Clark's
Christian Philosophy of Education for Today
Introduction
First
written in 1946, Gordon Clark's A Christian Philosophy of Education
is still timely and relevant for today, some sixty years later.
His message was ahead of its time and only recently have Christians
started to realize some of the issues that were written about in
the book. Since the book cover many topics that could be the subject
of many papers, this paper will instead present a survey of some
of the anti-Christian threats today that has continued to undermine
the process of education since Clark's writing. As each of these
threats are mentioned, a summary of A Christian Philosophy of
Education will be given that demonstrate how a biblical worldview
provides the essential framework and remedy to redeem education
from being reduced to foolishness.
The
Foolishness of the World
A.
Relativism: Undermining the Purpose of Education
For
those unfamiliar with Clark's writing, it might appear that upon
an initial reading of Clark, he is dealing with many unrelated subjects
of philosophy from Chapter one through three. The discussion of
the importance of world view for this portion of the text is important
however, because it is upon one's worldview that an individual lives
by. It must be mentioned early on that there can be no such thing
as religious neutrality when it comes to Christianity and applying
the Christian worldview in all spheres of life is an imperative
for the true Christian. To be neutral, as Clark argues for in the
fourth chapter, is philosophically impossible and also against what
God says in the Bible about reality. God owns all of His creation
and is also the source of wisdom (Endnote 1). How
then can the educational process be neutral? To be neutral by saying
statements such as "God is irreverent" is to be hostile
towards the God of the Bible. In his argument, Clark was trying
to "show that a school system cannot operate as a neutral between
the liberal and the Christian position. A school system must have
some policy for delinquent children, or for those who begin to cause
trouble, and this policy cannot be both left and right" (Endnote
2). At many points a Christian philosophy clashes with the non-Christian
philosophy of education and the result of non-Christian educational
philosophy applied is not only foolish but harmful.
As
quoted from Clark in the above paragraph, Christian and non-Christian
approach to education has radically different policies towards dealing
with delinquents and the primary reason is due to the differences
in morality. "The public schools", as observed by Clark,
"teaches moral codes differ from place to place and change
in time" (Endnote 3). Much of the public acceptance
of relativism is also grounded in Darwinian evolutionary theory.
If the evolutionary worldview is "the case, our traditional
logic is but a passing evolutionary moment, our theories, dependent
on this logic, are temporary reactions, parochial social habits,
and Freudian rationalizations; and therefore the evolutionary theory,
produced by these biological urges, cannot be true" (Endnote
4). Relativism is heavily ingrained in the educational curriculum,
yet this is foolishness itself. For "if there is no truth,
the truth that truth changes is not true" (Endnote
5) At UCLA, this writer had the pleasure of trying to make a
relativistic Neo-Darwinian atheist who deny five minus two equals
three (yet he was majoring in Mathematics!) live out consistently
by borrowing five dollars and giving him back two, all debt fully
paid with a sum of zero. Once truth no longer exists then all the
other problems of education should not surprise anyone.
With
relativism popular in the educational process today, this undermines
the very purpose of education itself. Clark stated that "the
aim of education, at least the aim of the purest and best education,
is intellectual understanding" (Endnote 6).
How can there be understanding of truth and reality when there is
no truth nor reality? In contrast, Christianity allows the foundation
for education because it believes in truth. The chapter on Christian
philosophy of education is important since Clark was making the
case that Christianity is intellectualistic: "Christianity,
however, is intellectualistic, God is truth, and truth is immutable"
(Endnote 7). Intellectualism is about seeking truth
in which is the goal of education.
As
mentioned above, education is about seeking and thinking about truth.
Thinking by itself is not an education: teaching an illogical argument
might involve the thought process of a fool, but it should not be
deem as education. Moreover Clark also illustrated another way by
saying, "Chess is undoubtedly the best game ever invented,
but it is not a proper course in the curriculum because, although
it trains the mind and requires intense concentration, it is not
a thinking of truth" (Endnote 8). Thus, a
true educational process would involve teaching the pupil of how
to think the right way to arrive at truth.
Any
philosophy of education should also account for why humans need
to be educated or why there are mistakes and error in the thought
process. This would be important since education at times have to
do with correcting error, pointing out fallacies and refuting propositions.
