Foundations of Christian Education: Addresses to Christian Teachers

by Louis Berkhof, Cornelius Van Til

Van Til and Berkhof call for biblically sound Christian education that is self-consciously engaged in the spiritual battle for the minds of students.

Genres: Education, Theology, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Nonfiction, Philosophy

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Louis Berkhof (1873–1957) was a Reformed theologian best known for his Systematic Theology (1932). He taught for almost four decades at Calvin Theological Seminary and served as its president from 1931–1944. In his work on systematic theology Berkhof followed in the line of John Calvin and embraced the development of Reformed theology by the Dutch theologians Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck.

Selected publications:

Systematic Theology. Eerdmans, 1932; New Combined Edition, 1996.

The History of Christian Doctrines. Baker, 1978; Banner of Truth, revised, 1996.

Principles of Biblical Interpretation. Baker Academic, 1981; republished, 1994.

A Summary of Christian Doctrine. Eerdmans, 1939; Banner of Truth, 1960.

Reviews

[Zack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Berkhof’s contributions are for the most part brilliant. They are well-written, clear, concise (not a word wasted), and germane to the subject. 5/5 for his parts.

Van Til’s addresses were frequently rambling, full of bizarre literary and cultural allusions/references, redundant, and tedious in the reading. The good ideas in Van Til’s contributions could have been recorded on 1.5 pages without any loss of substantive content. 1/5 for his parts.

[Kevin Fulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title says, this book sets the foundations for Christian education. It goes over philosophical (moral) issues that teachers really ought to be thinking about.
I’d highly recommend this dense little book for someone looking to develop their philosophy of education. But it’s important to remember this is designed to be foundational, so the book doesn’t often stray into practical how-tos. It focuses on the whys.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a parent or educator, or if you plan to homeschool or send your kids to a Christian school or even to a public school, you ought to read these essays. They do an excellent job of laying foundational principles rooted in Scripture for education. If you do plan to send your kids to public school, you'll hopefully be persuaded of the folly of doing so. I have to disagree with my brother who gave this a lower rating because he thought Van Til rambled too much among other reasons. Van Til did have a tendency to ramble and be hard to follow, but his essays still have a good deal of wisdom to them. My rating is actually 4.5 stars.

[Adam T. Calvert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really is foundational (go figure) for Christian education. I wish every Christian educator would read this book. Overall, this book is a very solid resource and can help every Christian teacher (and parent) better understand the importance of Christian Education.

Philosophically, I would have to say the most helpful chapter was the article by Van Til on the antithesis between secular education and Christian education. And then practically the most helpful chapter was Berkhof's article on authority, in which he gave a very good estimate of the value and application of Biblical discipline.

Truly this book really puts education into its proper Christian perspective. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone and everyone involved in Christian education - parents, teachers, pastors, Sunday School helpers - anyone and everyone.

Get this book and start to apply the concept that no fact is learned rightly unless it is learned in its right relationship to God (p. 16).

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great.

[Johnny Aiello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly one of the most important books I have read. Van Till and Berkhof lay out the theological foundation for why education ought to be distinctively Christian, for “education is implication into God’s interpretation” (p44). All thoughts are to be “receptively reconstructive”, thinking God’s thoughts after him, whether it be in matters of salvation or simple math problems (p60). This is the very antithesis of the non-Christian educational system which presupposes a chance world and neutral reasoning.

VT and Berkhof show that when one understands creation, covenant, and God himself, education from a distinctly Christian point of view is necessitated.


I could paste in 10 pages of quotes. This book is a must read.

***the only thing I disagreed with was the chapter on the covenant of grace, since it is from a paedobaptist point of view, and perhaps some info on discipline in the chapter on school authority.

[Tania Bingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s really a 3 1/2 star. There were some really great things said here. The antithesis in education was a valuable discussion but such a slog to read. Van Til is so wordy that it’s difficult to get through. There wasn’t anything here that I hadn’t read elsewhere, but all still valuable thoughts arguing for Christian education as the only education suitable for Christians. It mentioned their school programs a lot but there is no practical or pedagogical discussions in this book.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, reread.

