Progressive vs. Classical Education

Martin Cothran has a great article on the difference between progressive education and classical education. There are many traits of classical education that I believe are Christian and should be Christian.

I used Mr. Cothran's Logic text last year to teach Logic. I also used several articles of his on logic. I found them to be very helpful. Click on the link below to read his article on the difference between progressive education and classical education. Enjoy!

http://www.memoriapress.com/articles/progressive-vs-classical-education.html

Pelagianism is alive and well!

Dr. Michael Scott Horton writes that the salvation of Pelagianism is rooted in paganism by way of promoting the concept that human beings have it within themselves to save themselves.

Failure to believe that salvation is from God leaves no other choice but salvation from man. From where I sit, many "Christian" ministries and churches are sowing seeds of Pelagianism.
Pelagius, the father of Pelagianism, set out with firm moral convictions as he was confronted with the decadence of Rome. He wanted Rome to change so badly that he moved away from the idea of original sin because it was not a good aid to mass conversion.

As Dr. Horton writes, "So Pelagius countered by rejecting original sin. According to Pelagius, Adam was merely a bad example, not the father of our sinful condition-we are sinners because we sin-rather than vice versa. Consequently, of course, the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, was a good example. Salvation is a matter chiefly of following Christ instead of Adam, rather than being transferred from the condemnation and corruption of Adam's race and placed "in Christ," clothed in his righteousness and made alive by his gracious gift. What men and women need is moral direction, not a new birth; therefore, Pelagius saw salvation in purely naturalistic terms-the progress of human nature from sinful behavior to holy behavior, by following the example of Christ."

Sound familiar? Our greatest need is found in our Bibles: Jesus Christ! Rejoice if you have been claimed by Him. If you have not, ask Jesus to show you that He is indeed real. How your life will change!

If you desire to read Dr. Horton's article in its entirety please click on the link below.

http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=448&var3=main&var4=Home

A Father's Impact

Please read this interesting study regarding the impact of fathers on their children's education.

"A father's interest and involvement in his child's life at school, when added to that of the mother, packs a powerful one-two punch in that child's favor, concludes a new study by Brent McBride, a University of Illinois professor of human development and family studies."

You can read the entire study by clicking on the link below.

http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/news/stories/news2999.html

Are You Ready to Change the World?

Are you listening to what is taking place in culture today? Are you seeing any substantial positive change taking place?

Please do not be lulled into believing that electing any of the current crop of candidates from either party will change things. What are their proposed changes? Most believe that if they are elected they will possess the right language and the right compassion to be understood by other countries of the world in such a way that we will all finally be one. We will never be all one unless, of course, one dominates all others. Our goals are not to be selfish; instead, they are to be selfless.

Universal health care, amnesty, taxes, socialism: none of it matters if there is still a growing moral vacuum in our country. Fellow Christians we know the Truth of the gospel, and it is the key to changing our country and the world. Dr. Hunter, in his article, suggests that the contours of the world are not changed by cosmic chance or vast majorities of people, but, instead by individuals and their networks. These individuals and their networks move to the centers of culture and refuse to be moved to any periphery. Read his fascinating article at http://www.ttf.org/index/journal/detail/to-change-the-world/ to see what I mean. You will find this on the Trinity Forum website.

Now, think of how a Christian school fits inside his concepts and proposals. Are you ready to change the world?

Fall Break at Rosemary Beach

My family and I spent a week at Rosemary Beach for our Fall Break. It was a week to live life with no constraints of time or labor. We slept late, ate too much, and let the sunsets dictate our evenings. It was a great week, and a reminder to me how easy it is to worship other things than the Lord Jesus.

As I read in the book of Job this week, I realized how easy it is to live a life of idolatry inside the Christian faith. Each setback Job encountered, he refused to discredit his God and refused to hop on the idols of excuses offered by his friends and companions. Job exercised trust and patience in God in the face of great personal affliction, yet I, too often, tend to default to the faith of an idol worshipper, and I fear that I am just like you. When times get tough I am on my knees praying and reading as if my Lord is some idol that I go to in times of need. Yet, when my Lord provides time for Him and for family, I struggle to begin and end my days with Him. In reality I am treating Him just like I used to treat my past idols: only going to Him when I am in dire need or when I am a little down and in need of a pick-me-up.

Tomorrow is Sunday, and I am looking forward to worship! I pray that you too will worship at a Christ-centered church that preaches the truth of the gospel.

The Red Sox and Me!

I was born and raised in Massachusetts. My parents fed me and loved me and...raised me as a die hard Red Sox fan. In my neck of the woods, being a Sox fan was like breathing: everyone did it and could not live without doing it. For many years, the Sox got close but always, and I mean always, left us broken hearted. But, I still loved the Sox.

I was in Fenway when Tony C. belted his last home run. I was in Fenway for the game before Yaz got his 3,000 hit. I saw the Bird from Detroit as a rookie pitch against the Sox. I saw Vida Blue shut out my beloved Red Sox. And, for me, Fenway Park will always be one of my favorite places in the world.

It is now playoff time! I will sit down in front of the TV and watch the Sox again. Yes, I will watch Manny being Manny, but I will watch the game being played in old Fenway and remember my times there, and how great it was when baseball players understood that the game they played was only a game, and nothing more. The game seems different to me; maybe it is me getting older and more cynical. Then again, maybe, it is due to the fact that we now pay these athletes more than teachers and doctors to play a kid's game. Maybe they have become confused about their importance, and maybe we have contributed to that confusion because I will again sit and watch.

I made a vow when the strike occurred - to never again pay for MLB baseball tickets, and, so far, I have managed to honor that vow. Do I honor that vow for principle, because I am too cheap to pay the ransom, or do I honor it because paying for the game no longer fits into my Christian worldview? I wish I could say the latter, but I can not. I can say that I no longer worship the Sox because my worship is reserved for my Savior. No, it is not perfect, but it is mine and I give it to Him. I will watch the Sox, but hopefully, I will go to bed on time and honor my Savior.

I now refuse to allow the Sox to affect my mood or my production for the next day, after all, we won it all in 2004, and, as I figure it, that is good for at least another 75 years!

The Educational Decision

Harry Blamires, in his book, The Christian Mind, writes that "to think secularly is to think within a frame of reference bounded by the limits of our life on earth: it is to keep one's calculations rooted in this -worldly criteria. To think [C]hristianly is to accept all things within the mind as related, directly or indirectly, to man's eternal destiny as the redeemed and chosen child of God."
Thinking and education go together, or at least they should. As Christians we must ask ourselves some hard questions when contemplating the education of our children. Does the educational institution I am considering reflect my deepest beliefs? Do those who will admonish my children share my deepest beliefs? Will this educational process prepare my child to function and think in a Christian manner or a secular manner?
These are hard questions, but these question and others must be considered inside of prayer in regards to the education of our children. Ultimately, the decision regarding the education of your children is between you and God, but it will be one of the most important decisions you will ever make as a parent.