The doctrines of Christianity provide a worldview that justifies
this aspect of education as well in accounting the source of error:
"But sin causes a failure in thinking, with the result that
we now make mistakes in simple addition. Such mistakes are pedantically
called the 'noetic' effects of sin" (Endnote 9).
B.
Intolerance in the Name of Tolerance
With
the foundation of truth discarded in a relativistic philosophy of
education, secularists have sought to substitute various purposes
for education. Tolerance is a popular theme for education in our
post-modern age but during the time of Clark's writing as well.
However, this 'tolerance' is a guise for intolerance. Clark documented
that "in 1953 UNESCO published certain booklets titled, Toward
World Understanding" (Endnote 10). Ironically,
to achieve their goal of world understanding, "they propose
the abolition of neighborhood schools, religious schools, and schools
whose pupils are of one sex" (Endnote 11).
This
intolerance is not just the conspiracy agenda of a global organization;
it is rampant all over the schools and universities: "The secular
schools, instead of granting academic freedom to Christians, use
their organized power to hinder and oppose Christianity" (Endnote
12). The antidote that Clark mentioned is similar of many Christian
students. It is not only Christian students but also the discrimination
of Christian professors: "The truth of the matter is that the
secularists, in spite of their advocacy of academic freedom, put
some of their faculty in crooked-jackets. The reason is that little
academic freedom is granted to Christian professors" (Endnote
13). Clark's solution for this intolerance is the formation
of private schools that are Christ centered from beginning to end:
""Private schools can avoid these government compulsions,
at least as long as a little American liberty remains" (Endnote
14). With the introduction to private schools, it is appropriate
to contrast Christian private school's academic standard with that
of the current public school system.
C.
In the Name of 'Social Justice': Lowering Academic Standards
In
today's educational climate, there has been much discussion linking
academic standards, students' performances and the need to solve
the problem politically. In Clark's book, he mentioned and argued
for the fact that academic standards are getting lower and lower
with the passing of time. SAT scores, what many today see as the
standardize way to test students performance, is in support of Clark's
observation. According to an Associated Press report, "Combined
math and reading SAT scores for the high school class of 2007 were
the lowest in eight years" (Endnote 15).
Sadly, academic standards themselves are being lowered by politicians
and educators, often under the guise of social justice and equality
in its various forms (Endnote 16).
Clark's
question back then as well as for now must be addressed by those
advocating the lowering of standards: "Why should public schools
give none-too-bright parents the impression their son graduated
from 'High School'?" (Endnote 17) The question
might appear to be unloving and mean to those who are more liberal
in their persuasion until one reads the question that follows after:
"Another question is, Why should tax money be spent to baby-sit
these boys for six, eight, or ten years?" (Endnote
18) Yet such advocate goes on to push their agenda. Even with
a Federal bill with a name like "No Child Left Behind",
the latest news reports that "lawmakers rewriting the No Child
Left Behind law wants to loosen testing rules for students with
limited English skills" (Endnote 19). Some
activists even go so far to protest school rankings and demand that
this cease (Endnote 20). Yet there is an absence
of press release when it comes to The Princeton Review ranking 2007's
top party schools (Endnote 21).
Contemporary
philosophy of education has gone so stupid that those in the education
industry now confuse mistakes with false humility. Flaws and imperfection
are now celebrated as 'humility' and counselors are even advising
their students to make typos in their college application: "If
there's a sign of the times in college admissions, it may be this:
Steven Roy Goodman, an independent college counselor, tells clients
to make a small mistake somewhere in their application - on purpose"
(Endnote 22). The news report goes on with the
following: "'Sometimes it's a typo,' he says. 'I don't want
my students to sound like robots. It's pretty easy to fall into
that trap of trying to do everything perfectly and there's no spark
left'" (Endnote 23). As a Christian student
who is struggling and working to improve one's grammar, this just
abhors this author. In contrast to this, a Christian academic standard
ought to be maintained as high as possible and not comprising. "So
long as the conservative right is not completely overwhelmed, perhaps
some private schools with decent academic standards will survive"
(Endnote 24).
D.
