Piety and Philosophy: A Primer for Christian Schools

by Richard A. Riesen

Christians have a unique role to play in the future of our schools,and the author's refreshingly honest inquiry into the relationship between the spiritual life and the academic enterprise is guaranteed to provoke discussion.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Christianity

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important question that Christian educators need to ask, but we don't ask nearly as much as we should, is, "What is the purpose of Christian education?" Richard Riesen tackles this question in his book providing a well-reasoned and considered answer. Along the way he looks at other questions that are especially relevant to my job, such as "Is there a place for spiritual formation in a Christian school?" and "What is the purpose of bible classes?" I find Riesen's answers to be refreshingly thoughtful and insightful, holding a good balance between seeing the importance of education and holding to a clear devotion to Christ and his mission. It's worth reading by every teacher and administrator at a Christian school.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is worth buying for the seven arguments made for Christian education: (1) the practical, (2) the ameliorative, (3) the Imago Dei, (4) the historical, (5) the theological, (6) the apologetic, (7) the devotional. But Riesen does not stop there. He shrewdly argues for liberal arts education, not as a means but an end. Christian education according to Riesen should still be liberal arts education. He explains what makes education Christian, and the relationship between piety and philosophy. Riesen's work is an excellent primer on education.

B. Grizenko

[Chelsea Magee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starting homeschooling, it’s not designed for that but rather for teachers (generally in a Christian school). But I’ll be a teacher of a Christian school that only teaches two lol. Thought it might be good. I honestly really struggled with the read and at the end of the second chapter I just scrolled through the rest of the book and only read a few extra pages. He is not concise.

[Seth Woodley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read on Christian education.

[Daniel Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty legit. Especially the last chapter

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This work starts out very promising, but does not quite deliver on all counts. It perhaps is weakened by being somewhat general in its assertions. I will write a fuller account of it sometime soon and link to that here. It is worth a Christian educator's read for what it does say; I wish it had said a lot more and developed its points more.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than all the cheesy back-grammar-lessons-up-with-Bible-verses junk I had to read when I was teaching in a Christian school. This book actually advocated learning the liberal arts for their own sake. Good to see a Christian thinker affirming the goodness of creation.

[Steven Slaughter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent treatise on the importance of intellectual rigor as a central pursuit within a Christian school context. Refreshing, succinct, and pusuasive.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to force myself to finish this one. The author has good points and I would agree with much of what was said; however, it could have been said in one chapter instead of 147 pages.