic is the study of the principles and methods of argumentation. The study of logic came from ancient Greek philosophers Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates. Aristotle (student of Plato and called “the father of logic”) compiled the system of formal logic in use today and wrote a thesis on rhetoric still used in universities today.

Aristotle defined rhetoric as the art of persuasion. An argument in logic is a set of statements. Some of the statements serve as premises (or statements of evidence), and others serve as the conclusions that can be drawn from the premises. Syllogism is the most common type of argument form in deductive logic. Example: All German shepherds are dogs. All dogs are mammals. Therefore, all German Shepherds are mammals. The conclusion is the final statement; the other two statements are the premises. Aristotle taught that syllogism was the main instrument for reaching conclusions. Aristotle believed that knowledge of the world could only be obtained through experience.

Dialectic is defined by Funk and Wagnalls’ Dictionary as the art or practice of examining statements logically as by question and answer to establish validity. The Socratic dialectical method was one of cross-examination. In Plato’s dialogues, Socrates characteristically argued by means of cross-examining someone else’s statements in order to pull out the contradictions in the other person’s position.

Philosophers and educators have occasionally recommended the teaching of formal logic as a means to critical thinking. Not all educators agree with this theory. Robert H. Ennis’s book Philosophy of Education reports that, although rational thinkers exhibit certain proficiencies, tendencies, and good habits, he explicitly rejected formal logic as a method of teaching rational thinking as “too elaborate.”

Research on cognitive processes reveals that there is a great difference between everyday reasoning and the logical system devised by logicians. A great deal of everyday thinking is practical, intuitive and emotional. Thinking in formal logical terms requires explicit training, but it is still difficult for highly-educated people, even those trained in logic. Wason and Johnson-Laird created an experiment called card-tuning to test the ability of adults in formal thinking. The results are so striking that the vast majority of adults, including trained logicians, not only got the given problem wrong, they usually gave the same logically incorrect answers.

Human Reasoning or the Bible?

Based on our world view, our final authority is either human reasoning or the Bible. The same natural human reasoning that the ancient Greeks so venerated is manifest in today’s liberal secular/humanistic thinking. Secular liberals believe that all men are searching for truth and every man gets a portion of it, so nobody is wrong and nobody is right.

MAN”S LOGIC: It doesn’t seem rational that God would make a Hell; therefore, they believe that there is no Hell. Reason says, “I don’t believe what the Bible says because it does not fit with my rational thinking.” Or “I can’t believe there is a God of wrath, so there must not be a God of wrath.”

Oswald Chambers said, “The salvation of God does not stand on human logic; it stands on the sacrificial death of Jesus. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creatures by the marvelous work of God in Christ Jesus, which is prior to all experience.”

Should a Christian Teach Logic?

Logic is not pagan or evil. The God-given ability to reason well is a critical thinking skill that is vital in science, mathematics, law, forecasting, diagnosing, and just about every other discipline. The ability to reason well is of great importance.

Critical thinking skills are not right or wrong. Logic is a skill or a tool like a hammer. A hammer can be used to build something useful or as a murder weapon. Logic skills can be developed as a tool to defend the Bible or to tear it apart. Are books good or evil? Books can be used to spread the Gospel or promote pornography.

Thinking along these lines—are cows good or evil?

• In Bible times domesticated cattle were used by the Hebrews in many ways: as a food source (in 1 Kings 4:23 Solomon’s daily household ration included thirty cattle and oxen), as sacrificial offerings (Solomon offered twenty-two thousand oxen in 1 Kings 8:63), to pull carts ( Num. 7:3), as pack animals ( 1 Chron. 12:40), for threshing ( Deut. 25:4) and, together with sheep and goats, for milk products and dung.
• On the other hand, the ancient Egyptians worshiped cows. In the wilderness, the Hebrews, looking back to Egypt, built a golden calf to worship. This idolatry brought death to three thousand Hebrews.
• Today the majority of the population in America believes cows are healthy to eat. The average diet includes milk and/or hamburgers. The U.S. beef industry generates an estimated $175 billion in economic activity
• Some people believe cows are full of harmful antibiotics and poison their body. Medical reports say eating beef has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, and strokes. Drinking milk has been linked to asthma, allergies, intestinal bleeding, and juvenile diabetes. Cutting dairy products out of your diet gives you a greater chance of avoiding bronchial, respiratory, and stomach problems.
• The Hindu religion teaches the sanctity of animal life, and while they themselves usually live in abject poverty, the animals among them are maintained in idleness. Over 50% of the population of India is malnourished while large portions of government funds go to provide food, shelter and health care for cows.

The answers to our questions will depend on who we ask, and their worldview and their reasoning. We can’t always trust human reasoning, especially in moral and spiritual matters. But this fact does not negate the importance of logic and reasoning.

It is essential to adopt the attitudes and dispositions of a critical thinker when studying the Bible. Author Marvin Wilson asks excellent critical thinking questions of the Bible such as, “What is the inner world of biblical thought? What is the cultural mind-set of the authors of Holy Writ? Are we to understand the Bible chiefly through the eyes of Hellenism [Greek thought and culture] or through the eyes of Judaism [Hebrew thought and culture]?

Basic Bible hermeneutics contains logical principles that must be applied in order to correctly understand the Bible—who is the author, when did he live, what is his point of view, what was the cultural and historical setting of the time in which he wrote, to whom was he writing, and in which language was he writing?

Now, we have validated that reasoning is an important skill, but we must also recognize that there is an innate weakness in human logic. Logic means correct reasoning, but following logic does not always produce a valid conclusion. If there is not enough information or wrong information is in the chain of reasoning, the conclusion will be wrong.

Paul says, We know in part ( 1Cor 13:9), and we see through a glass darkly ( 1 Cor 13:11 KJV). Problems arise when we trust logic more than God or His Word. It’s really a matter of motivation, priorities, and balance.

Marvin Wilson describes the difference between block logic and Greek logic in Our Father Abraham:

The use of what may be termed block logic is another important contour of Hebrew thought. Greek logic, which has to a large extent influenced the Western world, was different. The Greeks often used a tightly contained step logic whereby one would argue from premises to a conclusion, each step linked tightly to the next in coherent, rational, logical fashion. The conclusion, however, was usually limited to one point of view—the human being’s perception of reality.

By contrast, the Hebrews often made use of block logic. That is, concepts were expressed in self-contained units or blocks of thought. These blocks did not necessarily fit together in any obviously rational or harmonious pattern, particularly when one block represented the human perspective on truth and the other represented the divine. This way of thinking created a propensity for paradox, antinomy, or apparent contradiction, as one block stood in tension—often illogical relation—to the other. Hence, polarity of thought or dialectic often characterized block logic.

It is particularly difficult for Westerners—those whose thought-patterns have been influenced more by the Greeks and Romans than by the Hebrews—to piece together the block logic of Scripture. When we open the Bible, therefore, since we are not Orientals, we are invited…to undergo a kind of intellectual conversion to the Hebraic world of the East.

Let us turn, then, to some of the many examples of block logic found throughout Scripture. The book of Exodus says that Pharaoh hardened his heart, but it also says that God hardened it ( Ex. 8:15 ; cf. 7:3). The prophets teach that God is both wrathful and merciful ( Isa. 45:7 ; Hab. 3:2 ). The New Testament refers to Jesus as the “Lamb of God” and the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” ( Jn. 1:29 , 36; Rev. 5:5 ). Hell is described as both “blackest darkness” and the “fiery lake” ( Jude 13 ; Rev. 19:20). In terms of salvation, Jesus said, “whoever comes to me I will never drive away,” yet no one can come “unless the Father draws him” ( Jn. 6:37 , 44). To find life you must lose it ( Mt. 10:39 ). When you are weak, then you are strong ( 2 Cor. 12:10 ). The way up (exaltation) is the way down (humility) ( Lk. 14:11 ). “Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated” ( Rom. 9:13 ; Mal. 1:3 ).

Consideration of certain forms of block logic may give one the impression that divine sovereignty and human responsibility are incompatible. The Hebrews, however, sensed no violation of their freedom as they accomplish God’s purposes. Upon a more careful reading of the biblical text, one can often observe that the Bible views one block from the perspective of divine transcendence—God says, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart”—and the other from a human point of view—“Pharoah hardened his heart” ( Ex. 4:21 ; 7:3,13; 8:15). The same is often true of Scriptures which deal with the themes of predestination/election and free will/ human freedom.

In sum, the Hebrew mind could handle the dynamic tension of the language of paradox, confident that “all is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven”…Divine sovereignty and human responsibility were not incompatible.

The Hebrew knew he did not know all the answers. His position was “under the sun” (Ecc. 8:17), so his words were few (5:2). He refused to over-systematize or force harmonization on the enigmas of God’s truth or the puzzles of the universe. He realized that no one could straighten what God has made crooked (7:13). All things, therefore, did not need to be fully rational. The Hebrew mind was willing to accept the truths taught on both sides of the paradox; recognized that mystery and apparent contradictions are often signs of the divine. Stated succinctly, the Hebrews knew the wisdom of learning to trust God in matters that they could not fully understand.

While philosophical and structural divisions of learning obviously have an important role to play in contemporary education, our Western culture—especially on most levels of secular and Christian instruction—has provided little understanding concerning the nature of Hebrew thought. Thus we have the natural tendency to impose more rational and systematic categories of thought on the Bible. The Bible, however, tends to reject most carefully worked-out charts and thoroughgoing attempts at schematization. Neither God nor his Word may be easily contained in a box for logical or scientific analysis.

Both God and his Word have a sovereign unpredictability that defies rational, human explanation. [Not only because of our perceptive inability to see things invisible or to see the forest while we’re down here among the trees, but also because God’s motives, thoughts, methods and goals are perfect while our hearts and minds have been perverted by the Fall.]

