To Read or Not to Read (100 pp PDF/20 pp summary): “If, at the current pace, America continues to lose the habit of regular reading, the nation will suffer substantial economic, social, and civic setbacks” (Dana Gioia, Chairman, NEA).
One of the great things about going off to college is the combination of freedom and structure. Once you enter the “real world” you will never have that kind of opportunity again. Perhaps this is why some of my fellow alumni think that Covenant College has been losing sight of something so special, so important, that they are now raising their protest flags with fury (one even jokingly suggested an air strike). While I do not doubt the sincerity of those feelings — after all, I too came into my own so to speak during my college years — fondly looking back I wonder if I do not sometimes mis-root the value of my time at Covenant in the “college experience?” Sitting around the commons area and having late night intellectual debates about everything from literature to politics to theology is not unique to a single school. Freedom of expression finds ways of escaping at even the strictest of institutions. And who does not have a story or two (or several) to share about the shenanigans that went on during their dorm days? So what do I think makes Covenant College stand out above every other college in America?
The focus of Covenant College is found in its motto, based on Colossians 1:18 “In All Things…Christ Preeminent.” Acknowledging Christ preeminent as the creator of all things, as the redeemer of people fallen into sin, as the touchstone of all truth, and as the sovereign ruler over all areas of life, the college strives to discern and to unfold the implications of His preeminence in all things. To serve this end, we seek to appropriate the mind of Christ as the biblical perspective from which we characterize and respond to reality. In attempting to make such a biblically-grounded frame of reference explicit and operative, we are committed to excellence in academic inquiry, and we seek to define all areas of the college’s structure and program according to this understanding of our purpose. #
When Covenant College says that it is a Christ centered institution, it is not giving lip service to the title. As a ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America, everyone from the board of trustees down to the staff recognizes that Christ is the Head of the Body. It does not mean that everyone there is perfect, or that they always make the most prudent decisions (the current debate over the school newspaper yet to be determined). However, it does enable them to “acknowledge the fallen nature of [themselves] and of the rest of creation and to respond, in view of the renewal that begins with Christ’s redemption, by seeking to bring every thought and act into obedience to Him.” It is this committment to Jesus Christ and Him crucified in all things that is the heart of “the experience” at Covenant College. I did not fully understand what this meant back when I graduated, but given thirteen years and a lot of grace I think I am beginning to grasp the concept. Putting it into practice will more than probably take the rest of my life.
For the past couple years our oldest son has been attending a mother’s day out program twice a week at a sister church. Because of his October birthday, we decided that Fall 2007 would be the time for him to enter Kindergarten. Since the beginning of this year my wife and I have been discussing and debating the various educational choices. We talked to friends, family and people we respected in order to help us in our decision. It was even a topic on our family blog. Today our son started his first day of Kindergarten at the local public elementary school. As I sat down to write this post I realized that it was probably going to result in a debate over the merits of homeschooling, private Christian schooling and everything in between. That is exactly the topic that I want to address.
There is an excellent article written by Tim Challies called Education and Division. I do suggest that you check it out before continuing, but be forewarned because Tim rarely writes anything short (he would make an excellent preacher). The idea I want you to take away from the article is that too often I think that Christians engaged in the education debate are fighting the wrong battle. They are unwittingly being turned against each other. Most conversations that we had on the subject of school choice were non-threatening, but unfortunately sometimes we felt like we were being told that in order to be faithful parents we really had no ‘choice’ in the matter. When this personally happened to us it resulted in confusion, anxiety, hurt and even anger. The following from Tim’s blog post sums up my sentiments on it exactly.
