“As the country polarizes, so do the nation’s schools.”
So writes CT’s online managing editor, Andrea Palpant Dilley, in a recent article.
“Although the public-private education debate has gained fresh momentum in the post-pandemic era,” she goes on to say, “educators across the spectrum (including homeschoolers) still face an old challenge: how to define success.”
In other words: for Christian families, what is the point of education? Is it getting our children up for a high earning potential and social mobility? If our answer is yes, Dilley observes, we’re forgetting some key components of what it means to live a holistic Christian life.
“Do we want them to do well? Of course. Success and stewardship aren’t mutually exclusive. But one serves the other, so our worldly goals for our children have to be continually subjugated to higher purposes.”
As we encourage our children to work hard in school and study as unto the Lord, may we remember that the goal of education is formation. And may our ultimate prayer be that our children be further formed into the image of Christ.