The Semites of Bible times did not simply think truth—they experienced truth…truth is as much an encounter as it is proposition…To the Jew, the deed was always more important than the creed. He was not stymied by language that appeared contradictory from a human point of view. Neither did he feel compelled to reconcile what seemed irreconcilable. He believed that God ultimately was greater than any human attempt at systematizing truth. Walking in truth ( 2 Jn. 4 ) and living the truth ( 1 Jn. 1:6 ) were a higher priority than rationally analyzing the truth. In the words of the renowned biblical scholar Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchikk, “We [Jews] are practical. We are more interested in discovering what God wants man to do than we are in describing God’s essence…as a teacher, I never try to solve questions because most questions are unsolvable.” He concludes, “Judaism is never afraid of contradictions…it acknowledges that full reconciliation of the two is possible only in God. He is the coincidence of opposites.” (Wilson, p. 150-153).

The Hebrews of Bible times believed that “walking in the truth” ( 2 John 4 ) and “living the truth” ( 1 John 1:6 ) were higher priorities than rationally analyzing the truth.

The classical Greek education model focuses on literature and logic.
The biblical Hebraic education model focuses on God’s Word and faith.

Don’t We Need Logic To Defend Christianity?

According to the rhetorical and argumentative standards of Aristotle and the other humanists, every argument had to be answered.

According to God: Remind them about these things, solemnly calling on them in the presence of God not to argue about words, since that is of no use and tears down those who listen. Do your utmost to let God see that you at least are a sound workman, with no need to be ashamed of the way you handle the Word of Truth. Avoid all that profane jargon, for it leads people still further into ungodliness (2 Tim. 2:14-16).

Teaching Critical Thinking

I used A Case of Red Herrings with my children to improve their thinking skills. It’s a book on critical thinking that teaches the student to follow lines of reasoning, generate hypotheses, analyze information, test possibilities, and look beyond the obvious. It involved reading short mystery stories where some of the clues gave a false lead. It was fun and educational. The children learned how to note key words and understand critical thinking. We used the book to improve study skills.

There are fine Christian resources on logic such as The Thinking Toolbox: Thirty-five Lessons That Will Build Your Reasoning Skills and Logic in 100 Minutes and The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Six Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning, 2nd Edition. You can use any of these resources to introduce logic and critical thinking to your children. Do they need formal logic? Pray about it. God has a plan for your child. Ask Him and He will equip you to prepare them.

You can teach critical thinking to your children daily while studying God’s Word. One way is by asking open-ended questions to clarify their ideas and beliefs (Jesus taught by asking questions). Ask them what they mean when they comment on a passage. Question their comments to discover their assumptions to find if their ideas line up with what Scripture teaches. Challenge them to validate their ideas with evidence from another portion of Scripture. Ask for examples of how they have practiced or applied the information. Ask your students to narrate or rephrase a passage.

Finding the Balance

Knowledge, understanding, and diligent study are of utmost importance for believers. But we also see the problems with large amounts of time devoted to the study of formal logic.

A good test of our priorities is how we spend our time and money. If you spent curriculum money on books on logic but have no Bible study tools in your library, you probably need to rethink your priorities. If you spend two hours at night planning logic lessons and an hour each day teaching logic, but only spend 15 minutes in Bible study, you need to rethink your priorities. Pray about priorities and balance. You will never go wrong when you immerse yourself and your children in studying the Word and in solid biblical teaching.

Nothing in our life—not logic, nor math, nor language, nor literature, not even family or church—should have higher priority than the Word of God. When some thing replaces the lordship of Christ, that thing can become idolatrous and cause us to be susceptible to spiritual disaster.

There is an account of an old recipe for chicken which started out with this instruction: “First catch the chicken.” The author of this recipe knew how to put first things first. It all comes down to established priorities—we put the things that should be in first place in their proper order. When the study of formal logic to defend God’s Word takes the place of time spent studying God’s Word, we have lost our way.

Much of the above is from The Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach. Download more excerpts here.

Related Posts:

• Classical Education
• Everyone Has a World View: Do You Know Yours?
• Homeschool and Views of Knowledge
• A Wisdom Parable
• An Easy Way to Make Homeschool Decisions
• Are You Interpreting the Bible Correctly?
• Creating Reminders for Our Children
• Discover the Biggest Mistake Made by Homeschoolers!

Heart at Home Blog: I organized my computer cables–come see!

Footnotes

1. Walvoord, John F., Roy B. Zuck, and Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985.
2. Henle M. ( 1962). “On the relation between logic and thinking”. Psychological Review, 69, 366-378.
3. Halpern, Diane. Critical Thinking across the Curriculum: A Brief Edition of Thought and Knowledge. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Place of Publication: Mahwah, NJ. Publication Year: 1997. Page Number: 80.
4. Wason, Peter Cathcart Psychology of Reasoning: Structure and Content (1972) Harvard University Press .
5. Robert H. Ennis, “A Conception of Rational Thinking,” in Jerrold R. Coombs , ed., Philosophy of Education, ( Normal, Ill.: Philosophy of Education Society, 1974), pp. 3-30.
6. Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest.
7. Achtemeier, Paul J., Publishers Harper & Row, and Society of Biblical Literature. Harper’s Bible Dictionary. Includes Index. 1st ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985.
8. Washington Times Editorial, http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20040115-085001-1690r.htm
9. The Environmental Impact of Eating Beef and Dairy Products”
10. Wilson, Marvin. Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, Grand Rapids , MI : Eerdman’s Publishing Co. , 1989, p. 5).
11. IBID
12. The red herring term came from the practice of using smoked herring fish to distract dogs following a scent trail. The strong smell would obscure the real trail. When an irrelevant topic is introduced to divert the attention away from the topic that’s being discussed, or an argument where the premises are not logically connected to the conclusion. It is also referred to as “changing the subject.”
13. Penguin logic cartoon is by Randy Glasbergen. Visit Randy’s site @ www.glasbergen.com

The classical book list entitled the “Great Books of the Western World” contains the writings of Plato, Sophocles, Aristotle, and other men who declared that the answers to life’s mysteries and problems are found in men and not in God (even the Koran is on the list). Our children should be immersed in the sixty-six great books in God’s Word, and books by Christians, not in writings by men who knew not our Lord!

This surge of interest to return to Greek classical education cries, “We need to return to the traditional literary culture, the classical standards of the past.” Insistence on a “back to basics” curriculum of “reading, writing and arithmetic,” has again become popular. It is a desire to turn back to the fork where we took the wrong road.

The classical method that was developed in ancient Greece and Rome, and established in the Middle Ages, was used almost exclusively in the Western world until the nineteenth century. The main focus was reading the Greek and Roman classics. To be in touch with literary arts marked one as accomplished.

We understand this desire to return to a better way, but believe that, instead of returning to the ancient Greeks’ ways, we need to return to the biblical model. Our only hope for a stable, ongoing, integrated culture is placing the Word of God at the center of our thinking, speaking, and acting. Literature and all literary arts must give place to mastery of the Bible. And they themselves become servants to the Word of God.

The Greek model is comprised of three phases of learning: 1) grammar, 2) dialectic, and 3) rhetoric. It is similar to the biblical model except for the main ingredient: true wisdom cannot be gained by unaided human reason. The Greeks wanted to conform to the good and natural things of the world, but without God this is not possible.

We must do more than rail against godless education. We must identify a distinctly Christian curriculum—one that takes its identity, its motion, from the reality of our redeemed condition—one that begins with the authority of the risen Christ speaking through His Word.

It is not enough to know what we are against; we must know what we are for. Dismantling the world is one work; building the kingdom is another. If we fail to make a positive contribution to education, if we keep the same old public school agenda packaged in Christian dress, our children will not prosper as they should. Without fundamental changes, we are only straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel. We cannot let the wolf of antichrist values in because he is wearing sheep’s clothing.

There is a long tradition in this country of resistance to the wisdom of the Greeks: Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, and Noah Webster all judged the classics to be of scant use. (Learning from the Greeks, Commentary Magazine, Valiunas, 1998)

Literature is a blessing, but should never be the purpose or center of learning. When we return to Scripture-centered education, two things occur:

1. We can view language in its splendor without the danger of it replacing religion. We can appreciate it as God’s gift to us.
2. Considering language as a skill, we can study it in a deeper way.

There can be no doubt that literary education is more whole, more human, and more satisfying than scientific technological education. But is even literary education enough? Good literature—Scott, Milton, Virgil—promotes courage, insight, high morality, and imagination—but it can never do what the Bible does.

Why Go Back to Ancient Greek Ways? Why Not Return to Biblical Methods?

David Mulligan, author of Far Above Rubies, explains that when we hear the phrase “returning to traditional methods” we need to ask “whose tradition?”

In reacting against modernist educational failure comes an instinctive turning to traditional schooling. What does this mean? Does the bare use of nineteenth century educational material safeguard the essential Christianity of our school? There is a nagging sensation that we have not yet gotten down to the bottom of things. What is traditional education? What is the tradition? It isn’t modernism. We know that traditionalism offers another way to look at the world. We know that, but what is it? Where did it come from? Is it just a haven for Christians playing modernist Babylon?

We just want to be sure, lest we be like the man who, to escape the lion, ran into the house and was bitten by a serpent. An essential element of this truly Christian education is discovering what we mean by traditional or old-fashioned education, and to that question we have now turned.

Teachers of philosophy give their lives to examining convictions by which people can live, in order to develop a consistent worldview and way of life based on reliable evidence. The Bible warns against philosophies whose highest realities and concerns are atoms, energy, cosmic laws—or even humanity—those founded on the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ.

