I’m an unashamed and relentless champion for Christian education, especially celebrating the distinctions and benefits of Lutheran education. I also praise God at work in various approaches to education, to some extent, even different philosophies and theories of education. How can I do that and not drown in a sea of subjectivity? It comes down to regular exercise, doing my laps in the following three pools of knowledge, which better prepares me for the open seas of the fourth.
1. Theology before Philosophy - The foundation of faithful Christian education is not a philosophy but rather a theology. Skip this step, and you might as well give up on the entire process. It is easy to get pulled under by the call to adhere to a ready-made model or philosophy, even if just because it is the status quo or those you respect are passionate advocates for it. Still, getting your laps in the following two pools is vital.
2. Scripture as the Norm and Source of Doctrine and the Foundation for Theology - Revelation precedes reason (and philosophy). “All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If we disagree on this point, then I will probably lose interest. I look for prescriptions in the Scriptures first. Next, I look for examples and descriptions. The Holy Spirit prepares us for what comes next through regular laps in the Word. God works with our level of understanding as we meet Him in the Scriptures, although wise counsel is invaluable. As one author explains it, the Scriptures are “a pool in which a child can wade and an elephant can swim.”
3. Lessons from the Public Confession of the Church & the Past - I look for lessons and insights from those people and texts of the past that agree with #1 & #2. This part begins with the public confession of the church, continues with seeking wisdom from church fathers, and follows with other thoughtful Christian scholars. This also includes an exercise in humility, sitting at the feet of and learning from the many learned and brilliant people who preceded me, but doing so with a Berean mindset (Acts 17:11) and not abdicating the responsibility to think deeply. It is not just about knowing the doctrine and theology, but cultivating the mind that comes from swimming regular laps in this pool.
4. Praxis and Evaluation - At this point, I can explore and evaluate theories, philosophies, practices, and possibilities based on the first three. Jumping into this fourth without regular laps swimming in the others can lead to unintentionally misaligning praxis with the Truth of God’s Word, becoming a trend-based or tribe-driven advocate of a given approach to education, or simply not cultivating the capacity to discern and decide upon faithful and fruitful approaches to education. Even with the first three, we will make mistakes. I’ve been caught in the currents many times, but the more I get in my regular laps with one through three, the more likely I can find my way out of such troubled waters.