. . . for my family and for countless others, the choice to put our children in public school is made on the basis of biblical conviction. We are not necessarily committed to having our children in public schools from now until the time they graduate. For the time being, though, and for the situation we are in, we are convinced that this is the best choice for our family and for our children. We are convinced that it is the biblical choice. Statements like this one, “we are not trying to do school like they do, but better,” are all too common and both sting and divide. Not only does it divide us into the two camps of “us” and “them,” but it also suggests that homeschooling [or Christian private schooling] is innately, objectively superior and that it is always the right choice for all families. We see this again in Kim’s statement that “We must use the Bible to judge between right and wrong, and we must act in clear conscience (Rom 14:5).” She (probably inadvertently) sets these two statements against each other, saying that there is objective right and wrong and that we must move forward with homeschooling with a clear conscience. Yet if this is a matter of conscience, it must be a matter which is not so clearly defined. So guard against the sense of superiority that can come creeping in.
One of the discussions that I have been having with a friend surrounds my role as an officer in the church. Oftentimes I see myself simply as Scott, who says things that are on his mind — things that are not immune from revision or retraction. However, that is not how others always see me when I am talking. Instead, they see Elder Scott, whose words carry weight (I am afraid far more than should be allowed). So my friend pointed out on the issue of education that I, as an officer, must be very careful not to communicate that we are making the righteous choice for our son’s education. I thought of this as I read Tim’s article; there are biblical arguments for all three educational options — public, private and homeschooling — each having their own merits and inherent dangers. I firmly believe this and that parents have a right and responsibility to make the decision on what is best for their child, family and circumstances.
As I was processing all of the conversations on education in my head, I eventually came to realize that making the righteous choice was exactly the trap we were falling into. Eventually, through many meetings with school officials, campus tours, thought and prayer we came to the decision to send our son to our community’s elementary school. Yet as parents we both found ourselves second guessing the decision and wondering if we were making the right choice. At the root of the questioning is the fear that we are going to make a mistake. We have been feeling the pressure that if we do not make the right choice, then someday we will be hearing “I told you so” or “it’s your fault” when something bad happens — be it an incident at the school or a shortcoming in our son’s achievement. The reality is that no environment this side of heaven is safe. If you do not believe me, then I have some friends who are teachers or were homeschooled that can tell you otherwise.
The irony of these self-realizations (and an example of how God’s Spirit often works in us) is that as soon as my wife and I got to the school last night for open house, I found myself reverting to feelings of superiority. As all of the parents stood around the room listening to the teacher, I was mentally checking everyone out and making snap judgments based on their appearances and mannerisms. “Oh, this is not going to be so bad. That couple over there looks just like us. That person looks pretty clean cut. The kids are behaved, too. Oh, but that mom has tattoos. So does dad. And that lady looks like a redneck. But there’s only a couple of them. That’s better than we could have hoped for.” As these thoughts came racing through my head, I was almost immediately convicted of how stupid and self-righteous I sounded. For all I knew, the guy in the golf shirt could be an abusive dad and the blue collar dude who looks like a young Sly Stallone could be father of the year. Even if my observations were right, what does it really matter? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that when I was in elementary school my mom and I were probably on the receiving end of that same sort of judging. Ironic indeed, as well as illustrative of my need to learn how to really love people. I pray that God would continue to expose my unbelief and grip me with the reality of his grace, teaching me what it means to be called his child.
My wife and I have two more children who will be coming through the Kindergarten ranks in 2009 and 2012. With each one we will go through the same decision making process, because both of them are unique people with distinct needs. Our family will also be in a different place (I mean that figuratively). As for our oldest, we have no concerns that he is not going to do well wherever we place him. He has an open personality, a passion for learning and parents who will be involved every step of the way. We have faith, too, that whatever choices we make are part of God’s perfect plan, whatever may come of it; but even then we must be careful to avoid thinking our choices have earned us merit, or that we have given our children a spiritual insurance policy. As parents we are charged with the responsibility of training our children in the ways of the Lord, but let us remember that ultimately it is all about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There is only One who can truly teach our kids and tune their hearts to be loving and obedient. In other words, the battle for who is Lord of their hearts is the same regardless of where we choose to train our children how to live in this world.
…changed my life?
Understanding the Times: The Religious Worldviews of Our Day and the Search for Truth, by David A. Noebel. I read this book in college as the basis for a class taught by of the toughest profs on campus. In true hedonistic fashion I signed up for two of his classes in the same semester! On top of that I got mono. While my other studies lagged, I put all my energy into soaking up this book (while resting in bed of course).