To build a thoroughly Christian educational system, we must begin with a thoroughly Christian definition of education. What does the Bible tell us about education? What is it? What is it for? As we have stated, nothing is self-defining or of absolute value except God, so how can education be thought of as having intrinsic value? The value we usually give to education is the value imputed by man. Is that really valid? The intrinsic value of education is so taken for granted in our culture that our institutions of learning are intellectually considered to be common ground between the believer and the unbeliever.

The Emperor is Naked!

I have watched this growing trend reflected in the availability of numerous Greek mythology and philosophy books in homeschool catalogs and at curriculum fairs. I feel like the little boy who felt that he must point out the emperor’s obvious lack of clothing. Well-intentioned Christians have combined classical Greek educational methods with Bible-based curricula, which is exactly the same error that the early Church committed!

The Bible warns us about Greek philosophies:

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Under the ancient Greek system, learning begets goodness. Under the biblical system, goodness begets learning. All non-biblical education assumes that man can become learned without God. Biblical education makes knowledge the foundation of learning.

Greece was a once mighty empire. The ancient Greeks promoted beautiful fashion, fine dining, sonorous music, aesthetic arts, vigorous athletics, captivating entertainment, and a bevy of similarly stimulating activities. The ancient Greeks were the most advanced and sophisticated culture of their time. Were it not for their excellence (applying the principle to modern terms), we would not have heart transplants, ballet, air transportation or, for that matter, the Internet.

So why didn’t the ancient Greek empire survive more than a few hundred years? Historians concur that they were destroyed by moral decay. Pursuing knowledge without God is a recipe for disaster. We simply cannot survive without clear moral direction.

Three Approaches to Classical Literature—and HOW’s Alternative

Currently there are three different approaches to literature using the classical approach:

1. With the traditional focus on mythology and Greek philosophy.
2. Using the classical methods, but rejecting material written by pagans.
3. Immersion into the classic literature from a critical viewpoint.

1. Traditional Focus on Classics

The focus of the traditional classical approach (as promoted in the book The Well Trained Mind) is on Greek mythology, philosophy, logic, and Latin. The current best-selling homeschool book on the classical approach focuses on creating a student Plato would be proud of. Students of all ages, beginning with kindergarten, are immersed in stories about Greek gods. Mythology and philosophy are encouraged, while there is no emphasis on Bible study, and only a scant mention of religion. The authors suggest reading the Bible during history studies because it “ought to be treated as a serious philosophical document.”

There is legitimate cause for concern when a curriculum’s focus is on mythology and philosophy rather than the Bible. Proponents of classical education defend the study of mythology (which is really the study of false gods, idols, and/or demons) by saying that the myths are an integral part of our Western literary heritage. (Rodd)

It is short-sighted to use the argument that children need to study mythology in order to be adequately aware of the world; the same argument would imply that our children should be immersed in books on New Age philosophies, astrology, witchcraft, reincarnation, or Harry Potter. A well-grounded Christian adult with discernment may safely choose to study these subjects, but we should be careful not to feed these as entertainment to our children. Jesus said, Therefore, be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).

2. Adoption of Classical Methods but Rejection of Classical Literature

Some using the classical approach avoid the pagan literature. There are Christian homeschoolers who use the classical approach because they view the Trivium— grammar, logic, and rhetoric—as a worthy form of structure, but reject the writings by pagan authors (which is somewhat like trying to order a cheeseburger without the cheese). There is nothing inherently wrong with acknowledging these three discernible stages of learning (grammar, logic, and rhetoric); it is only common sense that children go through certain basic learning stages that build upon each other. It seems somewhat ironic to me, though, that one would use classical methods designed by classical authors, but reject the classical authors’ writings. I do, however, applaud their efforts to avoid evil.

3. Focus on the Classic Literature From a Critical Viewpoint

There are other Christians using the classical approach that focus on the Bible. They immerse students in the “Great Books of the Western World,” but do so from a critical viewpoint–—to teach their children about the positive and negative influences these books have had on our culture—which is an understandable endeavor. But this too seems an irony—that one would use the classical methods designed by the classical authors to teach students the deficiencies of the writings of the classical authors. But I am glad to see they are evaluating the writings from the standpoint of Scripture.

Heart of Wisdom’s Alternative

We recommend reading the good books–but not the books on traditional classical list.

Download Our List Here 31 pages PDF includes classics by grade level

Ask yourself if the book has value; does the book emphasize a Biblical worldview in some way?

To ignore the classics would be like a doctor disregarding the symptoms of a serious disease. We need to understand the classics for ourselves and to teach our children the impact of these works on our history and philosophy.

We can reject the classical teaching approach, as the Hebrews did, but study the impact of classical literature on our culture. Our children need to understand the world’s philosophy so they can recognize and avoid it, just as a doctor must study in order to recognize disease. However, when a doctor studies a disease, he takes precautions lest he catch the disease. He does most of his studies at a distance. When he does examine a patient with the disease, he does so with limited exposure. We can teach spiritually mature students, from a biblical worldview, about the influences of the classical authors sufficiently, with historical analysis and brief excerpts, without immersing them in pagan writings.

John D. Beckett explains in his book Loving Monday: A biblical worldview has awesome implications for those of us in the secular, Greek-thinking West. As we allow it, the Bible speaks to us concerning government, economics, education, science, art, communications and business. Really, it speaks to all of life.

Abraham Joshua Heschel encapsulated this approach to study by saying that

The Greeks study in order to understand while the Hebrews study in order to revere.

God’s Word and ways are ineffable: only by doing them can one understand them.

Don’t get bogged down in the knowledge of the Greeks. Spend your time learning what the Bible says about education.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS MOVE BACK TO CLASSICAL EDUCATION?

I’m curious—what do you think about this giant movement toward classical education? What do you think about The Well Trained Mind being the most popular book for homeschoolers? Sound off in the comments section below.

Also see: Should Christians Teach Logic?

If you like this article, please Tweet it or a thumb up in Stumbleupon or an bookmark at del.icio.us. Thanks a lot!

Comments

1. Comment by Tamara :

   Robin, Thank you so much for your obedience to God. I had been homeschooling through a charter school until last year when my husband, through God’s leading, lead me out of my “homeschool prison”. God then lead me straight to your website. We did HOW Year 1 last year and it blessed my socks off! Your article on classical education is a great reminder that the most classical of all literature is the Word of God! Lead on brave lady–there were weeks there where the Holy Spirit led me to pray for you both day and night–so thankful to God you are on the mend. God’s richest blessings to you!

2. Comment by Sabrina Thompson :Thank you for pointing out the Biblical reasons to reject the Classical approach.I bought the best selling book on classical education “The Well-Trained Mind” and found it to be the worst home schooling book I have read. It is impractical, irrelevant and sometimes ridiculous. This book hardly mentions Bible and when it does it is obviously Catholic.The author appears to be unaware that children learn by doing, that learning is meaningful, and that there are many ways to learn. I can’t imagine why anyone would be attracted to this book except Satan influence to get us off the Biblical course.
3. Comment by Peggy :AMEN! We need to focus on THE living book- The Bible. We don’t need Homer and Plato answers to life without God. Nor do we need the modern teacher of the classical approach (author of The Well Trained Mind) Susan Bauer’s ideas (rigid, stifling, harsh, severe, and downright boring) zapping all the fun out of learning.Philo of Alexandria (and many others), a Hellenized Jew merged Hebrew mythical thought with Greek philosophical thought in the first century B.C. which resulted in almost 2000 years of pagan Christianity for the Catholics and a very distorted view for many protestants. Bauer doesn’t really try to merge the Bible- she just ignores it or misquotes it.
4. Comment by Jennifer :Acckkk….guurgggll…bleh. Oh, sorry…that would be the choking out of yet another child’s joy in learning, the removing of yet another child from actual Truth. Classical homeschooling of the Greek persuasion has caused so many families, while striving for truth and excellence, to steer farther and farther away from the One who is truly excellent.Over 3 years ago, when I was a new homeschooler attempting to traverse the waters of curriculum and philosophy, a friend excitedly shared The Well Trained Mind with me, and I dutifully researched it all over the internet. Site after site claimed that it was the best thing since sliced bread, and not sharing it with my child would be an extreme injustice. So I bought SotW, along with some other recommendations, and started my child out on the path of learning for knowledge’ sake. Well, about 3 weeks into it, my 7 year old son (how open a child can be!) asked why he had to learn things that weren’t true. Manual in hand, I plunged forward, confident that I was doing what was best. Didn’t all the sites say so?A few months later, he had approached me a few more times, asking me why history contradicted God’s Word, and why his history curriculum consistently contradicted even the books it suggested he read. Well, even my trusty manual couldn’t answer that one for me…so I bravely took matters into my own hands and (gasp!) gave up the manual. We floated for a while between unit studies, workbooks, and just reading what looked good. While I felt a bit lost without a manual as a compass, this allowed me to see that I was removing him from his true Compass, and I began to search out what I should do according to God’s Word. I realized that I was given the responsibility to raise my son to be a wise, godly man that could be used by God to His glory, not a godless thinker who seeks to glorify his own knowledge and abilities. Eventually, I found Heart of Wisdom when I was searching the internet one day, and I was intrigued. I was a bit put off by yet another Classical approach, but I downloaded the free excerpts, and wow…was I impressed. A teaching approach that strives to glorify God in our children while teaching them to study to show themselves approved. I couldn’t get enough of it, but I thought there had to be a catch somewhere. I read through hundreds pages of excerpts…and there was no catch.The Hebrew approach to teaching has turned things completely around for both my son and me. He loves to learn in order to become who God would have him be, and I am constantly and consistently challenged to present knowledge of the world around him, worldviews, historical information, and scripture in a way that will truly illuminate God’s plan for him.
5. Comment by Kim :Thank you so much for allowing God to use you to help lead Gods people OUT!!!
   Getting out of Egypt seems to be the story always told, but getting Egypt out of us is the ongoing saga of the wilderness!

