Some seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge. That is curiosity. Some seek knowledge to be known by others. That is vanity.
Some seek knowledge to serve. That is love.
Bernard of Clairvaux
The end of all education is love, it is the attainment of blessedness, conformity to the perfect Form. This is the end of education because it is the end of man; as Augustine suggests, to love the thing which must be enjoyed (God) and the thing which together with us can enjoy that thing (our neighbor). The Christian knows this process as progressive sanctification unto glorification, the perfect Form being Jesus Christ. God incarnate died so that man might live and conform to His image. All education must acknowledge man’s role as an image-bearer pursuing conformity to the True Image. If the teacher does not teach to this end or the learner does not learn to this end, they have merely accomplished an exercise in curiosity or vanity. Today it may not be common to understand education in these terms, but it was the language of the church for nearly two millennia. To bring clarity to the idea that education is inherently a part of conforming to the likeness of the ideal image, one must develop an understanding of education, transition from understanding to practice, and renew one’s view of the educational ministry of the church as a means in God’s mission to reconcile all things to Himself.
This website is intended to be an informational resource on classical Christian education for parents and teachers. It will be updated and expanded as time permits, so take a look at the tabs above and periodically check back in.
The Classical Christian Tradition 