Disjointed Subjects: Philosophically Self-Defeating
The
problem of a good curriculum in Secular education is also problematic
and threatening towards the goal of education itself. Today, there
is disunity with the various subjects being taught. For one semester
in UCLA, this writer had a history class which argued that man's
thought is nothing more than the process of a machine called the
brain, suggesting along with it fatalism where man is hard-wired
in their behavior. Then in the afternoon, there was the political
theory class with a professor that specialized in Marxist psychoanalysis,
which ended the quarter by telling us to be free and not be controlled
as machines. One class believes in fatalism the other in total freewill
(except in history, where history is determined, according to the
Marxist). One subject in the same university undermines what was
taught in another subject. Not only is there disunity about the
subjects, but with the contradictions that arise, secular education
can be self-defeating. Since education involves one's worldview,
there is a need for a unified education: "Private Christian
schools can be more single-minded in achieving liberal arts goals
than present public school can be" (Endnote 25).
The unity and the rationality of the curriculum then, lies in a
worldview that rest upon a worldview with the proposition of Scripture
as its authority and axiom (Endnote 26). It is
also education according to a Christian worldview as A Christian
Philosophy of Education argues, that can save man from being
a puppet or a machine under the name education: "Instead of
turning a man into a machine, it aims to prevent him from becoming
one" (Endnote 27).
Conclusion
In
summary, A Christian Philosophy of Education is an important
warning to all Christians about the many problems in secular-driven
education: "In this age of apostasy and crime, it is imperative
to establish Christian education from kindergarten to university.
In this age of ignorance and anti-intellectualism, it is highly
desirable to establish schools that can maintain high standards"
(Endnote 28). This book and the arguments within
it, is important if the Church is going to have Christ as Lord in
all spheres of life including education. Indeed, it is this desire
that is evident in the life works of Dr. Clark from political philosophy,
philosophy of science, etc. Clark's last words in the preface to
the last updated edition of A Christian Philosophy of Education
before his death wished that "May God, partly through this
argument, save our young people from this present world" (Endnote
29).
By
Jimmy Li
Endnotes
- See
Job 38:36.
- Gordon
Clark, A Christian Philosophy of Education (Unicoi: The
Trinity Foundation, 2000), 49.
- Ibid,
89.
- Ibid,
94-5.
- Ibid,
90.
- Gordon
Clark, A Christian Philosophy of Education (Unicoi: The
Trinity Foundation, 2000), 95.
- Ibid,
97.
- Ibid,
95.
- Gordon
Clark, A Christian Philosophy of Education (Unicoi: The
Trinity Foundation, 2000), 93-4.
- Ibid,
126.
- Ibid.
- Ibid,
114.
- Ibid.
- Gordon
Clark, A Christian Philosophy of Education (Unicoi: The
Trinity Foundation, 2000), 113.
- Justin
Pope, "Report:
SAT Scores Dip Again," Associated Press, August 28th,
2007.
- If
one were to charge that this paper is supporting racial oppression
through education, be aware that the writer is an American with
Chinese-Laotian background.
- Gordon
Clark, A Christian Philosophy of Education (Unicoi: The Trinity
Foundation, 2000), 109.
- Ibid,
109.
- Nancy
Zuckerbrod, "Lawmakers
Work to Loosen testing Rules," Associated Press, Auguest
29th, 2007.
- Julia
Silverman, "Activists
Boycotts School Rankings," Associated Press, August 20th,
2007.
- "West
Virginia Has Best US University…For A Good Party: Study,"
Associated Press, August 21st, 2007.
- Justin
Pope, "Colleges
Seek 'Authencity' In Hopefuls," Associated Press, August
22nd, 2007.
- Ibid.
- Gordon
Clark, A Christian Philosophy of Education (Unicoi: The
Trinity Foundation, 2000), 113.
- Ibid,
113.
- Though
beyond the scope of this paper, see Gordon Clark's famous work:
Gordon Clark, A Christian View of Men and Things: An Introduction
to Philosophy (Unicoi: The Trinity Foundation, 1998)
- Gordon
Clark, A Christian Philosophy of Education (Unicoi: The Trinity
Foundation, 2000), 112.
- Ibid,
126.
- Ibid,
10.
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