[Ethan McCarter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since it's a compilation of essays both from Van Til and Berkhof, each author's contributions are distinct and noticeably different. First, I don't fully agree with the notions of each of the authors. That being said, there are some great tidbits, mostly from Berkhof, that are within the book. I'll explain why I've given it such a low rating.
If this book were composed just of Berkhof's writings, I'd give it 3.5 to 4 stars. One of the main areas I disagreed with was his adherence to corporal punishment in Christian schools. I don't find any notion of corporal punishment, using the rod on a disobedient child, given by a schoolmaster or a non-parent. The civil laws were different as is Romans 13 in this manner. Berkhof's sections were pretty good nonetheless with great application. He argued his points well.
Van Til's sections, I know some of y'all will scream "bias," would merit .5 to 1 star. They made little to no sense, were rambling and incoherent, and he rarely proved his thesis or theme. It's akin to me asking a question to a Starbucks barista how fresh her coffee is and she responds with a 30 minute lecture on the complexities of Moldovan and Transnistrian politics. There's a few tidbits that are helpful, the first section had some decent points that are definitely Van Tillian Presuppositionalism, that made sense. However, the majority of his writing in this work is impossible to follow and rarely stays on topic.
There's way better material for understanding Christian education, homeschooling, classical education, or critiques of modern educational theories. Read the Berkhof sections if you get this book; they're worth the cash you pay for it.

[Samuel G. Parkison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stars is strictly because this little book was redundant and repetitive in a lot of places. But the content deserves 5 stars. In terms of anthropology, the antithesis is always relevant. Education is not neutral, and there is a distinctly Christian vision for education and my distinctly non-Christian visions.

[Jonathan Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Both Berkhof and Van Til were excellent in their application of the Reformed doctrines of God, nature, sin, and grace to the field of education. This book, coupled with Bavinck’s “Christianity and Science,” are great mines to dig in if you want to think through what a consistently Christian view of education and the sciences looks like.

[Sarah Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, the book was quite good. It is definitely philosophical and theological rather than practical but gives a helpful and encouraging basis for why Christian school is so important. Berkhof's lectures were particularly insightful. Personally, I think VanTil is very hard to follow and grasp.

[Philip Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I teach in a Christian school. I like Berkhof. I really like Van Til.

5 stars.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covenant children are owed a Christian education. No ifs, ands, or buts.

[Hector Barrowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arguments are clearly made by both Berkhof and Van Til with the interchanging authorship flowing well from essay to essay.

[Timothy Dehne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good.

[Dan O’Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. All of it.

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some strong points in favor of Christian day schools. Van Til’s antithesis being particularly compelling as an argument; however, the book suffers from the fact that Van Til is a slog to get through.

Would not be the first resource I recommend on Christian education.

[Shelby Stafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books you need to read more than once to grasp the full all of it. Van Til's first chapter was phenomenal. After the first chapter, Van Til got deep into philosophisizing, consequently I wasn't tracking very well with him. Berkhof was very straight forward in showing how the theology of man, divine authority, and parental responsibilities were all caught up together in the foundations of education.

[S. Runyan · Rating 2 out of 5]

For some reason Van Til is not being shown as a co-author here, but he did write half of this book. Normally I've found myself to not be a great admirer of either person, I will say that this collaborative work is an improvement upon one another than what they might have done separately. The content itself was easy to understand but very dry.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful. Makes a good case for the need for distinctively Christian education. And then it maps out a little of what that should look like.

The chapter on authority is a gem, and the last chapter gives a nice historical overview of sorts.

[Phillip Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on the reasons for Christian schooling and some foundational philosophical underpinnings for it. While written many years ago (1930's), it is still very relevant, perhaps even more so today.

[Austin Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Van Til does not mess around. He makes the antithesis between unbelief and Christianity absolutely clear. There can be no knowledge, morality, or beauty apart from the triune God. Thus, Christian education is a vital necessity for the church and obedience to God.

[Steve Hemmeke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent, though a bit abstract

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good essays on the antithesis and necessity of covenant education.

[Paul Finch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read to further entrench Christian teachers and admin in the educational battle! Parents, read it too.

[mpsiple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great essays, and some okay ones. Helpful in understanding the necessary unity in education.