In his Confessions Augustine recounts his early education, an education which many of us would be proud to impart to our own children. From a young age he was steeped in the Greek tragedies, Roman histories, and classical languages of Greek and Latin. Yet as he reflects upon these matters he expresses deep sorrow over how his heart was led astray by his own carnal lusts … Continue reading What Scares Me About Classical Education
I was sitting one day in a McDonald’s while my children were attending AWANA at our church. As a people watcher, I am perhaps more sensitive than some to social cues that individuals give off, but certain postures seem unmistakable. I purchased my $1 fountain drink, filled it with Diet Coke, and assumed one such posture—I buried my face in a book with a pen … Continue reading “How Do You Read A Book…?”
My dad always had a scoresheet that he would fill out for me when he watched my basketball games. Often before games, he would ask me what my goals for the game would be, and when I would become unrealistic in my goal setting, he would gently remind me of the type of player I was and how I can be the most valuable to … Continue reading What Makes a Good Day at School?
I decided recently that I needed some fresh air, the kind you breathe in right off the leaves of the trees while ambling through the forest. As I wandered aimlessly along the path, I came at length to a clearing where I could see the brilliance of the deep blue, cloudless sky. I noticed to my left an old, yet apparently stable, wooden lookout erected … Continue reading Etched in Wood (Mundane Meditations)
This past week I had the opportunity to attend the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in Providence, Rhode Island. The final paper I attended was not only one of the best of the conference, but also led to some further reflection that I think is helpful for our endeavors in classical Christian education. The presentation was given by John Dickson and it was … Continue reading Monday Musings (November 20, 2017): New Testament “Creeds” and Classical Christian Education
By Steve Turley, Tall Oaks Classical School and Eastern University I’m sure by now you’re all familiar with the fall of one of Hollywood’s most powerful players, the film producer and co-founder of Miramax Harvey Weinstein, over mass accusations of sexual assault and misconduct. Both The New York Times and The New Yorker reported originally on the testimonies of over a dozen women who had … Continue reading Classical Education and Hollywood’s Collapse
Top 10 Reasons for Studying Latin Why not study something practical and useful? Like Spanish, for instance. While we agree the study of Spanish is a very good thing, what I propose to show you here is that there is no subject more useful, more practical, and more valuable than Latin. Podcast – Why Memorize the Bible BaseCampLive interviews Karen Moore about why memorizing Scripture is important, … Continue reading Nexus Notes–November 10, 2017
“What is needed today is a better understanding of the person not just as an individual but as someone who finds his or her true being in communion with God and with others” ~James Torrance, Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace, 38 Torrance’s quote is one I reflect upon often. As a strong advocate for the local church and God’s design for Christian community, … Continue reading Monday Musings (November 6, 2017): Is Education about the Individual?
The Bible Project This website is a treasure trove of helpful resources for any Bible class. With beautifully created overview videos of each book of the Bible, the Bible Project is helpful and engaging. These videos are accompanied with helpful printed resources for deeper study and understanding. Check this video out on an overview of Genesis 1-11. Against Efficiency: Work Is Not The Point Of … Continue reading Nexus Notes–November 3, 2017
“Education is our path to true humanity and wisdom”[1] ~Stratford Caldecott, Beauty for Truth’s Sake, 11 One of the more difficult challenges with classical Christian education is clarifying our end goal. I wrote on this recently in my post “Is Repairing the Ruins our Goal?”, and I suggested that we have the two-fold goal of excellent education and Christian discipleship. In Beauty for Truth’s Sake, … Continue reading Monday Musings (October 30, 2017): Education, the Path to True Humanity?
A satire written in the vein of Anthony Esolen’s 10 Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child or perhaps C. S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters. Recently, in clearing the books out of our school library, I came across a book by Plato called The Republic. I was about to throw the book away with the others, when I noticed a tab at the beginning of … Continue reading The Cave as the Model of Education: A Satire (The Regime #2)
I recently participated in a conference at fbcBranson entitled “Christianity and the Death of the Old Testament.” You can check out the excellent presentations here. As part of this conference, I was giving a presentation on how the Old Testament is dying. I relied heavily on the work of Brent Strawn in his book, The Old Testament is Dying, in which he argues that the … Continue reading Monday Musings (October 23, 2017): Education, the Church, and the Old Testament
The Classical Thistle 