The Classical Scholar

As with any renaissance, the new generation tinkers with the old ideas, and in the case of classical Christian home schooling, the new generation is adjusting for contemporary needs. In fact, the renewal movement is still so young that some of the authors advocating the classical model are issuing revised editions as they tweak the model in response to reader suggestions. In our family’s own extensive tinkering, we have settled on seven fundamental characteristics of classical Christian homeschooling. We believe each element is consistent with the historical model. Here is our list of essentials:

1. Scripture is at the center of all learning and illuminates meaning.
2. Both Dad and Mom are active participants.
3. The integrated study of classical literature and western world history leads to understanding of culture and values.
4. Critical thinking skills are built through Socratic Dialogue and subjects like latin, logic, debate, math, and science.
5. Written and oral rhetoric teaches effective organizational and communication skills.
6. Rigorous content and flexible schedules prepare for undergraduate studies.
7. Leadership skills are developed by regular practice through service to community and family.

I’ll examine each of the essential elements like the centrality of Scripture in future posts. When you combine all the elements over time, you’ll soon discover that you are living in a time of extreme importance…you might even catch your breath sometimes when it dawns on you that you are raising your own classical Christian scholars who are being equipped spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally to lead their generation all because your family decided to join the renewal movement and embrace a classical Christian home education!

The contemporary classical Christian home schooling model was born in antiquity. Nearly 3500 years ago, Yahweh (The Great “I Am” of Exodus 3:14) chose a special people, Israel, and commanded the fathers to teach their children His Law in both morning and evening, whether they were at home or away. Torah was their primary text of study. As they memorized, recited, narrated, and discussed His Word, they interpreted meaning and applied His Word to their lives. Memorization, recitation, narration, discussion, interpretation, and application (tools of the modern classical Christian home education model) originated in ancient Mesopotamia.

Soon thereafter, the Greek and Roman civilizations arose, and like their predecessors, the Hebrews, they too searched for meaning and purpose in life. They wrote epics, philosophies, histories, and legislation that still impacts us today. The Greeks borrowed the Hebrew method of inductive reasoning (observe, interpret, and apply) which Plato immortalized in the dialogues of the philosopher Socrates. The Romans read the Greek classics and organized education into 7 Liberal Arts.

After the resurrection of Jesus and the birth of His Church, medieval Europeans rediscovered these Hebrew, Greek, and Latin classics and began studying them in depth. They organized their education into two phases: the trivium and the quadrivium. Christian texts were added to the ancient classics as the search for meaning and purpose continued. The 7 Liberal Arts were studied, and around 1300 A.D. three advanced areas of study were added: theology, law, and medicine. It was this “new and improved” classical Christian education paradigm that was carried by colonists across a vast ocean to a young nation, and it is on the shoulders of these past giants that we now gratefully stand.