…I’ve read more than once?
The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien. In seventh grade my brother gave me a boxed set (including The Hobbit). I have read these three times and can hopefully read them to my sons in a few years.
…I would want with me on a deserted island?
The 1928 Book of Common Prayer. I know, you thought I was going to say The Bible. However, I recall having this while sequestered on jury duty for six weeks and I appreciated the liturgy and the rich prayers. A close second for this question was SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea, by John “Lofty” Wiseman.
…made me laugh?
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, by Bill Bryson. Ever since that February 1987 issue of National Geographic magazine I have had a yearning to hike the Appalachain Trail. Bryson’s account is immensely entertaining and informative.
…made me cry?
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. I am actually not the type to cry when reading a book (you should see me at the movies). However, I have a hard time keeping the eyes from misting up when reading to my kids about the love of a tree for a boy. Of course, a quick remedy for that is to flip the book over and look at the picture of Silverstein on the back.
…I wish had been written?
The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is not that this book was never “written,” but rather it was never “finished.” It was edited and published posthumously by Tolkien’s son Christopher, along with the help of Guy Gavriel Kay. I find it both rich and severely lacking, which is sad when you consider that Tolkien reportedly considered it to be his most important literary work.
…I wish had never been written?
When Bad Things Happen to Good People, by Harold Kushner. You cannot deny the suffering and anger that Kushner experienced when his son died of a degenerative disease. However, in coping with the loss Rabbi Kushner denies the sovereignty and omnipotence of God. Over four million copies sold.
…I am currently reading?
Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road, by Tim Keller. I have actually not started reading it yet, but tomorrow morning I will pick up a copy at our men’s breakfast. After a summer hiatus, we are picking up where our church’s discipleship program left off.
…I’ve been meaning to read?
Habits of the High-Tech Heart: Living Virtuously in the Information Age, by Quentin J. Schultze. My wife read this for one of the classes she took to maintain her teaching certification. I keep telling myself that I need to read it. So many books; so little time.
It was Willa who tagged me, so apparently I am supposed to do this to five other bloggers. My initial reaction was “Aw…,” but after posting I feel like the effort has been worth it. Below are the chosen (Note: I had to pick folks that might actually read this post, as I am not going to go off and bug people).
By way of Stephen Levy’s Newsweek article I discovered Jaron Lanier’s essay titled Digital Maoism: The Hazards of the New Online Collectivism. Below is a portion of Lanier’s opening salvo in which he says that certain aspects of Wikipedia are a symptom of a larger problem.
No, the problem is in the way the Wikipedia has come to be regarded and used; how it’s been elevated to such importance so quickly. And that is part of the larger pattern of the appeal of a new online collectivism that is nothing less than a resurgence of the idea that the collective is all-wise, that it is desirable to have influence concentrated in a bottleneck that can channel the collective with the most verity and force. This is different from representative democracy, or meritocracy. This idea has had dreadful consequences when thrust upon us from the extreme Right or the extreme Left in various historical periods. The fact that it’s now being re-introduced today by prominent technologists and futurists, people who in many cases I know and like, doesn’t make it any less dangerous.
It prints out to eleven pages of single spaced text. Read it in one sitting if you have the time, but expect to come back to it as you unpack and digest the author’s thesis. There are a lot of ideas presented in the essay, some of which could be topics on their own. One that struck me was what Lanier said about how cloned information leads to a loss of flavor. He talk about the “anonymous, faux-authoritative, anti-contextual brew of the Wikipedia” and contrasts it to personal web pages and journals which have a text authenticating voice and personality that Wikipedia lacks.
While not the point of the passage, I find myself chasing down a rabbit hole thinking about the level of originality in the blogosphere and to what extent I/we/others are regurgitating information rather than generating new ideas and perspectives? Is my blogging a flavor enhancer, or does it lack saltiness?
