By Janet Wahlquist
Classical Homeschooling is extremely popular. There are many intriguing resources and curriculum available. I love learning, and I love beautiful art. It is alluring to become initiated into the Greek and Roman world of thought. To what degree should we teach the Classics? Many parents who have chosen to homeschool are aware of the dangers of exposing their children to large doses of the world's godless, immoral system. Is Classical Education immersing them in worldliness, but just from another time in history?
Satan is the father of all lies, and he can weave attractive deception.
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (II Cor. 11:14,15)
Satan has temporary jurisdiction over the world system. He has had this authority during the Babylonian Empire, the Medes, the Persians, the Greeks, and the Roman Republic and Empire. "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." (Matt. 4:8) Satan could use this temptation because he really could deliver all the kingdoms of the world. God, through Daniel, predicts the downfall of all of these godless kingdoms. It is wise to learn from these and other empires, seeing their weaknesses and strengths. In some areas, they may reflect God's unchanging principles and be blessed. In other ways, they are entrenched in sin and blind to His higher call to righteousness. We must keep in mind their fallen state without God's revelation, The study of varoius periods in history can be constructive, but immersion into their culture and thought is the way to soak up Satan's lies and twisted kingdom mentality.
When we study the works of men from these historical times, we must be very careful. We do not send our children out to be schooled by non-Christian teachers bent on shaping their world view. The same rules apply for historical teachers. "There is none righteous, no, not one: As it is written There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:10-18) This is the state of everyone before the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Let us be extremely clear that non-Christian philosophers, poets, or teachers can never be our guides to spiritual truth. Their thinking will be fatally flawed. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The Bible alone is God's inspired word. Much falsehood, deception, and perversion are entangled in Classical literature and thought. The entire world system of that day was under Satan's jurisdiction. "If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand?" (Luke 11:18) There are only two kingdoms. Christ brought the kingdom of heaven to us and reveals it through the Word. Which kingdom does the philosophy or art-work belong to? How will it influence us? Are we sitting under the teaching of the Holy Spirit or that of a pagan philosopher?
Eph 2:1 ¶ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 ¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (II Tim. 3:16,17)
A huge concern with the Classics is the defiling that occurs from scenes graphically, or immodestly depicted, whether in literature or painting. Read and examine every resource before handing it over to children. An idea or picture may become etched in our child's mind for the rest of his life. The Bible often describes sin, but rarely in graphic detail, or with appeal to emotion. Always there is a sober sense of the reality and horror of sin, not glossing it over, or making it attractive. "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person." (Ps. 101:3,4) Some may say that our children get a dose of worldly sinfulness just going to Walmart. Setting something before our eyes to study it, or seeking to make friends with authors by reading their books is in a different class than sin confronting us at a public place. In the store example, we are not actively seeking sinful displays and we can choose to look away. We are confronted, and we fight the influence. When our choice is to read a poem or study a sculpture which is not pleasing to the Lord, we are treading on dangerous ground. Even when trying to be on guard with a pagan author or artist, one is often subtly influenced. An attitude of pride and overconfidence in our ability to not be tainted will surely not be blessed.
Can we read some of the "classics" to our children? There is real beauty caught in so many works of art and literature. God created man to reflect His glory. I believe that carefully chosen sections of historical works can add to our child's education, especially our older, mature young people. It is, however, best to err on the side of caution. Children can be impacted much easier than one might think. Resist the impulse to find more works like the one you enjoyed, by that same author, or works in the same style etc. This often leads to more and more compromise. Bringing a piece of poetry or treatise, for example, under the scrutiny of Biblical principles can be helpful. But when we must tease out a tiny amount of good from a defiling work, it is better avoided altogether. A few summary statements by the teacher should be sufficient to explain what it is about. No amount of "learning" is worth becoming mired in the filth and lies of the enemy.
"For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them." (II Peter 2:18-21)
How important is it to us to keep our children untainted by the world, taking every thought captive? These are commands in Scripture. They do present a difficult challenge. Indiscriminate inundation with worldly philosophy and culture is counter-productive. Are we helping the enemy introduce wrong thinking into our home? The Hebrew model and the Greek model present a great contrast.. Jesus spent 3 years with his disciples. He did not spend that time having them study Greek thought. The back-bone of our discipleship must be walking with Jesus, the Word of God, through the Word of God the Bible. One Classical proponent is quoted as saying, "Your children will be a little wiser and a little more human for having read it (the Iliad)."This may be true, and I don't disagree with the author on many points. But, let us not lose sight of our main goal in education: Christ-likeness.
Don't we become sanctified human beings by listening to Christ and His commands and taking up our cross and following Him? We may see a corrupt shadow of Christ and His principles in Greek or Roman mythology, or in a ritual from New Guinea. We can find glimmers of the gospel story in many cultures around the world. But why spend the bulk of our time studying non-Christian works? We get the unadulterated version, the very words of God in the Holy Scriptures which have power to transform our lives. Romans 3 talks of the Jews having a great advantage over the Gentiles (Greeks and Romans included) because they have the oracles of God, they have the precious Holy Scriptures. It is very easy to get out of balance and revere the Classic writers and philosophers too much. They did not have divine revelation; only the Jews had this heritage. Now we have this priceless treasure. Let it be the crowning center of all our study.
"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 3:14-20)
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17)
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11:6)
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. 4:12)
"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness." (II Peter 3:17)
"Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved." (Philipp. 4:1)
