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The idea of education apart from religion is an historical aberration. It won't last, and in fact it doesn't work. Schools that make the attempt end up replacing Christianity (because this is a western phenomenon and Christianity is the cultural backdrop) with some other comprehensive worldview - Liberalism, typically, which functions as a religion despite its contradictions - in order to make sense of things. Education needs religion.
There is the problem of self-justification. What is man for? What are we created to do? Why is learning important? Only religion can answer the ultimate "why" of education. "Just because" doesn't motivate anyone.
There is the problem of what to study. It's a big world, and all schools have to prioritize. Why study grammar and mathematics before studying, say, the psychology of serial killers? Why study logic and rhetoric before studying theories of evolution? Arranging this hierarchy of whats is the business of religion.
There is the problem of what to do with knowledge once obtained, or how knowledge ought to be used. It's not enough to leave this up to the individual. Education must incorporate objective ideals of wisdom, virtue and morality, the sources of which are always religious. Otherwise you end up with abominations like this.
Higher education can't leave religion out. Therefore, it's critically important that it get religion right.
Last edited by WesternPilgrim; 12-18-2012 at 03:08 PM..
I chose to go to a parochial liberal arts college, one historically associated with ELCA Lutheranism. Its spiritual affiliation has been less emphasized over the decades, but still much a part of the culture and heritage. It worked for me.
However, I don't think it's necessary for all, or preferable for all, obviously. And knowledge, and what I or others do with it, is fairly independent of religion.
Religion can give an answer to "why" but can it give an accurate answer that can be supported by empirical research?
I don't know, that's a good question.
Can you support the existence of metaphysical realities - take the quality of love, for example - with empirical research? Maybe, maybe not, but either way I would argue that the importance of love doesn't depend upon its being supported by empirical research.
There is the problem of self-justification. What is man for? What are we created to do? Why is learning important? Only religion can answer the ultimate "why" of education. "Just because" doesn't motivate anyone.
False.
Just like religion doesn't help someone understand a thousand other topics of study.
Your so far off from understanding anything it's really pointless to elaborate much further
This is simply not true. Jewish institutions of higher education have been around for much longer.
"... higher education in the west ..."
OK, I'll bite: What is the earliest Jewish contribution to higher education in the west? For that matter, what's the oldest Jewish institution of higher education in the west?
Last edited by WesternPilgrim; 12-18-2012 at 05:59 PM..
This is simply not true. Jewish institutions of higher education have been around for much longer.
Here's a brief history of Jewish education in Europe for you. Unless you're referring to the yeshivah - which is roughly the equivalent of a Christian minor seminary - the earliest Jewish institution of higher education in Europe seems to be the First Secular Jewish School of Prague, established in 1782. These schools were short-lived and dissolved in little more than a century. There is no reason to believe they had any influence on western education outside of their own enclaves.
Perhaps your misstatement is once again a matter of your failing to read carefully, overlooking the words "in the west". But even then, your statement is still false. There are no Jewish institutions of higher education anywhere in the world that have been around longer than, say, the University of Bologna, founded in 1088, or the University of Oxford, founded in 1167. Jews labored under many restrictions in the diaspora, so it is unlikely that they could have founded universities even if they had the resources and abilities. Why, then, would you make a wild and unsubstantiated claim like this? Just to poke at WesternPilgrim?
Today, the educational accomplishments of Jews in the west notably surpass the accomplishments of other groups. Jews have long enjoyed the highest education levels and I.Q. scores of any ethnic group in the United States. They are disproportionately represented in the academic community, as well as the arts, sciences, and other fields. Etc. It's also true that Jewish education predates Christian education, simply because Judaism predates Christianity. Nothing have I said or implied detracts from any of this.
Last edited by toobusytoday; 12-18-2012 at 07:32 PM..
Reason: removed rude statement
Care to explain what you are babbling about in this post?
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