   Seems like every year the pressure to go back and conform to the pagan model of education places such pressure on us. Fear that our children will not measure up to the education system and standards (standards, yeah right!!) of this world is a fear most homeschool parents go through time after time.

   Again, I must repent for “respecting” the educational gods of this world and allowing them to intimidate me back to the pagan pattern.

   All over the country, even the world, God is calling HIS people OUT. He is calling us out of the murky waters of compromise and syncretism found not only in education but in churches that are becoming more and more liberal, corrupt politics, immoral entertainment… all over the world!

   Does anyone else hear the cry of the spirit that we are hearing?…. “Who is on the Lords side, come out from among them and be ye seperate!” I believe its getting louder and louder.

   Your website and articles have blessed us beyond words as God continues to confirm what we are hearing in our spirits.

   Thank you!

6. Comment by Kara :Thanks Robin, I have been so blessed through HOW, and I pray my children are being blessed because of that. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the idea that they need this “classical” approach to education because it is so accepted!!! It is hard not to just follow, it seems safer. But quite honestly it just doesn’t make sense when we consider what our purpose here on earth is! Thanks for continuing to very clearly spell that out!
7. Comment by Suzanne Watkins :I do not at all like the idea that The Well Trained Mind is the best selling homeschool book! I don’t think it’s worthy of that at all and I have read it (well parts of it). As a matter of fact, I read parts of it and even bought SOTW and found it so dark and offensive to my soul that I trashed it rather than reselling it; I just plain didn’t want anyone to end up with it because I was willing to basically give it away.But, I guess here’s where I’ll get the bash, I do like another classical ed book that is VERY focused on the Bible and does not use the pagan classics. It blends perfectly and reinforces much of HOW for me. It’s called Teaching the Trivium by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn and I do like it. They are serious about the Bible being foundational and permeating everything. They are also VERY serious about not treating children like recepticals and using the better late than early approach for “bookish studies” like the Moores. This is the ONLY classical resource that I have found helpful. In the early years they are much more CM like HOW is and they even focus on the fact that at any age, all literature (no matter it’s rave reviews or classical status) is not suitable or edifying to the body of Christ). I know this may be the most unpopular post in response, but I truly do not see that much difference in the Bluedorns approach and the HOW approach with the exception of HOW focusing on Hebraic roots I think the Bluedorns have actually included that in their teachings without calling it the same things, too. Just my .02; I think by blending them, I get more encouragement for homeschooling my children God’s way. I love HOWTA and am so thankful for all the encouragement. I also love the Bluedorn’s and find them equally encouraging along with the Clarksons, who minister to me greatly!
8. Comment by admin :Thanks Suzanne. I agree. “Teaching the Trivium” is not in the same league as “The Well Trained Mind” at all. They do not recommend the pagan writings and they FOCUS on the Bible. The Bluedorn’s and the Clarksons are very encouraging! Thanks for bringing this up. No bashing here.
9. Comment by Shirley Peaberry :I was appalled to see a review calling “The Well Trained Mind” the “homeschooling Bible”?!!! The only thing biblical about this book is its length. A book’s popularity doesn’t make it a classic; it merely makes it a fad.If this is what it takes to have a well-trained mind, I don’t want one. Implementing just a few of the book’s suggested methods created a joyless learning experience for my children and me. Training (instructing/drilling) and educating (developing/enlightening) are clearly not the same thing. Also If the authors have such well-trained minds, why do they take so long to make their points? The book is BORING!We should know there is a problem when EVERY private Catholic school is uses the classical appraoch.
10. Comment by Stacy Smith :Robin,
    I was blessed to have had the Lord lead me to you before any of that stuff! I am currently reading ‘Assumptions That Affect Our Lives’ and that should be recommended reading for all homeschoolers!
    May God continue to bless you! I am praying for you.
    stacy
11. 

    Comment by Eren :

    great article Robin!
    We need to be careful not to love traditions and unfortunetly people have loved tradition above God’s truths.
    GBU,
    Eren

12. Comment by Melanie :Robin,
    WOW! God inspires me again through your writings. I have studied HOW for a few years but this is my first applied year of embracing the method. I deeply desire for my children to be trained Biblically!
    I feel like my family’s alone in this, then at a perfect time I find an article to encourage me to hold on to the truth I know. We must not blend with the world’s methods. We are a peculiar people, a holy priesthood, set aside to be a light on a hill, to be salt to this generation. If we lose our saltiness, what good are we to God’s kingdom? Robin,May God continue to bless your ministry!! In Messiah’s Love, Melanie
13. Comment by Kathleen :This is the key paragraph – I love it!The Greek model is comprised of three phases of learning: 1) grammar, 2) dialectic, and 3) rhetoric. It is similar to the biblical model except for the main ingredient: true wisdom cannot be gained by unaided human reason. The Greeks wanted to conform to the good and natural things of the world, but without God this is not possible.Robin, an individual who is not regenerated by the Holy Spirit will simply be unable to understand God’s ways. I dare say most people who claim to be Christians today are not actually saved, but have simply agreed with someone that they are a sinner and have “received” Christ as their Savior as a response to an open-ended invitation. God is the only one who can save a person. You can not save yourself – not even by “making a decision for Christ.” Today’s evangelism pleads with people to turn to Christ and accept Him instead of just preaching the news and letting God’s Holy Spirit convict and regenerate. Man has very little to do with saving souls. He is called to preach. God saves.Until He does, man’s understanding is darkened and no amount of “education” or logical argument will turn on the light. Prayer is the only hope.
14. Comment by H0MEFree :It grieves me when I think of how Christians absolutely REFUSE to make Bible the center of their homes. Even worse, homeschooling Christians.

    Churches are full of children and teens who do not know the Bible! Beyond a couple stories of Noah, Adam & eve and Jesus walking on water, they do not know a thing.

    I urge new & veteran homeschoolers alike- make the Bible and study of it your priority.
    Most nod and say “I know” or “I do”, but what they really mean is that they have a Bible workbook or textbook and teach Bible as a class or subject. They totally have missed the point.

15. 

    Comment by Dana :

    Your post reminded me of when a few years ago & I became aware for the first time the many different methods of homeschooling. The classical approach seemed interesting to me so I did some research. I was co-leading a group of homeschool moms with a friend that was very structured with a classical curriculum. So I dealved more deeply & kept trying to implement it, but something just kept stopping me. I tried to read books on the classical approach & it just didn’t make much sense to me. Everytime I would share some it with my husband he was quick to say, “I don’t want my kids taught like that, go back the scriptures.” His wisdom saved me so many tiems from going the wrong direction in our school. Now, we are firm in our “approach”. IT is all based on the word of God and teaching our children how to live an abundant life based on His precepts. Thanks again Robin!

16. Comment by Yeshua_is_Lord :Shalom my Beloved Sister }}!I hear/feel the cry of your precious spirit and when I got your e-mail, I wanted to write in to you and comment as you’ve requested.By the GRACE and MERCY of Abba Father Alone, He has given me a “grieving/conviction” to AVOID this type of material for my own reading/consumption, let alone to “feed” to our children, whom the Lord has Blessed/Entrusted us with their care for these years (and how FAST these years are passing )Robin, I’m so excited and blessed that The Holy Spirit is actually leading me and our family to “feed on” Jesus in a “new” way for our family. He has given me a Strong Desire to Call my Jesus Yeshua now too. The Holy Spirit is saying to me, yes…that’s okay, call Him Yeshua–don’t be ashamed/afraid/hesistant/proud to and The Holy Spirit Inviting/Calling us to Join Him in the Feasting on Jesus/Yeshua thru learning (and simultaneously teaching) our children about our Hebrew Roots of our Beloved Christian Faith. (MINUS and being ever mindful against any and ALL pride/superiority that *may* rear it’s ungodly head in our lives because of this “new” way of Seeking His Wonderful Face and that our total Focus MUST on Jesus (and NOT making the external an object of idoltry–which He is warning me is easy to do/fall into, if we are led by our flesh and understanding instead of His Holy Spirit Alone…of course )It’s actually AMAZING that I got your e-mail, because the Holy Spirit has just started “wooing” me just about a week now to begin this Fantastic Journey of Discovery and Deeper Love/Obedience to our Heavenly Father!

    We’re very much looking forward to checking your Biblical Holidays out from the library. It’s actually coming thru inter-library loan and will take about 6 weeks for me to actually get it. It’s totally worldy/sad how our BIG CITY library has little or NO books on Hebrew Roots of Christianity, at all–but if I were looking for ANYTHING on “classical” education or anything pagan…tons and tons books available. So WHAT! I’m counting it all joy anyway–knowing that God’s Ways are NOT our ways.

    That’s another thing the Holy Spirit is daily whispering to me in regard to us accepting His Invitation to discover This is a “new” way of Feeding on Jesus AND seeking God’s Heart/Wisdom on His Ways of Old and to understand more the Heart of Jesus and what His earthly lifestyle/background was when He walked this earth and Taught/Called people in Israel), that’s what our Sweet Holy Spirit is leading me to learn and teach our children from now on. The Scripture verse He’s gave me in this “Mission” is:

    “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” Proverbs 22:28 and

    And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. Exodus 12:14

    Our family is VERY interested in learning more about this (the meaning of Biblical Holidays and how they related to the Coming of Jesus and Fulfillment of The Old Testament too…

    Robin, I’ve been praying for you and thinking about you and this e-mail you’ve sent about Classical Education. Here’s is what The Holy Spirit wants me to ask you and then share with you about this matter:

    1.) Robin…are you praying/interceeding with deep groanings and consistency for these folks(OH PLEASE DON’T ANSWER THAT HERE, OKAY:o), If not, PLEASE do ) For Father’s Sake and theirs.

