EDUCATION is always education irrespective of different circumstances. There is something so basic, natural and universal in it that makes it an important concern for everyone.
Education is bringing people to their optimum development. The word itself comes from the Latin “educere,” which means to lead, draw out, bring out or elicit. Education tries to draw out the full potentials of individuals and peoples.
Obviously, its different aspects and foci, and the various approaches, styles, animating ideologies that accompany it open it to several valid qualifications. Thus, you have basic education, technical education, higher education, etc.
You also have American or Japanese education, classical or medieval education, formal and informal education, and so on and so forth.
There’s one kind of education that I would like us to be more aware of. Though it’s been around already for quite some time, I feel it needs to be understood and pursued better.
This is none other than Christian education. Simply put, it is a kind of education animated by Christian faith, grounded on Christian doctrine and developed along Christian ways, marked always by charity, love for truth, freedom, sensitivity to justice, etc.
As such, it is open and respects all the different legitimate forms and manners of education. It does not identify itself exclusively with a specific form. It can blend with any, but goes further.
What is specific to it is its inspiring character that acts like yeast to any dough of a naturally valid educational program or system. That is its default home page.
As such, it can bring any educational plan to its completeness, guiding it with its light, indicating what is right and wrong along the way, both affirming and correcting things, depending on the situation, etc.
We cannot deny the fact that educational systems can just be based on a confined and reduced understanding of what comprises authentic human development.
Some may be based simply on the notion that man is just a material being living only in time and space, and nothing beyond. There’s nothing spiritual or supernatural about him. He is just pure biology, or economics or sociology, for example.
Christian education seeks to show us the fullness of our humanity, and how to get there, without ever ignoring the material and temporal aspects of our life here on earth.
Based on a Christian understanding of man, it brings us to the world of Christian beliefs and faith that goes beyond our sciences, arts and philosophies.
It highlights the spiritual and supernatural dimension of our life, and spends its energy figuring out how these dimensions can be fully developed.
It’s interested in all facts, data and any scientific information we discover, but it goes beyond them. Thus, it strengthens one’s character and spiritual life, one’s faith and virtues. This is its immediate and constant concern.
Christian education covers the whole range of education. It’s not just an adjunct. It tries to be the soul of education itself.
It’s good to be clear about the fact that Christian education does not belittle or undervalue worldly knowledge. It does not hinder the latter’s development. It’s open to it, and makes use of it. But it refuses to stop there and to be dominated by it.
Christian education pushes the arts and sciences to go to the limits, and elevates them by referring them to the common good and leading them to the spiritual and supernatural end of man.
It helps to clarify what is truly natural and human in these sciences. This matter just cannot be a result of human sciences. God and faith have to come in. Christian education can therefore purify the sciences.
It would be good if centers of Christian education be keenly aware of the true nature and purpose of Christian education. They should not get distracted or lost in the world of merely temporal data and info, pursuing only worldly goals.
They have to continually update and refine their guiding criteria, standards and means to impart authentic Christian education. They should have clear focus, and know how to convert principles into praxis.
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