Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Approximately 80 million American children from pre-school to college will return to school from August through September. Educators emphasize the importance of competence, comprehension and critical thinking. But God has entrusted the guardianship of children to their parents. In spite of all of the good intentions, one thing missing from consideration in choosing between public, private, or home schooling is what fundamentally education is, which is soul formation. Mathematics is the science of numbers and music is the art of rhythm, melody and harmony, both of which inform the soul. Parents must evaluate whether their selected educational institution informs their child’s soul, moving the soul closer to God, or damages the soul, breeding skepticism, disinterest, disrespect and disregard for others. As a community supporting the soul formation of our children, God has commanded we are to be:
1. A Learning Community. The father is critical to his children’s learning, as he is not only to be the priest of the home, but a teaching priest to teach the faith. By his instruction, children are able to assimilate and integrate formal subjects within the faith tradition seamlessly. Fathers can also instill the value of learning by demonstrating it, holding their children accountable to their expectations.
2. A Loving Community. Parents create the home environment that fosters a love for learning. That foundation joins with like-minded families to form a loving community that promotes Godly morality and ethics, compassion, generosity and support.
3. A Loyal Community. By being loyal to God and His precepts, communities can mitigate, cope with or eliminate the disruptive ills plaguing today’s secular schools, including learning disabilities, poor performance, behavioral problems, depression, rebellion and despair.
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