PHILOSOPHY OF CLASSICAL EDUCATION

What is classical Lutheran education?

 

In simplest terms, classical Lutheran education can be defined as the classical liberal arts with Lutheran catechesis. Dr. Gene Edward Veith (Lutheran author, professor, and board member of the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education) has suggested, "The liberal arts can equip a child for effective service in the world; catechesis can equip a child for everlasting life.” The liberal arts cultivate the student’s mind and character with academic rigor, tools for learning, and formative content. Lutheran catechesis instructs and nurtures matters of the soul through the Holy Scriptures, the Lutheran confessions, and the liturgy and hymnody of the Church. With the seven liberal arts and the Six Chief Parts of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, classical Lutheran education prepares servant-leaders for the Church and the world.
 

Elements of Classical Lutheran Education

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The Seven Liberal Arts

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In the Greco-Roman era, citizens were instructed in the seven liberal arts, which focus on the development of language and knowledge of culture. Their schooling was designed to prepare them for future civic duties and positions in local government. Some of history’s greatest thinkers, such as Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle, are products of this society.

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This model of education proved enduring and was used by Luther and other protestant reformers when they established the first “public” schools to educate the populace. Generations of the greatest thinkers in Western civilization have been educated within a classical model.

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Historically, the seven liberal arts are organized as follows:

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Trivium – the arts of language (organized in stages, these disciplines build in complexity and inform the learning process)

1. Grammar – the basics of language, including vocabulary, rules, and syntax.

2. Logic – analytical thought, discernment of truth, and construction of sound arguments.

3. Rhetoric – writing and thinking with eloquence and persuasion.

 

Quadrivium – the arts of numbers (these specialized disciplines help students perceive order and patterns)

1.  Arithmetic – the theory of numbers (math facts)

2. Music – an application of the theory of numbers

3.  Geometry – the theory of space

4. Astronomy – application of the theory of space

 

These seven liberal arts do not represent every subject taught at FLS, but the systematic methodology of the trivium is incorporated throughout our curriculum.

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Lutheran Catechesis

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The tenets of the Lutheran faith are taught as presented in Luther’s Small Catechism: The Ten Commandments, The Apostles’ Creed, The Lord’s Prayer, The Sacrament of Holy Baptism, Confession, and The Sacrament of the Altar (Holy Communion).

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​Benefits of Classical Lutheran Education

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​​Since the late 19th century, various permutations of progressive education have shifted the focus of education from the cultivation of discerning, agile minds to a relativistic, Postmodern system of shifting standards and moral confusion. Students are trained to perform on standardized tests but are not adequately prepared to enter the world with mental fortitude or Christian faith.

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Classical education provides students with an accessible and impressive foundation of knowledge. It has produced the world’s greatest leaders, thinkers, writers, artists, inventors, scientists, and theologians, and there is much to learn from their work. The skilled classical educator will draw out the student’s understanding of these works through dialogue and encourage the student to build on this understanding through critical analysis. As opposed to conditioning the student to adopt predetermined ideas and opinions, independent thinking is required. By engaging students in “conversation” with the past, we prepare them for the future.

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We see many direct benefits in students who have received a classical Lutheran education. Students can easily and quickly assimilate the vocabulary and grammar of foreign languages and comprehend the terminology used in the sciences and technical fields. They are also equipped with critical thinking and rhetorical skills, vital for academic advancement. While we don’t “teach to the test,” many of our students score very highly on standardized testing. These benefits have a lasting impact on students as they move into their professional lives.

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However, FLS looks far beyond college admissions and career opportunities as the primary purpose of grade school education. We seek to cultivate human excellence and prepare servant-leaders for the Church and the world. Classical Lutheran education is concerned with the development of the whole child in all his or her future vocations, such as parent, spouse, church member, and citizen. The ancient Greeks and Romans recognized that free citizens require an education that enlarges the mind and cultivates the soul. In this vein, classical Lutheran education fosters wisdom and virtue by nourishing the soul on truth, goodness, beauty, and the saving knowledge of the Word.

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