A new model for Christian education?

Do you know the history of Christian education? It was the Church that launched many of the world’s famous universities. Learning and education and faith have gone hand in hand for a long time. I mean real learning and discovery. Christianity has historical figures who dedicated lives to science and the search for scientific discovery. Academic insight and questioning the way the world is has a rich tradition in Christianity. Critical thinking is very much a part of the tradition of Christian education.

But not in all Christian traditions. Some have put more value on memorization and learning just the correct answers to questions, dismissing questions, and telling students that doubt is a sin. Compliance became more important than the search for truth in these strains of Christianity.

The Sunday (or Sabbath) School history goes back to the lat 18th century in Britain where Anglican evangelicals would teach children literacy on their working day off (Yes, child labor was common). It quickly caught on in America and there are stories of parents who would send their children to Sunday school, even if no one in the family attended worship.

In some cases Sunday school became the only way that any form of worship would happen due to the prevalence of circuit riding preachers who covered great geographical areas. This relates to the common practice of infrequent communion in Protestant denominations — that has only been changing in recent decades.