Building the Christian Academy

by Arthur F. Holmes

Until relatively recently, the history of higher education in the West was the story of a Christian academic tradition that played a major role in both intellectual history and the history of the church. Over the last one hundred years, however, we have witnessed the progressive secularization of higher education. George Marsden goes so far as to suggest that the American university has lost its soul. But what was that putatively Christian soul? Precisely what in the Christian tradition has now been lost? And what should we know about that tradition as a condition of practical wisdom for the present?

Seeking to answer these questions, Arthur Holmes here explores the Christian tradition of learning, focusing on seven formative episodes in history that pertain to building and maintaining a strong Christian academy today. Holmes's fascinating treatment is set within the history of ideas - the early church in a pagan culture, Augustine's formative influence on monastery and cathedral schools, the rise and decline of scholasticism, Renaissance humanism's contribution to the Protestant Reformation, the utilitarian view of education that accompanied the scientific revolution, and struggles with Enlightenment secularization - and incorporates the educational thought of Plato and Isocrates, Clement and Origen, Abelard and Hugh of St. Victor, Aquinas and Bonaventure, Erasmus and the Reformers, Francis Bacon and John Milton, and John Henry Newman.

Genres: Education, Christian, History, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2001

About the author

Arthur Frank Holmes (March 15, 1924 – October 8, 2011) was Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College, Illinois (1951–1994). Before his retirement in 1994, he had served for several decades as Chairman of Wheaton's Department of Philosophy. Thereafter, he held the title of Professor Emeritus. After his retirement, he returned and taught half of the yearlong history of philosophy sequence, particularly the medieval (Augustine to Ockham) and the modern (Descartes to Quine) quarters in 2000-2001.

He became widely known for his body of work on topics related to philosophy, including ethics, philosophy applied to Christian higher education, and historical interactions between Christianity and philosophy. Holmes also has served as a guest lecturer at many colleges, universities, and conferences on these topics.

Holmes was a graduate of Wheaton College, where he earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy. He earned the Ph.D. in philosophy from Northwestern University in Chicago. Reportedly, before he immigrated to the United States in 1947, he had flown for the Royal Air Force in England during World War II.

Holmes died in Wheaton, Illinois, on October 8, 2011, at age 87.

Reviews

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most of Holmes' works, this book nicely integrated knowledge and virtue in light of a larger vision. Holmes identifies four key areas that constitute the "soul of Christian learning:"

1.The usefulness of liberal arts as preparation for service to both church and society.
2. The unity of truth
3. Contemplative (or doxological) learning
4. The care of the soul (spiritual formation)

Holmes captures the true vision of Liberal arts: an education for freemen, rather than slaves, “one that makes citizens, body and soul, fit for the exercise of virtue” (Aristotle, Politics, viii, in Holmes 10). Indeed, such an approach will pursue Virtue: arete; overall excellence that actualizes human potential for a complete life in accordance with reason.

Holmes then leads us on a tour of Christian pedagogy in history. With Augustine we pursue the highest good: not just chief among many goods, but the all-inclusive good that gives every other good its value (26). The teacher’s words do not reveal the Truth, but alerts the mind to think about an inherent order of things by the inner light of reason with which God illumines the mind. The real teacher is the Logos.

Newman, the Liberal Arts, and Secularization

Holmes ends with a fine chapter on Newman. We don't have to agree with Newman's ecclesiology, but we must appreciate his pedagogy. “The knowledge he [Newman] has in mind, then, is n passive recitation of subject matter but an active engagement that expands the mind, organizing and interpreting material, digesting it and making it subjectively one’s own, and interrelating the old with the new within a comprehensive view of the whole word” (89).

Newman’s basic argument: “the university is a place where universal knowledge is taught and so no part of it may be omitted” (92). It is an integrally related system.

Conclusion:

Reading Holmes reveals why modern education is a complete disaster. We determine progress by quantifiable testing, yet the most important things in life are not reducible to quantification. How do you quantify virtue? But no matter. Even by empirical quantification the modern method (be it GLEs or Common Core) is an utter failure. Proof: both conservatives and liberals are waking up to this disaster.

We forbid virtue and integrated systems because they resist quantification, yet we act surprised that "Johnny" not only can't read, but he can't do the right thing. Or anything. To quote CS Lewis, "We castrate the gelding and bid him be fruitful."

[Jeremy]

Mentioned in Gamble's The Great Tradition as a reference for further reading.

[Valerie K. Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good thumbnail overview of the eras of public higher education throughout history. While one reviewer criticize the book for being too general, for me as a beginner wading into the waters of learning about medieval education, it was very detailed. I flagged 30+ spots I want to write notes on.

As a Christian it was a helpful introduction to the rise and fall of Christian education arch in Europe and America.

I am curious about Asian education history but the topic of the book didn't lend itself to that area. If anyone has recommendations on Asian (Japan, China &/or Korean more specifically), please reply to this review.

[Dr. Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very brief sketch of key developments in the history of Christian education. Informative as background if you haven't done any reading in this area, but not detailed enough to be very insightful or generative.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seemed very opinionated (particularly anti-Lutheran) but other than that, a great recount of philosophy throughout time.

[Christopher Rush · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book, despite its grandiose language on the cover, is a bit disappointing. Mr. Holmes, no offense to him or his, has nothing new to say with this book. We've read it all, seen it all, heard it all already. The entire book, except for the last chapter, is a dull rehash of selections of church history with a modicum of educational elements sprinkled in almost haphazardly. I admit that sounds much harsher than this book deserves, but the book does not deliver on what it promises. The final summative chapter has a few fine points: we should spend more time contemplating God and His wonderfulness even in academic settings more than adducing solutions to theological problems; we should have a curriculum that promotes leisure more than busywork; delight in beautiful things, etc. I applaud all of that ... but I've heard it before, and presented better at that. This is one of those books that cites sources, and the effect is more akin to "why am I reading this instead of those better works?" If you are looking for a fairly superficial survey of church history with a besprinkling of Christian education (it truly only covers a few over-discussed highlights, as true and important as they are), this may be an introductory work for you. Better yet, check out Dr. Schaeffer's How Should We Then Live?, Andrew Hoffecker's Revolutions in Worldview, Josef Pieper's Leisure: The Basis of Culture, anything by Fr. James V. Schall, and/or the works Arthur Holmes cites instead.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Condensing 2,000 years of Christian education into 120 pages is a daunting goal, and one that must inevitably leave some gaps and thin spots. On the whole, Arthur F. Holmes has done an admirable job of creating a sweeping overview of the Christian academy throughout its history. In addition, his final chapter provides an honest assessment of current education and provides explicit, practical suggestions for action.

That said, I'd still like to look for another book that approaches the history of Christian education and thought from a different angle. Holmes's background in philosophy sometimes makes the text difficult for a reader who is unfamiliar with philosophical terms, and while he is usually objective, his Reformed leanings show in some places. I struggled to grasp his insistence on Lutheran ideas as "nominalist," or his recurring mention of "doxological learning." In short, philosophy continually overshadows the other main topics of history and education.

There is much of worth, though, and if nothing else, the book provides some touchstones to help in developing a historical understanding of educational philosophy.