Out of the Silent Church – 2013 Education and the Poor

Why Education is Important "False ideas are the greatest obstacles to the reception of the gospel. We may preach with all the fervour of a reformer and yet succeed only in winning a straggler here and there, if we permit the whole collective thought of the nation or of the world to be controlled by ideas which, by the resistless force of logic, prevent Christianity from being regarded as anything more than a harmless delusion. Under such circumstances, what God desires us to do is to destroy the obstacle at its root." J. Gresham Machen [Christianity and Liberalism]

Why Should we Care? The myth of secular neutrality The attacks on Christianity and Christians

Biblical Education The Bible remained key to education because it is a library – a unique collection of books selected with extreme care. The sixty-six books of the traditional Bible were written by at least forty authors, over 1600 years, in three different languages, yet they tell one story. This metanarrative begins with creation and ends with re-creation. An amazing feature of this library is that its books give an expanding, progressive, yet coherent view of life and the world. It presents a consistent yet unfolding worldview that explains reality and the human situation. It gives purpose to an absurd-looking life, meaning to the human quest for morals, and hope in the face of awful evil. It inspires faith in God, in a universe that seems to be governed by random chance, if not capricious fate or fortune. Monks did not study or teach because they were looking for jobs. They studied because the Bible asked them to seek the knowledge of truth” Mangalwadi – The Book that Made your World p.211.

A vision for Education “In the absence of a coherent worldview, secular education is fragmenting knowledge. Unrelated bit of information give no basis to grasp a vision like Comenius’s to change the world through education. The secular university knows no Messiah that promises a kingdom to the poor, the weak, the sick and the sorrowing destitute”. Mangalwadi - P.215

Thomas Guthrie – Plea for Ragged Schools The City, its Sins and Sorrows Moderator of the Free Church Minister of St Johns in Edinburgh

Guthries Principles of Education 1) Education is essential to save from ignorance, squalor, disease, idleness and poverty. 2) Education should be for all – regardless of wealth.

Guthries Principles of Education 3)Education should be based on Christian principles. 4) Teaching is an honoured profession 5) There will be secular opposition

Guthries Principles of Education 6) Christian Education deserves State support 7) Without Christianity you will destroy Education - “I hold it to be the greatest delusion that ever entered the brain of man, to attack the management of a school, and utterly shut our religion. How are you going to teach morality?”

Wisdom from Augustine Here also is security for the welfare and renown of a commonwealth; for no state is perfectly established and preserved otherwise than on the foundation and by the bond of faith and of firm concord, when the highest and truest common good, namely, God, is loved by all, and men love each other in Him without dissimulation, because they love one another for His sake from whom they cannot disguise the real character of their love".

Truth or Myth? Freedom or Slavery? ‘Britain gave universities to India to set us free. The West is now giving its youths myths that can only enslave them. This is ironic because it was the West’s quest for truth that birthed science.” Mangalwadi p.219.

What Shall we do? 1) Educate our own Children 2) Be Involved in Schools. 3) Resist Militant Secularism

What should we do? 4) Establish Christian Schools for the poor. 5) After School Clubs 6) The Thomas Guthrie Foundation 7) Pray

What does Jesus say? Matthew 23: 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Mark 10: 13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.