Church as a System of Education, Part2

We are looking at the issue of establishing Church as a System of Education. I use the word “education” here not in a narrow sense of schooling for academic qualification in a particular profession or field. The word “educate” is defined as: ‘to impart knowledge by formal instruction to a pupil; to teach; to improve or develop a person’. The word “education” is defined as: ‘the act or process of acquiring knowledge, especially systematically during childhood or adolescence; the knowledge or training acquired by this process; the act or process of imparting knowledge, especially at a school, college or university’ (Collins Dictionary).

So when the scripture says “Moses was educated” in Acts 7:22, the idea is not necessarily one where he qualified in a particular field or profession, e.g. as a Lawyer, Doctor, Accountant etc. Moses was educated in the wisdom (knowledge system, values, ideology) of the Egyptians. It was common practice for ancient civilisations to educate their people in their knowledge system – this is what produced civilisations after all.

Athens and the Ephebic College

It was common practice for ancient civilisations to educate and train their citizens in order to produce a certain kind of society and therefore a certain kind of civilisation. So there is something called citizenship education, which is important for building a nation – a nation is built through education and not simply through certification. Civilisations are built through education and not through certification.

History tells us that there was a way Athenians educated their citizenship. Athenians had an Ephebic College where they trained their young men. It was through this system of education that these young men were incorporated and or integrated into society. Upon finishing their College programme, they would make an oath to commit themselves to certain standards and values.

The word “ephebe” is a Greek word for an adolescent age group or a social status…Though the word can simply refer to the adolescent age of young men of training age, its main use is for the members, exclusively from that age group, of an official institution (ephebeia) that saw to building them into citizens, but especially training them as soldiers, sometimes already sent into the field…

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebos#In_Greece.

The word "Ephebian" comes from the Greek word "ephebe" (epi-, at, upon; hebe-,early manhood). In ancient Athens (335 B.C.), an ephebe was a young citizen undergoing physical and military training. In order to be admitted to citizenship, every legitimate son of pure Athenian parentage who had reached the age of eighteen had to be enrolled in the Ephebic college and undergo its two year course of rigorous training in the in military and civic duties and activities.

At the end of the first year the Ephebians gave a display of their skill in military tactics and drills before the citizens of Athens in the state theatre. At the close of this display there was presented to each Ephebian a spear and a shield. These state-given arms were regarded as sacred and to throw them away in battle flight was almost an act of sacrilege. After receiving the arms, the Ephebians took their oath of allegiance. http://www.ephebian.com/

The Ephebic Oath was an oath sworn by young men of Classical Athens upon induction into the Ephebic College, graduation from which was required to attain status as citizens.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebic_Oath.

The Ephebic Oath: ‘I will not bring dishonour on my sacred arms nor will I abandon my comrade wherever I shall be stationed. I will defend the rights of gods and men and will not leave my country smaller, when I die, but greater and better, so far as I am able by myself and with the help of all. I will respect the rulers of the time duly and the existing ordinances duly and all others which may be established in the future. And if anyone seeks to destroy the ordinances I will oppose him so far as I am able by myself and with the help of all. I will honor the cults of my fathers. Witnesses to this shall be the gods Agraulus, Hestia, Enyo, Enyalius, Ares, Athena the Warrior, Zeus, Thallo, Auxo, Hegemone, Heracles, and the boundaries of my native land, wheat, barley, vines, olive-trees, fig-trees...’

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephebic_Oath.

Ephebic Oath from the Ephebian website: "We will never bring disgrace to this, our city, by any act of dishonesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our suffering comrades in the ranks; we will fight for the ideals and sacred things of the city, both alone and with many; we will revere and obey the city's laws and do our best to incite a like respect in those above us who are prone to annul or set them at naught; we will strive unceasingly to quicken the public sense of civic duty. Thus, in all these ways, we will transmit this city, not only not less, but far greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us."

Source: http://www.ephebian.com/oath.htm.

The city of Athens was obviously given to pursuit and development of knowledge systems, just as Egypt was and other civilizations. This historical fact is reflected also in Acts 17.

When Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogues with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him…all of the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas. Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens…” (read Acts 17:16-34).

The Athenians were obviously given to knowledge, and God would use this same hunger for knowledge and truth to redeem some of them as we see in Acts 17:34. Paul reasoned with them. The word “reason” is the Greek word “dialegomai” related to the English word “dialogue”. This method of teaching is used to allow students to exchange thoughts with the teacher, in the process, the teacher gets to see and adjust knowledge and thought patterns of the students. Not all truth can be transmitted or imparted through monologue teaching. Some truth is best delivered through dialogue. It was common for Paul and the Lord Jesus to use this method of teaching, see Acts 18:4, Matt 16:13.

Education vs. Certification

It is clear then that ancient civilizations had the whole issue of education correctly – even though they did not have the correct knowledge system, which can only be found in Christ “the mystery of God…in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:2-3). We now find ourselves in this Capitalistic Age which has also affected our concept of education. Education (in this capitalistic age) has been largely reduced to certification in order to produce human resource for the economy. We produce Accountants, Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers etc. who are not necessarily or always educated in a particular wisdom or knowledge system. This Capitalistic Age does not appreciate the process and time to produce a developed-functional human in the earth but seeks quick processes to feed the greedy economic systems of nations. So that education is primarily seen in the context of “professionalization” of society in order to feed the needs of this global economic system.

This has not left the Church unaffected. This “quick fix” mentality has affected the Church over the years so that we spend more time, effort and energy in mobilising numbers and less time in developing people to become not just faithful-tithe paying members of our churches but functional humans in the earth that God can use to advance His global purpose.

Church as a System of Education – What has God said?

Let us look at some scriptures that indicate an emphasis on teaching and education in the heart of God:

• An elder must be able to teach, 1 Tim 3:1-2.

• You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Teach the older men…teach the older women… Titus 2:1-3.

• They (older women) can train the younger women… Tit 2:4.

• Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it, Prov 22:6.

• Teach them to your children and to their children, Duet 4:9…talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up, Duet 11:19.

• For I have known him (Abraham) in order that he may command his children and his household after him…(in the Hebrew, the word “command” means to constitute and so by implication involves teaching).

• We have much to say about this (i.e. about Christ), but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn, Heb 5:11. This is one scripture that shows that spiritual development is directly connected to one’s learning process. Whenever we think that we are growing in Christ or in the faith, without growing in knowledge, then we have been fooled.

All these and many other scriptures indicate that God has designated Church to be a broad system of education that develops people not just in religion but into a correct system of life. Everybody must be taught, including older men and women. Leadership of Church must excel in the area of teaching. Inside of this, the family clearly becomes a system of training of the next generation, according to the scriptures.

Making Disciples

Then Jesus came to them and said, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”, Matt 28:18-20.

The phrase “make disciples” in verse 19 or “teach” (in other Bible translations) means ‘to make one a student or pupil; to enroll as a scholar; to instruct; to teach’. A disciple is a learner, a student and a scholar of the faith.

It continues in verse 20 by saying, “teaching them to observe all things”. The word “teach” here is the word didasko in Greek and it means to shape the mind and the will of the learner.

The phrase “make disciple” clearly does not define random sermonisation but a structured-progressive instruction in the knowledge of Christ – with the understanding that Christ is not just a religious figure but a correct form of human life; the image of human life (Col 1:15, Gen 1:26). This means that there are definite areas of human development and functionality that all believers (redeemed humans) must be taught in.

The commission to make disciples is a commission to establish systems of learning in order to produce a certain kind of a human in the earth.

We have to reinstate a system of learning in the church!