Joy (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #8)
The final area for discussion is joy. Of the many valuable insights from Alexander Schmemann in his book For the Life of the World, one of the most pointed and significant discussions is on joy. Schmemann suggests that “from its very beginning Christianity has been the proclamation of joy, of the only possible joy on earth[…]Without the proclamation of this joy Christianity is incomprehensible. It … Continue reading Joy (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #8)
Monday Musings (June 12, 2017): The Choice of Things to Be Read
In “The Three Columns Revisited,”[1] Mortimer Adler goes into greater detail on the nature of leading seminars in order to help correct some misconceptions about his previous discussion on the three columns from his great work The Padeia Proposal. One of the more interesting discussions in this essay relates to the choice of reading for the seminar. Adler provides four guidelines. First, and what Adler … Continue reading Monday Musings (June 12, 2017): The Choice of Things to Be Read
Imagination (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #7)
The first three areas (“Formation vs. Information,” “The Value of History,” and “The Good, the True, and the Beautiful”) discussed foundational aspects of education and the approach of the educator. We must focus on formation in addition to information, we should utilize history and the old books to build up stock responses and help correct errors of our day, and we should point students to … Continue reading Imagination (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #7)
The True, the Good, and the Beautiful (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #6)
The phrase, the good, the true, and the beautiful, has become something of a motto in classical Christian education. The phrase, rightly understood, has much to commend itself and serves as a helpful reminder for Christian educators. Not only do we aim to teach students to see the good, the true, and the beautiful in the world, but desire for them to learn to create … Continue reading The True, the Good, and the Beautiful (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #6)
The Value of History (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #5)
One of the more dangerous lies we can believe in our day is that time inevitably leads to progress. This idea that our present day is smarter, wiser, and more advanced than previous cultures simply on the basis that we have come after them has been termed “chronological snobbery.” Lewis was once accused by a friend of chronological snobbery, and he obviously learned his lesson … Continue reading The Value of History (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #5)
Formation and Information (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #4)
The balance between traditional worldview approaches focused on knowledge and James K. A. Smith’s proposal of counter-liturgies is likely nowhere more significant than in a discussion of the purpose and telos of a classical Christian education. Do we, as classical Christian educators, put our emphasis on the information to be taught to the students or the formation wrought in the students? I would argue that … Continue reading Formation and Information (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #4)
Nexus Notes–June 2, 2017
Change The World For The Better “This is the way that liberal education prepares young people to meet the world: by presenting for their consideration the deepest human thinking about living well, and by giving them a training ground for putting their considered beliefs about living well into practice. Four years of this work allows them to hit the ground running when they land in … Continue reading Nexus Notes–June 2, 2017
Faithful Education in a Classical Christian School (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #3)
King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #1 King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #2 As a professor of Christian worldview at a classical Christian high school, it would seem obvious that I integrate faith with learning and teach from a Christian worldview. However, this is where speaking of faithful education is more accurate and more helpful than the integration of faith and learning. The integration … Continue reading Faithful Education in a Classical Christian School (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #3)
New Eyes and New Heart (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #2)
In my previous post I considered how many Christian institutions have begun to speak of an integration of faith and learning, and agreed with Mark Noll that “evangelicals should be among the most active, most serious, and most open-minded advocates of general human learning.”[1] Speaking of a faithful education, although not saying less than the integration of faith and learning, does suggest more. If “all … Continue reading New Eyes and New Heart (King, Kingdom, and Kingdom People Series #2)
Material Logic: Grammar in the Generic Sense
By Dan Snyder Can you help me with my grammar? I’ve been asked this question by concerned students who notice themselves lacking in the ability to properly connect their thoughts in thesis class. Thesis, a class that is mostly about connecting thoughts and then connecting with an audience, is a pinnacle study for seniors at the Classical School of Wichita. The idea that someone would … Continue reading Material Logic: Grammar in the Generic Sense
Solitude: Marriage
Becoming and remaining an effective classical Christian educator requires that we also live well outside of school. For many of us, that means being a good spouse. In a previous post (Solitary Community), I considered the benefits of solitude. In this post I want to answer the question: How can solitude aid and strengthen my marriage? I do not know about you, but I already … Continue reading Solitude: Marriage
An Encomium for the Classical School of Wichita Class of 2017
By Josh Dyson Note: This encomium was given at the CSW 9th-12th Grade Spring Dance in April 2017. “They” refers to the graduating class of 2017. They are hard to tell what to do. They have their own plans and have a way that they intend to do things. They are a difficult group to control. At the Annual Banquet last night, one of our … Continue reading An Encomium for the Classical School of Wichita Class of 2017
The Classical Thistle 