    2.) NOTE: Robin, NO MATTER how many hundreds or thousands of times you’ve read this text of Holy Scripture, READ it again BEGGING Abba to open the eyes of your beautiful spirit and give you a FRESH revelation/illumination on this text and PLEASE Beg Father to show you how He wants you to think/react/believe regarding this matter of the worldliness of classical education. (PLEASE don’t forget to REJOICE in the Lord ALWAYS and again I say Rejoice while you’re counting this seemingly grievious matter of Classical education being a stumbling block to untold thousands of saints, counting it ALL JOY, Because Our God IS Alive and He Rules and Reigns and Know/Sees ALL and Jesus/Yeshua in Lord and in TOTAL control of EVERYTHING )…We MUST Remember that and Trust Him with all our spirits and NOT trust our DESPERATELY Wicked hearts.

    The Sermon on the Mount
    1 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.

    The Beatitudes
    3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
    4 God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.

    5 God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
    6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied.
    7 God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
    8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
    9 God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
    10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
    11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.

    12 Be happy about it! Be very glad!

    For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

    Teaching about Salt and Light
    13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

    14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

    Teaching about the Law
    17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.

    19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

    **** 20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!****

    Teaching about Anger
    21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone,you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,you are in danger of being brought before the court.

    And if you curse someone,you are in danger of the fires of hell.

    23 “So if you are presenting a sacrificeat the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

    25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

    Teaching about Adultery
    27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your eye—even your good eye[l]—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand[m]—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.

    It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

    Teaching about Divorce
    31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
    Teaching about Vows

    33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black.

    37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’
    or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
    Teaching about Revenge

    ****** 38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile,[q] carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.********

    Teaching about Love for Enemies
    43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[r] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies!Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

    Signed,

    A sister in Christ

17. Comment by Penney Douglas :Hi Robin,I’ve just started reading, or should I say, devouring the HOWTA. I’ve read samples from your website and I’ve read parts of What Your Child Needs to Know When, but now I can hold the HOWTA book in my hand, and read over and over again until it sinks in what you are really saying, and I’m finally getting it. I’ve learned to let the Spirit lead in our homeschooling more and more. He has never led me to the Classical approach, even though it seemed attractive to me several years ago, because it seemed like a way for me to have very polished, well-educated students who could hold their own in any intellectual debate or other setting where they would need to have superior thinking skills. It seemed like the best way to educate, because I wanted my kids to have well-trained minds. I just liked that concept. Well, I never got anywhere near it. The Lord never led me to buy the book or really try to research the methods at all. I didn’t know why. Now I know why, thanks to you! I’ve been using your ideas, on a shoestring, for about a year now. I have been studying the Bible with my kids and using teachable moments to really discuss things as they come up in life. We are really applying the Bible to issues we deal with such as jealousy, sibling rivalry, pride, anger, love, sharing, rejoicing with others when they rejoice and weeping with others when they weep, etc.

    I’ve tried to teach more like Jesus did, since I’ve started really digging into the HOWTA. The Bible reading has been fascinating, using the Narrated Bible. Your recommendations have been so helpful and spiritually inspiring. We never would have learned such things from trying to use the classical approach because we would have been so caught up in knowledge that we wouldn’t have had time to seek wisdom. I’m really starting to see the difference between the two. I’m starting to really value wisdom, too. And I feel very good about teaching my children true wisdom.

    I am concerned about the many homeschoolers that are just “doing school” at home instead of ministering and really teaching their children in the ways of the Lord. I’ve seen some homeschooled children who are bored, legalistic, obnoxious, worldly, etc, and I don’t believe that God is being honored or put first in their homeschooling, or they wouldn’t be turning out that way. I think your challenge to homeschoolers to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead them in their home schooling is a wake-up call to many home schooling moms who are just going through the motions or doing what seems right to them or whatever is popular. And we need to pray without ceasing for all of the Christian homeschoolers to start really relying on the Holy Spirit to lead them. I know He will lead them to what is good and wholesome, and I know that He will lead them to His Word first! I personally know many homeschoolers who are only doing it because they know the public schools are not right for their children, but they would put them in Christian school if they could afford it. They see homeschooling as a last resort. I see it as the very best way to educate and train and raise up our children in the way that they should go, if we do it His way. Heart of Wisdom is the best way I’ve seen to do it His way. I haven’t really researched other similar approaches. God led me here, and I’m happy with the fruit I’ve seen in myself and my children from using this approach.

    Robin, thank you for sounding the alarm, and helping others to see the danger in using false measures of what comprises a “good” education. God is using you mightily. Keep on going with all He’s leading you to do. It is a great work. I’ll pray for you, my sister, for strength and wisdom and every spiritual blessing!

    Love,
    Penney

18. Comment by Penney Douglas :I’m sorry for not leaving breaks for paragraphs. I guess my post isn’t the easiest to read. Sorry about that. I was kind of in a hurry
19. Comment by Stacy :Robin,We are in our second year of homeschooling. I found the HOW website during the time I was praying about homeschooling. Your article about Classical education on the website helped me so much. If I had not read that article I could have been one of those new homeschooling families that began using classical education curriculum because I was very new and inexperienced.
20. Discernment and wisdom come from experience, prayer and warfare. When we are “new” to something we most often lack that discernment and wisdom. I was very thankful that you shared this information on your site. It is very convicting. I feel that the enemy is using classical education just as he is using “religion” and replacement theology to mask the truth from Christians. Anytime we remove God’s Word from our lives and our decision making processes we are opening a door for the enemy to enter in and wreak havoc in our lives. These two scriptures came to mind while I was thinking about how to comment:Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.Matthew 6:33Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

    When I reflect on all the mistakes or hard times I’ve gone through in my life, I always see where I didn’t allow the Holy Spirit to guide me and I didn’t go to the Word of God for directions. He gave us a handbook full of truth. Each scripture has more than one layer of information. The more we study and read the Word, the more the Lord can show us. When we don’t teach our children the Word of God, not only are we walking in disobedience, but we are depriving them of the only thing that will help them through their walk in this life and keep them on the straight and narrow path to Jesus. Our live are not about man….IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS!

    Blessings,
    Stacy

21. 

    Comment by Robin Sampson :

    Paul was concerned that no false teacher take the Colossian believers captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy.
    
    Any man-made philosophy that has no place for Christ is unworthy of our consideration. We are rich in Him; why lower ourselves to follow man-made doctrines? Let religious teachers come along with their “hidden doctrines”; we have all wisdom hidden in Christ, and we are “hid with Christ in God” (3:3).

    Paul wrote not against all philosophy but against false philosophy, as the Bible also speaks against false religion (James 1:26). The particular false philosophy at Colosse was “hollow” (kenes, “empty”), “deceptive,” and based on human tradition . . . rather than on Christ. True Christian philosophy “take[s] captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
    
    Philosophy is the love of wisdom, but if one loves wisdom that is not Christ (the Sum of all wisdom, Col. 2:3), he loves an empty idol. Such a one will be “always clearning but never able to acknowledge the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7).

    This kind of philosophy is based on the world’s basic principles (stoicheia, “elementary principles” or “elemental spirits” (Col. 2:20; Gal. 4:3, 9). This may refer to the evil spirits who inspire such heresy and over whom Christ triumphed (cf. 2 Cor. 4:3-4; Eph. 6:11-12). Such a philosophy is demonic and worldly, not godly or Christlike.

    Unless believers are careful, such philosophy may ensnare them, taking them “captive.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)

    So burdened was Paul, he was in spiritual conflict, wrestling in prayer against Satan who was seeking to lead these believers astray. Paul knew how to overcome Satan—prayer and the Word of God (Eph. 6:17–18).

    He longed to see the saints united in Christ, enjoying the riches of blessing in Him. The false teachers had their fascinating philosophies, but in Christ we have “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (v. 3).

    Man’s philosophies are attractive. They give a show of wisdom and intelligence, and too often young Christians are “beguiled” by these “enticing words” (v. 4).

    How tragic it is when young people go off to secular schools and fall prey to man-made philosophies that deny Jesus Christ and the Bible. “Beware lest any man take you captive” (spoil you—v. 8), warns the apostle. How is the believer to overcome these philosophies? By walking in faith and growing in Christ.

    As you were saved by faith, so walk by faith. As you were saved by the Word, so walk according to the Word. As you were saved through the work of the Spirit, so walk in the Spirit. The Christian life continues as it began, by faith in God.
    
    Have roots that dig down into the richness of the Word. Have foundations that are strong, laid upon Jesus Christ. How important it is to be taught the Word of God! Believers fall prey to religious philosophies unless they are rooted in Christ, grounded in the Word, and built up in Bible truth.(Wiersbe, W. W.)

    Bottom Line: The Biblical concept of education was not “to impart knowledge” or to “prepare oneself intellectually”. It was to produce holiness and to impart a distinctive lifestyle. When Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus about the importance of teaching in the Church, his concept of education was Hebrew, not the popular Greek classical of the day.

22. 

    Comment by Tracye :

    I completely agree with you Robin. It seems to me that the “new” found classical approach is nothing more than a redressed lie from the enemy of our souls; Satan. He roams about seeking whom he may devour and with the classical approach teaching the things of the pagans he has an open door to the minds of children.

    The Word of God is our foundation and should be given and taught to our children as our foundation. All else is sinking sand.

    Here are a few Scriptures that all Christian families would do well to heed.

    Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

    Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the Armour of light.

    Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

    Galatians 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

    Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

23. 

    Comment by prayermom101 :

    I agree that is why I chose not to go with classical education. I chose HOW and combining student of the word to use for my children.

24. 

