The theme of Sunday’s Celebration was ‘education’. As we think about education, perhaps our first thoughts should centre on how we define education.
A dictionary describes education as:
“The process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through study and training.”
Or:
“The process of teaching, especially at a school, college or university.”
And:
“The theory of teaching and learning.”
Within Churches Together, there are 14 schools. Whilst St Andrew’s is the only one recognised as a school supported by a Christian foundation, we need to encourage all our schools to “Let love and kindness be the motivation behind all that you do” (1 Corinthians 16:14). This is part of St Andrew’s vision statement, but it is equally applicable to all our schools.
Each one of us has our part to play in supporting our schools: as teachers, parents, members of the parent/teacher/friend association, governors, members of the local community and members of local churches.
But when we think about education, we also need to recognise that we continue learning throughout the whole of our lives.
Our learning is impacted in numerous ways. Initially, it is influenced by our family: parents, siblings and other members of our extended family. Then there are early childhood experiences, nursery, stay and play, visits to local parks and other local attractions.
Then comes our formal education, and we find our relationships with others widening even further. We encounter teachers and senior leaders, teaching assistants, advisors, special education teams, breakfast club staff, technical staff, school bus drivers, school administration staff, school catering staff and lunchtime supervisors. Equally, some parents choose to home-tutor their children.
Biblically, the education of children in the Old Testament was centred on the home and synagogue and was largely of a religious and ethical nature. In the New Testament, children were included in the community of the church, but the home was still the main sphere of their education.
Psalm 111:10 reminds us that the fear of the Lord is the basis for all education. In the book of Proverbs, we are also told:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” – Proverbs 1:7
We are equally reminded that we should ‘hear our father’s instruction and not reject our mother’s teaching, for they are a fair garland for our head and pendants for our neck’ – Proverbs 1:8-9.
Many of us will remember the importance of Christian education in our schools: a daily assembly at the start of the day, grace at mealtimes and prayer at the end of the day. This is, of course, no longer the case for a whole variety of reasons (or what some might describe as excuses).
However, as Christians, we have an important part to play in the education of children and young people. Some of this will be done through Life Dronfield and groups within our churches, and the uniformed organisations equally contribute to this work.
Reflect
I invite you to consider the role you can have in the education of our young people.
How does your church endeavour to reach the younger generation?
Education should emphasise that the world has a richness and coherence derived from God. Many of the psalmists reflected this. For example, Psalm 104 reminds us:
“LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendour and majesty. The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all.” – verses 1-3, 4, 5, and 24
Regardless of your age, we are all students. The only true teacher is God, from whom we must humbly learn.
Lifelong learning is a familiar concept today. Instead of completing their education at school, college or university, most people anticipate that they will be retrained to acquire new skills throughout life.
As Christians, we should be no different with regard to our faith.
We learn and grow throughout our lives.
Some traditions place a high value on knowing Bible stories or being able to reiterate fundamental doctrines. Of course, we recognise these are important, but Christian education should go deeper than that.
Knowing facts about God is far different from having a living faith.
Faith education should help us to develop our relationship with God and enable us to live in and interact with the world.
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law possessed a deal of correct information about God and were keen to put it into practice. However, correct religious observance was so often more important to them than an active spiritual perception.
We recognise that Paul, regardless of his initial opposition to Christian teaching and principles, later did so much to educate and encourage followers of the faith.
For example, when he was writing to Timothy, he reminded him that he must remain faithful to the things he had been taught:
“You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.” – 2 Timothy 3:15-17
Go Deeper
Take some time this week to reflect on your own journey of learning.
What is God teaching you at the moment?
Where might you need to remain teachable?
And perhaps consider the young people around you:
How can you encourage and support the next generation in their learning and their faith?
Pray
God of wisdom and learning, as a child your Son Jesus learned and debated in the Temple. As a grown man, he went on to teach the way for us to follow you, be liberated and made whole.
We thank you for the privilege of education, for being able to read and hear your Word, and through it to come to know you more.
We come before you now and ask you to give discernment to those who make decisions about education in our country; strength and patience to those who take on the difficult task of teaching; encouragement and perseverance to all those currently attending school, college, or further and higher education.
Forgive us for the times that we take our education for granted, especially when so many of our brothers and sisters around the world are denied even basic schooling.
Help us to do what we can to support the efforts to bring about education for all, and please be with those working around the world to make the vision of education for all into a reality.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, our teacher and our Lord.
Amen.
The above Midweek Musing was written by Muriel Stonehewer and shared with her permission – thank you Muriel!
