Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

acquire."BIBLE LESSONS FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 9, 1955WitnessVOLUME LV, No. 12 TOPEKA, KANSAS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1955The Christian College and World CivilizationJohn Wesley RaleyIn order to play its part in the solution of theproblem of world civilization, Christian educationhas a three-fold aim :Better MenThe solution of world problems is not to befound in the mechanics of government, but in personality of leadership; not in system, but in men.The ultimate goal in education, as we interpret it, isnot intellectual awareness only, but spiritual discernment as well.We are not as much concerned about what ourstudents can do in scientific achievement as whatthey will do in social progress. If progress in the pastfollowed spiritual awareness, then it must be so in thefuture, and we shall accelerate the general progressby inspiring men to interpret life in terms of Christian philosophy.Secular education is in the business of intellectualizingmen ; Christian education is in the businessof spiritualizing the intellect.Secular education deals with the head ; Christianeducation includes the heart.Secular education gives man technical skill;Christian education adds social concern.Secular education points to the factory and theskyscraper ; Christian education points to the church.Secular education deals with cleverness and cunning; Christian education deals with conscience andcharacter.Broader MenThe greatest criticism of modern education isthat it is overspecialized and underintegrated.Aldous Huxley, discussing this particular problem regarding college graduates, says: "They comeout into the world, highly expert in their particularjob, but knowing very little about anything else, andhaving no integrating principle in terms of whichthey can arrange and give significance to such knowledge as they may subsequently Mr. Huxleyis right. Manifestly, what we need is another principle one higher than natural science discovers inthe laws of the material universe.A commission some years ago set up toy theNational Education Association to study the educational problem of America and to define the aims ofeducation as a pattern, stated a fourfold aim: (1)Self-realization, (2) Training in human relationships,(3) Economic efficiency, or a sense oftrusteeship insociety, and, (4) Civic responsibility. How similar tothe principles of Christ as stated in the Beatitudes :(1) Spiritual awareness, (2) Righteous relationships,(3) Usefulness, and (4) Consecration to the task.We propose Christian education as the only hopefor satisfactory integration of knowledge and spirit,technological skill and social progress. After all, thatis what the Man of Galilee meant when He admonished His followers to be "as wise as serpents and asharmless as doves."Christianity as an OperativePrinciple in LifeChristianity can and will bringa new social order. Though manifold, the philosophy of Christianity lends itself to a simple statement the significance of Calvary and Olivet.Leaders of men must accept, not as a sentimen-(Continued on page 183)