    Comment by Cindy :

    Robin,
    I am so glad you wrote HOWTA and other articles about this issue. Because we as true believers are in the Diaspora, it is hard not to be influenced by the world’s philosophy of education. Long ago, before I came to the Hebrew roots of the faith, the Father showed me that “Christian” education was just like the world’s…it just had a few Bible verses thrown in, maybe some “Christian” books, prayer before class, chapel, etc. (I went to Christian school and Christian college so I feel qualified to make this assessment.)
    Even now, I am still learning HOW to teach my children from a Biblical perspective and being led daily by the Ruach/Spirit. His ways/thoughts are not the world’s ways/thoughts. They are HIGHER! We must be careful not to let the world press us into its mold (Rom. 12:1). I feel like I am on a journey, like Abraham…I know where I’m leaving, but not quite sure where I am going! But HE knows, so I just strive to follow Him day by day.
    It is my belief we are entering the last 7 year Biblical cycle…we are preparing for Yeshua’s return to rule and reign and we will not necessarily be spared the hard times coming on this world leading up to the time of His return. I want my children to be prepared for whatever He has for us in these next few years. How will classical education prepare them for THAT?
    So…as far as classical education, I see it as a last ditch effort by the Enemy of our souls to snatch our children/families away. We are commanded not to learn the way of the heathen. He does not like mixture! So we cannot take something that is founded on worldly philosophy and make it Biblical! BEWARE whenever you hear someone say, “All truth is God’s truth.” That is usually from someone who is NOT basing their thinking solely on Scripture.
    Keep up the good work Robin. And I am glad to see you moving from the DC area…for your protection.
    Shalom,
    Cindy in eastern NC

25. 

    Comment by Training Hearts :

    Wow! Wonderful words of wisdom and many of the comments above fit my heart’s desire.

    Thank you for sharing this (and I look forward the book list that you link to).

    BTW, my Spiritual Sunday is up here:
    http://www.traininghearts.com/blog/?p=475

    Blessings, Tamara
    http://www.TrainingHearts.com

26. 

    Comment by Pati in WA :

    I started out with WTM, loving the “intellectual” approach to homeschooling, reading “Repairing the Ruins” and other books by Christian classical-schooling authors. SOTW was a real disappointment, Baruch HaShem!!!

    Robin, your words and concern about the classical approach really resonated with me with I found HOW and I knew I wanted more Bible than greek philosophy in teaching my girls! HOW has really impacted my whole approach to homeschooling!

    I have many homeschooling friends who love the classical approach, and I have shared with them, gently, some of the concerns. I’ve found many to be receptive, and shared my copy of HOWTA with many. One thing I’ve gently shared is that the classical approach is the basis of humanism – it’s where the secular humanistic culture we have comes from.

    When they ask what “curriculum” I use for Bible, I say, just use the Bible. I use the NKJV and my 5 year old has no problem. I also remind them to focus on Israel for ancient history, and that immersing themselves and their children in the Bible & Biblical culture can only have a wonderful effect on them all!

    And to Him who sits at the Right Hand of the Father be all the glory!

    Shalom and L’Shanah Tovah!
    Pati in WA

27. 

    Comment by Kelly in GA :

    Robin,
    Thank you, once again, for your godly wisdom and insight. If only I had discovered your approach to education five years ago when I first began my research into homeschooling.
    My oldest daughter was then only 3 years old, and a very well-intentioned friend tried to mentor me and suggested several homeschooling books for me to read, one of which was The Well-Trained Mind. She said that it was a “must-have for every homeschooling mom, whether you decide to use the classical method or not”. (Another one she recommended was Gayle Graham’s “How to Home School– A Practical Approach”, which I love…these books are quite the opposites, I think).
    In an effort to educate myself about how to homeschool, I bought WTM and read it. I was not only overwhelmed by the book, but also discouraged and confused. I wanted to give my daughter a ‘good’ education, but the approach seemed rigid, academically strenuous, and quite frankly, boring. (I did not know enough about Greek vs. Hebrew education to make a judgment about it from that perspective.)
    I kept the book on my shelf, knowing that I would never implement a classical education but thinking I might ‘need’ some bit of information from it at some point. I think the only real benefit I gleaned from its many pages was the idea of keeping notebooks for certain subjects. That and the fact that I think it drove me to search for a far different approach to teach my children. (I finally decided that the book was a waste of space on my precious bookshelves and sold it last year at convention. Had I been able to read your article first, I may have been inclined to trash it instead.)
    For the first couple of years, we went with Sonlight and that worked okay for us. I really loved the idea of a literature-based approach, but I still felt that something did not quite fit or was missing. I leaned heavily toward giving the Charlotte Mason approach a try, but was too chicken to totally give up workbooks and other traditional methods (I forgot to mention that I have a M.Ed. in secondary science education, but I am retraining my thinking about education… all those years learning and teaching in public schools makes for a hard habit to break ).
    A couple of years ago, I found your web-site while doing a search on notebooking. I have been totally blessed by the e-group and your blog articles and all the information on your site. I have learned so much without even reading HOWTA (which I have purchased and plan to read by this year).
    We have implemented Bible reading/study as the first part of our daily lessons. And I am weaning off workbooks in favor of learning- by-doing. My children and I are enjoying learning together even more as I learn to relax and not worry about checking off my little boxes as we complete a lesson (though I do still keep a lesson plan, but try to use it more as a guide and not an inflexible plan).
    I plan to begin using the HOW year-one in a couple of years when my oldest is in 5th grade. I so look forward to doing the studies with her. By the way, I looked over the classical book list, and my eyes glazed over by the middle of the 10th grade list. Your book list is far more appealing with several books that we have already read and many we look forward to reading.
    Well, I got long-winded without intending it, but Robin, I just want to thank you for your heart in sharing the wisdom and knowledge that God gives you about His ways and the opportunity for us to share in response to your teaching. I pray rich, abundant blessing on you and you family as you continue to seek and share His Truth.

    In the Fullness of His Love,
    Kelly in GA

28. 

    Comment by Elisa :

    Dear Robin:

    Here is our experience with Classical Education. After having pursued a classical education for some time with our children we began to see disturbing streams of common thought. Basically, that “I am what I think” and “I think due to the wonderful literature to which I’ve been exposed” and an attitude that the Bible is fine as an educational tool as long as it’s kept in its place…its very little place on the shelf alongside all the other intellectual pursuits called “education.” I began to feel a twinge of caution, but disregarded it. After all, we were creating well-trained minds, right?!? Wasn’t that the most important goal of education?

    When we began studies of the roots of our faith right alongside Classical Ed. we saw vast differences in educational approach as well as religious mindset. As we went deeper into what we considered some of the “Founding Fathers of our Faith,” (all the way to Constantine), we asked ourselves why had these men striven so desperately to obliterate everything Hebrew from our religious practices??? What was so wrong about Hebraic lifestyle, worship, and thought that was so abhorrent to them? Wasn’t our collective Messiah a Jew??? Without going into detail (you can find more than enough information on this easily for yourselves w/o my risking general offense here), we became so disturbed by the message of Greco-Roman Classical Education & its anti-semitic bent — basically, that all information of value comes from the Greek cultures & great minds of worldly thought of that era and that our responsibility as parents was to make sure that our kids are as intelligent & talented as we can possibly make them (outward appearance of perfection)– that we discarded the C.E. approach lock, stock, and barrel. I was most disturbed by the fact that it took us a year and a half to fully realize how insidious this approach can be as it takes over the whole mindset of a family & home educating community.

    When an educational approach makes my children blend in and actually supercede their worldly counterparts, intelligence- and talent-wise, it begs the question: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” We must remember that we have been called “chosen, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…peculiar…” that we should show forth the praises of Him who has called us OUT of darkness into His marvellous Light. Different. If we are not different than the world, then what’s the point of calling ourselves His? If we are teaching our children based on Greek standards, then we are not following the God who has made abundantly clear “What fellowship has Light with darkness?”

    I pray that those considering a Classical approach are more discerning than I was. I pray that they will learn from the experience of those who have gone before them, tried it, and regret the experiment deeply. I pray that our precious Father will impart wisdom to the homeschooling community at large by granting boldness to those who have the opportunity to influence many — thank the Lord for families such as the Sampson’s — to speak forth that wisdom and save innumerable children from growing up to think more highly of themselves than they ought due to an education steeped in the philosophy of self and self-actualization brought to them through an educational philosophy based upon Greek classical literature, not upon God and His commands to His children. Whose children ARE we? Let’s look to our Father for His guidance and discard the so-called wisdom of man.

    Sincerely & tremblingly His,
    Elisa

29. 

    Comment by Cindy :

    Amein Elisa!

30. 

    Comment by Mara B. :

    God bless you, Robin, for your heart and your obedience to God’s Word. The path of education, in general, is disconcerting. Not only do they expect all children to learn things that of no Kingdom value, they expect us to blindly follow them down that road, regardless of the fact that we homeschool. I have purposely chosen NOT to follow the “world” and teach my children from the Bible. I don’t care if they ever hear or learn anything by Plato, Socrates, or any of the other classical authors. If it doesn’t acknowledge and honor God and His Word, it’s not going to be used in this homeschool! God bless you and I am praying for your continued recovery,
    Mara

31. 

    Comment by Sandy Meguiar :

    Dear Robin,
    I’ve noticed a cycle in my fairly new homeschooling experience. Every time I have begun to fear I look again at the Well-Trained Mind and the Story of the World series. Then when I repent and put my trust back in our Saviour, where it should be all the time, He leads me back to HOW just like that first time over a year ago.

    Thank you for your humble spirit to obey HIM, your failful example and encouragement.
    Sandy M. (in Portland, TN):)

32. 

    Comment by Sandy Meguiar :

    Sorry for the typo…..It was supposed to say ‘faithful example’
    Sandy M.

33. 

