Educating for Life: Reflections on Christian Teaching and Learning

by Nicholas Wolterstorff, Gloria Goris Stronks

Few people have influenced the development of Christian schools in the Reformed tradition in North America and around the world as much as Nicholas Wolterstorff. This book draws together the world-renowned Christian philosopher's thoughts and reflections on Christian education over the last three decades. As a tribute to his contributions, Calvin College education professors Gloria Goris Stronks and Clarence W. Joldersma have organized a broad array of writings and unpublished speeches into a cohesive volume. The guiding principle in making selections was the inclusion of pieces that speak to people who struggle with what makes education truly Christian.
Wolterstorff's writings on education are divided into four sections. In the first section, he discusses the nature of Christian education. The second section finds Wolterstorff examining criticisms of Christian education. The third section offers his observations on Christian learning within a pluralistic society. Finally, in the fourth section, he looks at some of the goals of Christian education. Of interest to many as a significant development in his maturing thought is the ever increasing role that justice should play in Christian education.
Educating for Life portrays Wolterstorff's evolving thinking on education while paying tribute to him as one of the premier Christian philosophers of our day.

Genres: Education

300 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2002

About the author

Wolterstorff is the Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology, and Fellow of Berkeley College at Yale University. A prolific writer with wide-ranging philosophical and theological interests, he has written books on metaphysics, aesthetics, political philosophy, epistemology and theology and philosophy of religion.

Reviews

[Phillip Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure why I had not read this collection of Wolterstorff’s speeches and writing before. It is prophetic in many respects but also challenges us to re-examine what we are doing in our Christian schools. He writes/speaks clearly and logically as a good philosopher should. The works selected show the development of his thought over a period of 40 plus years - a life-long learner surely. Each generation of Christian school workers needs to re-examine the issues he raises and ensure we are both maintaining our focus and developing our understanding of the task of education for life.

[Kevin Fulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of speeches and essays by Nicholas Wolterstorff will make you think deeply about education.
If you simply are focused on the academic aspects, he will convict you and help you to see that emotional and relational perspectives matter and must be included in a good education. He consistently emphasizes that education is to produce action and that the best way to produce this action is not simply by teaching what is right or good. But by modeling it and giving students chances to apply it after you teach it.
I generally don’t like books that are formed by collecting speeches and essays, however, this book is excellent.

[Robbie Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

- a must read for Christian to educators

- strong balance of philosophical interrogation and practical application

- despite this, some not very good ideas about pluralist society and its involvement in education - I don’t think he understands or appreciates how much money can warp peoples work

-skirts round the edges of the classical tradition and could have made more of this