ARE OUR OWN CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS REALLY NECESSARY?

Part III

Objection Number 2:

“The quality of education is higher in the public schools here.”

Across the United States and Canada, Protestant Christian Schools consistently score higher on standardized achievement testing than their public school counterparts. (This is heavily influenced by differences in: socio-economic status, parental concern, school-home cooperation, family life stability, etc.) Yet, let us examine this issue and suppose that the reverse was true: that in your area students scored somewhat lower in academic basic skills in your Christian school than elsewhere. Student academic progress, course offerings in the higher grades, teacher qualifications, school facilities, textbooks, and educational equipment are very important. All schools, including our own Christir.n schools, should strive for a high standard of education in these areas; as we are preparing our students for their life in society. However, when we speak of “quality education” there is something which ranks higher yet in importance than any of these items listed, and that is the Biblical basis of our courses, textbooks, and teachers. For we are not only preparing our students for their life in the world but also stressing their need to be prepared for the life to come.

If we should be forced to choose, either better “temporal educational quality” or better “Spiritual educational quality” when comparing schools and teachers, what should our choice be? Let us examine the Word of God and the thoughts of our forefathers,

a) Concerning teacher qualifications:

“And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” -Ephesians 4: 11-12

“A diligent and pious school teacher or master or whoever it is that faithfully trains and teaches boys can never be sufficiently rewarded... If I could leave the preaching office and other things, or had to do so, I would not be so glad to have any other work as that of Schoolmaster, or teacher of boys, for I know that it is most useful, the greatest, and the best, next to the work of preaching.”

-Martin Luther, Works 4:173-4

“Let the Church never lack men qualified to teach the young. See to it that there are academies where they may be taught, and teachers that rightly divide the Word of Truth.”

-Smytegelt: Heidelberg Catechism, Kersten 2:170

b) Concerning educational quality:

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.”

-Proverbs 4:7

“True and substantial wisdom principally consists of two parts, the knowledge of God, and knowledge of ourselves...”

-John Calvin: Institutes

“We should study what services will be most pleasing to God: and undoubtedly these are the very ones which He Himself renders to us, righteousness, fidelity, and mercy.”

-Zwingli; Zwingli and Bullinger - p. 108

“Unless you preserve letters, religion and good laws cannot endure; moreover, may God grant that you instruct your children for virtue and religion.”

-Melancthon: History of Religious

Educators - p. 146

“Any system of training which does not make a knowledge of Scripture the first thing is unsafe and unsound.”

-J.C. Ryle: “The Duties of Parents”;

-The Upper Room - p. 291

Are our own Christian schools really necessary?

Objection 3:

“I do not want my child to be so protected.

They have to meet the world sometime.”

We must prepare our children for life: both for temporal life and for spiritual life. We must take part in this world, and yet be separate from the world. The Lord Jesus taught this truth so clearly in His High-Priestly Prayer sying:

“I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.’’

-John 17:15

If our Christian schools tried to be monasteries or convents, and kept students from being prepared for life in this world, this objection would be somewhat valid. However, the opposite is the case: our Christian schools attempt to deal with all aspects of life. Students are not sheltered from dealing with world issues and concerns. Christian school students deal with the same subject content as public school students, except with this great difference: that in the one setting the issue is dealt with from a Biblical viewpoint, and in the other from a secular, humanistic viewpoint. In this sense, public school students are also sheltered: they are prevented from hearing true Biblical explanations. Paul Harvey, a well-known U.S. national news commentator, made this statement:

“Years ago it was argued that students maturing in a sheltered private school environment would be like hot-house plants, and be unprepared for the cold outside world. Now, more and more Americans are realizing that it is in fact the public or state school student who is over-protected. He is ‘sheltered’ from religious instruction and exposed to all forms of non-Christian philosophy and behaviour.”

As we strive to teach and protect our children from all sorts of physical danger: fire, traffic, poisons, dangerous practices, etc., not to stifle their growth, but that they might grow and function in our society; so let us strive to teach and protect our children from all sorts of spiritual danger. Young tomato plants in a greenhouse is not “overprotection”, but an attempt to provide an environment in which the plant may grow strong and later produce after its transplanting out of the greenhouse. Such is the prayerful attempt of our Christian schools.

Further, Christian school students are not so thoroughly “sheltered” from the world; especially our teen-agers. Each one is influenced plenty by our present day worldly customs, dress, ideals, etc. Sometimes this influence is to such an extend that an opposite argument against Christian education is heard: “I think the kids at the Christian school are not better than the public school kids: there’s no difference.” Sadly, this is true: by nature there is no difference between Christian school and public school students. We all carry the world in our heart. A Christian school does not have all truly Christian students: neither in principle nor in practice. Nor does it produce all Christian students. God is sovereign, and is not bound by our weak endeavors. Christian instruction may bring God’s Word to the ear but God alone can bring it in the heart. However, the same rule applies here as when examining a church; one cannot properly judge a church by some members of that church, for then judgement of a church will always vary; but a church must be judged by the truth taught there and by the practices which are stressed. Likewise, when judging schools, we must ask what truths and practices are taught and promoted there?

Are our own Christian schools really necessary? (to be continued)

LETHBRIDGE-FORT MACLEOD

Calvin Christian School of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations of Lethbridge and Fort Macleod invites applications from certified TEACHERS for the Elementary and Junior High School levels.

The school hopes to begin its second school year in Sept. 1980, the Lord willing.

Presently grades 1 to 7 are taught, and hopefully, Kindergarten and grade 8 can be added this coming school year.

For information contact the principal, Mr. A.H. Verhoef at telephone number 403—328-0495.

Applications should be sent to Mr. Adrian DeWilde, Sec’y, P.O. Box 142, Monarch, Alberta, Canada, T0L-1M0, Tel. No. 403—824-3698.

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