The Case for Christian Day Schools

The growing dissatisfaction in our cultural milieu with the presuppositions, policies, and practices of the American public school system raises a question of some importance: “Who has the right to educate—the family, the State, or the Church?”

Within contemporary Lutheranism two approaches towards an answer to this problem may be discerned. One affirms that the family, as the basic (core) unit of society, has the right to educate or to delegate this right to the State or Church. The other says that each order of creation (family, Church, State) has a right to educate, and that each receives this right directly from God (that is, there is no delegation from one order to another).

However, it must be asserted that in either case no “right” to educate can exist without some corresponding responsibility in the sight of God to educate as he desires. The formula, “no rights without responsibilities,” holds true for all the so-called “rights” of man. This means that neither family, Church, or State has the right to educate unless such education presupposes and points to God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. What then does this imply? It implies three things:

1. The family as the basic order of creation normally exercises the dominant influence on a child for at least the first five years of life. But in our extremely complex and technological world the family is generally inadequate for the task of preparation for citizenship in the two kingdoms. Most parents are simply unqualified to instruct their children in these matters. And the few who are so qualified may not have the time nor the inclination. Therefore the Church and community must play a role in education.

2. The Church has received a mandate from its Lord to teach all nations. It dare not ignore or alter this responsibility. The only variable in this task of the Church is the form which its education may take.

3. The community (State) may have a right to educate or to supervise education (by insuring that minimum standards of facilities and health are met), not arbitrarily but under the Word of God. Whether the State receives its right to educate from God or from parents, it still holds true that this right is dependent upon and conditioned by the State’s recognition of itself as the agent of God.

Trend To Secularism

On the American scene today the Constitution has been juridically interpreted in such a way that the public school is prevented from fulfilling the purpose for which it was founded. Theoretically our public schools must be neutral in their approach to religion. Actually, however, such neutrality is impossible. Our public schools have become increasingly secularized. They are teaching the religion of democracy, or the religion of science, or the religion of life adjustment. This, of course, is not the case in all schools. But it is more and more the case whenever and wherever the courts are called upon to render decisions. There is no mistaking the trend toward secularization.

No conscientious and serious Christian can be satisfied with this situation. Several solutions have been suggested, as for example, revitalizing the Sunday Schools, creating Saturday and other supplementary schools, or released time classes. Another solution is the Christian day school as a full-time substitute for the public school, though not a parochial school in the Roman Catholic sense (with hierarchical or clerical control). Instead, the school would be under the auspices of one or more Christian congregations using the facilities of the parish. Rather than a church (institutional) school, it would be a school which is Christian in its presuppositions and orientation, where teachers could witness to their faith explicitly as well as implicitly, and in which the Gospel would be brought to bear upon all subject matter and in all areas of life.

The time has come for us to admit that the majority of our people are religious illiterates unable to articulate or defend the faith and unable to relate it to daily activities. The Christian day school is an answer to this situation—not the only answer, but an important one.

The time has come for us to repudiate also the notion that it is somehow un-American to criticize the public school. It needs to be brought down from its sacrosanct pinnacle. From an historical standpoint, the public school system in the United States developed as a supplement for the already extant private and religious schools. There were no public schools in the United States until the 1830s, and then they came into being only to take care of those who would not otherwise receive a formal education.

Christians today cannot be happy over certain policies of such powerful groups as the National Education Association. Furthermore, the increasing clamor for Federal aid and control is a danger signal too obvious to ignore.

Many practical difficulties are involved in establishing Christian day schools, as for example, in financing and securing teachers. Some will say that they are divisive in respect to the community at large, and that they hurt the public school. But true community is realized only in Christ. The existence of different denominations is also divisive, but we do not recommend that we put an end to denominationalism for that reason alone. Our society itself is pluralistic, voluntary, and competitive.

Churches that have operated schools have experienced the blessings of their endeavors. They well know the evangelistic outreach which such schools can provide. And they have been pleased with the quality of their graduates who have been students mature in the understanding of their faith and deeply committed to their Lord and Saviour.

It is probably true that most rural situations do not need such schools. But the urban areas need them. In American Protestantism today there are some 3,000 elementary and 600 secondary schools enrolling over 350,000 pupils. We must seriously face the issue of whether or not these numbers are to be expanded.

END

Preacher In The Red

WHO PREACHES WHERE

I had exactly seven minutes in which to compose my mind before preaching in a North Dakota Presbyterian church. To my surprise there came in another minister all out of breath. He immediately proceeded to undo his suitcase. He hurriedly took out his robe and experienced great difficulty getting into it. I said, “May I ask why the preparation?” He said with a degree of authority, “I am preaching here today.” “I am afraid there is some mistake as I am preaching here today.” “Not today brother. I am here by appointment of my Superintendent,” was his answer. “But,” said I, “this is not the First Methodist church but rather the First Presbyterian church.”—The Rev. THOMAS B. LINDSAY, St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Emery, South Dakota.

Brooke Walker holds the BA. degree from Columbia University and is a graduate of Philadelphia Lutheran Seminary. He is seeking ordination in the United Lutheran Church.

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