    Comment by Lee Underwood :

    I must say that I was very blessed when I came upon your Web site. I have been trying to explain to people about Greek education for quite a long time but it seems that they all think that is where the wisdom and knowledge comes from. I really like your article and your Web site. May the Lord continue to bless you and your ministry. May He also bless those who have taken the command to “teach your children” seriously.

34. 

    Comment by Deanne :

    HI Robin,
    Once again, you have expressed my belief’s much more eloquently than I ever could! I praise God for “teachers” like you that help ME to keep my focus on training my children for the Lord’s glory and not for man’s (or MOM’s) glory!! Thank you for your faithulness in spreading the Word God has give you.
    Deanne

35. Pingback by Training Hearts » Blog Archive » Spiritual Sunday :

    [...] week I found Robin’s article on Classical Education inspiring.  It’s very interesting and she is seeking input so I thought I would feature it [...]

36. 

    Comment by Adena (cre82learn) :

    I have been a subscriber for awhile and a reader for a long time. My children’s favorite curriculum has been Adam to Messiah. This has been the *** BEST *** article regarding classical education I have ever read. I totally agree with you. I met with a well-known author of a classical curriculum once. Every fiber of my being was screaming NOT to follow this. First, I had a problem introducing my young children to Greek ideals. I discussed with her that most importantly my goals for home education are to 1-develop my children in Biblical ways so they will establish their own relationship with the Lord and 2-a lifelong love for learning. I did not see where the classical method supported either of these. My children love to go off on rabbit trails and if in the process of memorizing all those facts they want to learn more about something, I am told they have to wait until it is covered in x year. If my children express a desire to learn, I will not tell them no. If I wanted to depress their curiosity and immerse them in worldly ways of thinking, I would have sent them to public school!!

37. Pingback by Friendship Alley » Blog Archive » Are You a Christian doing Classical Education?? :

    [...] are doing it, ever thought about doing it, heard of it (you have now ) please go over and read the best article I have ever read concerning it. And if you would like a really good Ancient World History program [...]

38. 

    Comment by PlainJane :

    Hi Robin,
    I’m sorry it’s been a while since I last visited – summer busy-ness and all, but I just wanted to pop in before I even have read your post and say how much (or should I say “HOW much” lol)I appreciate you and your ministry and your willingness to stand up for the TRUTH. I am soooooooo with you 100% on Classical Ed., I have even pondered writing a book about/against such. I’m sending this post to my email so I can read a hard copy of it in the morning – in my comfy chair.
    Love you.
    Best Wishes for your move and wishing you continued healing.
    Shalom & Blessings to You and Yours!

39. 

    Comment by Julie :

    Robin,

    I have to say that I enjoy the HOW. The Well Trained Mind is not the final authority on a Classical Education (I personally do not like it at all). A true classical education has little to do with unbiblical classical literature, but rather with the stages of learning. It is not all joyless, rote learning, but rather organized, thoughtful learning. I have classically educated my children for 9 years following recommended methods in Teaching the Trivium, including a dyslexic child. They have prospered both in their minds as well as in their hearts. I have children who love the Lord and have a passion for His word and truths and I am saddened that your posters assume, rather falsely, that all classical educators remove God from their homeschool and pursue knowledge not wisdom. I think there are many, many methods of home educating, and that one particular philosophy does not mean that the Lord is not central. I hope your readers will actually look back over their posts and see the judgement they are putting forth. It seems rather unbiblical in and of itself.

40. 

    Comment by Julie :

    After I left my last comment, I felt I really wanted to say one thing more. I think as homeschoolers, we need to do our best to support one another. I know I am doing what I absolutely believe is the very best I can to train my children up to be wise, biblical thinkers who have a heart for God. But as I began pondering all of the previous posts, I realized as well that many of those posting have probably encountered others who are arrogant in their choice of curriculum, certainly some who are Classical educators. So for those of you who have never encountered humility from a Classical educator, may I humbly submit to you that not all classical educators are cut from one mold? I hope that each and every reader pursues God first and has a blessed journey in their homeschool.

41. 

    Comment by Cindy :

    I understand what you are saying, Julie. I am not familiar with Teaching the Trivium, although I have heard of it.
    Robin is trying to get back to the source of education the way YHWH intended. She has sought out the source of classical education which is from Greek philosophy, which is humanistic. The question we need to ask is can we take something that is humanistic at the core and “Christianize” it? I don’t believe it can be done, but that is my opinion.
    I am glad you are pleased with how your children are turning out. Praise His Name! May we all seek to do His Will in the education of our children.
    Cindy in eastern NC

42. 

    Comment by Jess :

    While I understand that any curriculum or plan can be used in a way that is not Christ centered, that does not mean that just because you follow the outline of a certain book or method you are therefore doing what those others are doing. Does that sound as garbled as it seems, lol?

    I enjoyed reading the WTM book because it gave me a lot of helpful suggestions that I have utilized successfully in our homeschooling. I use notebooks…just not one for every subject. I love using dictation to see how well my children grasp a topic and their memorization skills are phenomenal after having used this method for two years now. We memorize scripture and use the WTM methods for having them stand straight and still, look at their audience, and speak clearly. I think it’s improved their public speaking skills enormously and they love to show off all the poetry and scripture they’ve memorized.

    The WTM suggestions for what order to teach science in have been very helpful to me, whereas before reading that book I was floundering in a sea of information. It also made me realize that it’s okay to focus on learning as many facts (multiplication tables, states & capitols, etc.) as possible while they are young and soak it up like a sponge. That way they will be ready to use this foundational knowledge when they are studying subjects more in depth during middle and high school.

    We are reading the SOTW, volume 1, currently and have enjoyed it immensely. I like that they are getting a good overview of chronological history at a young age and we consider the stories from other cultures to be a sort of “social studies” and a jumping off point for discussing how these groups departed from biblical truth.

    So, to sum it up, I read many different books and websites about homeschooling methods and then I use them in a way that we feel is pleasing to God and gives our children a broad education with a biblical view point while still being orderly, but not rigid.

    Jess

43. 

    Comment by Randy Turner :

    Doesn’t it bother anyone that the Catholics all use this educational approach WAY before it began fad in homeschooling? Thomas Aquinas’s (the patron saint of education) loved classical education methods and Greek philosophiers.

44. 

    Comment by Debbie Barns :

    Jess,

    I understand what you are saying but I completely disagree and your post confirms Robin’s point why classical is so dangerous!

    Homeschoolers get excited about WTM because chronological history, 3 levels of learning, memorization, etc seem so good compared to dry textbooks. This is COMPLETLY missing the main point.

    Robin does not object to the teaching methods. She objects to the PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE METHODS. Just as the philosophy behind the public school is humanistic– classical education is HUMANISTIC. This does not mean all the mothods public school or classical uses are bad or wrong but it does mean we need to be AWARE of the underlying philosophy!

    I (like you) teach the chronological history, Latin roots, memory work, etc. That’s not classical, they are teaching methods that work (actually more Hebrew than Greek).

    The thing Robin objects to is the books on the”Great Book” list, 95% of which promote humanistic thinking. Let me repeat, The books on the “Great Book” list PROMOTE HUMANISTIC THINKING. What logic is there in learning about men whose lives were morally opposed to our own?

    The “great” Greek philosophers were so morally depraved, anti-God, and anti-Semitic. Why do you want your children to learn from them? Hitler used successful teaching methods too. Should we follow him? You don’t have to follow Catholic author using humanistic authors to use methods that work.

    I am sure there are Christians using these methods that love the Lord and focus on Bible but I also have to say I never met one. Every single person I know using this approach (well over 20 in the last few years) are wrapped up in pride and superior attitude. Any conversation that shed a negative light on classical made them defensive.

    Robin’s book explains the subtle deceptions between Greek and Hebrew thought that most people are not aware of. She recommends we learn about and teach our worldviews before reading Greek philosophy!

    God cares about what we THINK about. He wants us to renew our minds according to His word not according to Susan Bauer, Homer, Thales, Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle

    Again, I understand what you are saying. The approaches seem good–but what is under the surface? Satan always throws in truth with his deceptive ways to keep us off guard.

    Have you read anything on worldviews?

45. Pingback by deannecrawford.com :

    [...] or “Classical Education (for one of the BEST articles I have read on Classical Education click here), a Lifestyle of Learning or even “Family worship”. Yes, home education is a good thing and [...]

46. 

    Comment by H0MEFree :

    The information in this post is not new for people who are familiar with the HOW method.
    However, I am glad you posted it.
    I have gotten to the point where I am beginning to feel classical ed is evil.

47. 

    Comment by Heather :

    I liked this article very much! Thank you for the encouragement.

48. 

    Comment by Pam Rinas :

    Dear Robin, Thanks for a very well done piece. Articulate, straightforward and right on!!!! My oldest of seven is 20 and I’ve done the homeschool thing throughout. I love my life and that whole classic approach, exhausted me just thinking about it. I knew it wouldn’t work for me but some of your points I had never even thought of. I am now more grounded to share with others as I have young mom’s ask me a lot of things. I just came across you as a resource today, I’ve been in the dark about you too. It will be a pleasure to share your info. Thanks for your commitment and sharing your wisdom with me/us. Joyfully, Pam Rinas

49. 

    Comment by Lilgoatlady :

    I was so glad to finally see someone saying what I’d been thinking! I want my child to have a solid education, but I just can’t see the value in concentrating so much time and energy on pagan “classics.” A general knowledge of the subject matter or story-line is plenty.

50. 

    Comment by Rachel :

    I’m a bit confused. My children attend a Classical School and they teach using the trivium. However they also teach the Bible. I’m afraid I don’t really understand the Classical method of education. I ready some info about it on a website and began studying it in depth after I realized that the school does not teach Black History nor did it show any interest in the Inauguration. We are an African-American family and the school where my children attend is geared toward drawing inner-city African American children although there are some Caucasian students. They keep saying they want the children to be multicultural but teach the children nothing about their own culture. What I read says this about teaching them their own culture: 3) It gives all children competence in the current system of language and allusion that is dominant in the nation’s economic and intellectual discourse.

    This third requirement raises a question about including a strong element of the so- called “dominant” culture. Common sense and experience both dictate caution in trying to revolutionize American culture through the school curriculum by neglecting or even rejecting the currently dominant culture. That would simply harm children who are in most need of help. In order to get a good job a young person must be able to communicate in speech and writing in the standard language and allusion- system of the marketplace. Since this system of intellectual currency is in broad use by millions of adults, it is a highly stable system that is slow to change. Hence, in order not to penalize students, schools must include as part of the curriculum the system of language and allusion that is currently in place.

    This means that a cosmopolitan, centrist curriculum will initiate evolutionary rather than revolutionary change in American culture. Nonetheless, wherever there is an opportunity for fostering greater cosmopolitanism, it should be encouraged as insistently as is feasible without injuring any child’s practical chances in life.

    As earnestly as I welcome this movement towards a multicultural redefinition of American culture, I must quickly add that the issue of multicultural redefinition must not distract us from the issue of educational excellence and fairness in areas beyond the history and literature curriculum. For even after our curricula have included many more elements of African, African-American, Native American, Asian, and Latino culture, we still face the task of giving all children a good education.

    It will do black American children little good, for example, to learn a lot about their African and African- American past if they still cannot read and write effectively, do not understand natural science, and cannot solve basic mathematical problems. In the information age, such educational defects simply prolong victimization by keeping people in menial jobs, if there happen to be enough menial jobs to go around. The only kind of multiculturalism that can overcome this victimization is the kind that invites all children to become active, effective members of the larger cosmopolis. Every child should be able to read a serious book or training manual. Every child should be able to communicate with strangers in the larger society, give a talk to unknown fellow citizens, and to understand what is being said in such communications.

    Cosmopolitanism is a true friend of diversity. It is the only valid multiculturalism for the modern era. Only a cosmopolitan, centrist core curriculum can enable all children to be well educated. The great ethnic diversity of America is not going to disappear just because we adults decide to empower children with a core of commonly shared knowledge — a common school-based culture in addition to their home culture. If we Americans are to choose between the narrow ideal of ethnic loyalty and the broad ideal of social fairness, let us without hesitation choose fairness. To me that seems a bit racist because it teaches them that the “dominant” culture is White European and that’s how they should pattern themselves. Someone please help me understand so that I won’t misinterpret what I’m reading. Thanks.

51. 

    Comment by Joel Britton :

    Robin summarizes Greek society and education by stating, “Pursuing knowledge without God is a recipe for disaster.” However, it strikes me that since God created the world and everything in it, there is great value that can be gleaned from even pagan methodologies and education styles. Paul cites Greek poems to Zeus while he speaks on the Areopagus about the “Unknown God”; this implies that pagan religious poetry is useful for understanding how God operates and interacts with mankind.

52. 

    Comment by Shoshannah :

    Excellent article with many good points. However the idea that, “Historians concur that they [the Greeks] were destroyed by moral decay,” is very misleading. It is abundantly evident to me that historians do no such thing. The Greeks had rivalry and division working against them, not moral decay. (That was Rome’s problem.)

    “All of these accomplishments came from a group of small city-states in ancient Greece. And yet Greek civilization also contains an element of tragedy. For all of their brilliant accomplishments, the Greeks were unable to rise above the divisions and rivalries that caused them to fight each other and undermine their own civilization.” (Western Civilization, Volume I: To 1715, Jackson J. Spielvogel)

    Rome ultimately conquered Greece, but not before trying to fix them. In 196 B.C. Rome brokered the freedom of the Greeks from Macedonian rule and spent the next fifty years trying to broker a peace between the warring factions without taking direct control of their lands. This was because Rome loved everything Greek, even importing Greek tutors for their children. Rome’s love for everything Greek, and adoption of so much Greek culture was to such an extent that some historians have even stated that Rome was, in large measure, a continuation of Greek culture. Unable to fix the Greeks, Rome conquered them. Greece simply “fell” to an overwhelming military might.

    I actually agree with Robin that the study of the Bible should take pre-eminence over classical education. People who have HAD that “Classical Greek education” are the very ones who most need to hear Robin’s message.

53. 

    Comment by Cingy Glenn :

    Can you go in to more detail about the differences between “Classical Greek” and a “classical approach” that is well steeped in the Bible?

]]> http://www.heartofwisdom.com/homeschoollinks/what-is-classical-education/feed/ 17 http://www.heartofwisdom.com/homeschoollinks/returning-to-traditional-education-what-tradition/ http://www.heartofwisdom.com/homeschoollinks/returning-to-traditional-education-what-tradition/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:04:14 +0000 Robin http://heartofwisdom.com/homeschoollinks/?p=2908 Today, there is a surge of interest in the secular world to return to Greek classical education. “We need to return to the traditional literary culture, the classical standards of the past,” experts demand. Insistence on a “back to basics” of “reading, writing and arithmetic,” has again become popular. It is a desire to turn back to the fork where we took the wrong road.

The classical method that was developed in ancient Greece and Rome, and established in the Middle Ages, was used almost exclusively in the Western world until the nineteenth century. The main focus was reading the Greek and Roman classics. To be in touch with literary arts marked one as accomplished.

There can be no doubt, literary education is more whole, more human, and more satisfying than scientific technological education. But is even literary education enough? Good literature-Scott, Milton, Virgil-promotes courage, insight, high morality, and imagination-but it can never do what the Bible does.

Why Go Back to Ancient Greek Ways? Why Not Return to Biblical Methods?

We understand this desire to return to a better way, but believe that, instead of returning to the ancient Greeks’ ways, we need to return to the biblical model. Our only hope for a stable, ongoing, integrated culture is placing the Word of God at the center of our thinking, speaking and acting. Literature and all literary arts must give place to mastery of the Bible. And they themselves become servants to the Word of God.

The Greek model is comprised of three phases of learning:

1. grammar
2. dialectic
3. rhetoric

It is similar to the biblical model except for the main ingredient: true wisdom cannot be gained by unaided human reason. The Greeks wanted to conform to the good and natural things of the world, but without God this is not possible.

We must do more than rail against godless education. We must identify a distinctly Christian curriculum-one that takes its identity, its motion, from the reality of our redeemed condition-one that begins with the authority of the risen Christ speaking through His Word. It is not enough to know what we are against; we must know what we are for. Dismantling the world is one work; building the kingdom is another.

If we fail to make a positive contribution to education, if we keep the same old public school agenda packaged in Christian dress, our children will not prosper as they should. Without fundamental changes, we are only straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel.

We cannot let the wolf of antichrist values in because he is wearing sheep’s clothing.

The biblical model is also comprised of three phases of learning

1. knowledge
2. understanding
3. wisdom

Without knowledge there can be no understanding, and without understanding there can be no wisdom. The wise man is able to acquire even more knowledge and understanding, thus becoming even more wise-he has learned how to learn.

There is a long tradition in this country of resistance to the wisdom of the Greeks: Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, and Noah Webster all judged the classics to be of scant use. (Learning from the Greeks, Commentary Magazine, Valiunas, 1998)

Literature is a blessing, but should never be the purpose or center of learning. When we return to Scripture-centered education two things occur:

1. We can view language in its splendor without the danger of it replacing religion. We can appreciate it as God’s gift to us.
2. Considering language as a skill, we can study it in a deeper way.

David Mulligan, author of Far Above Rubies, explains that when we hear the phrase “returning to traditional methods” we need to ask “whose tradition?”

In reacting against modernist educational failure comes an instinctive turning to traditional schooling. What does this mean? Does the bare use of nineteenth century educational material safeguard the essential Christianity of our school? There is a nagging sensation that we have not yet gotten down to the bottom of things. What is traditional education? What is the tradition? It isn’t modernism. We know that traditionalism offers another way to look at the world. We know that, but what is it? Where did it come from? Is it just a haven for Christians playing modernist Babylon?

We just want to be sure, lest we be like the man who, to escape the lion, ran into the house and was bitten by a serpent. An essential element of this truly Christian education is discovering what we mean by traditional or old-fashioned education, and to that question we have now turned.

Teachers of philosophy give their lives to examining convictions by which people can live, in order to develop a consistent worldview and way of life based on reliable evidence.

The Bible warns against philosophies whose highest realities and concerns are atoms, energy, cosmic laws-or even humanity-those founded on the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Defining Education in God’s Terms

As it is for all human activity, so it is with education. It must be defined in God’s terms. Consistently Christian education (and this means consistently throughout education) must be built up, line upon line, from a foundation of Scripture.

The tools of categorization, logical demonstration, and communication skills are to be used to identify systematically and put to proper use all things according to the interpretation given in the Word.

All human skills and educational abilities are to be subjected to the authoritative revelation of Scripture. These must have but one foundation. We cannot stand with one foot on the Bible and the other on human mystic tradition or we will be torn asunder. We must build foursquare on Scripture alone.

To build a thoroughly Christian educational system, we must begin with a thoroughly Christian definition of education. What does the Bible tell us about education? What is it? What is it for? As we have stated, nothing is self-defining or of absolute value except God, so how can education be thought of as having intrinsic value?

The value we usually give to education is the value imputed by man. Is that really valid? The intrinsic value of education is so taken for granted in our culture that our institutions of learning are intellectually considered to be common ground between the believer and the unbeliever.

Related Posts

• Greek vs Hebrew Methods
• Diligently Teach Them to Your Children
• Should Homeschoolers Teach Logic?

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