Christian Education

The topic of Christian education is not as clear cut in today’s United States as one may initially think.  Christian education, historically meant classes taken on Christian doctrine such as those typically deemed as “Sunday School” or Christian schools which provide a broad range of curriculum but are taught in an overtly Christian environment. However, as the debate over sex education in our public schools as well as that of how evolution is taught has brought Christian education to have a much broader meaning in the forefront of political and social debate.

Traditional Christian doctrine promotes abstinence until marriage ideology which is passed on to the younger generation of Christians. Because of this, many Christians feel that it is inappropriate to offer sex education in our public schools under the belief that it will promote sexual activity among unmarried teenagers, directly defying Christian ideals. However, in today’s environment of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted teenage pregnancy, many educators and parents feel that it is best to prepare young adults so they can practice safety measures if they do decide to engage in premarital sex.   Thus, while many parents prescribe to the Christian education approach of abstinence only, is it right to impose this on public schools at large?  Conversely, should Christian children be exposed to material that their parents deem inappropriate? 

Additionally, the practice of teaching evolution in our public schools has been called in question recently. Many Christians do not believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution or the big bang theory of creation, instead, believing that God created the world in seven days as stated in the bible. Rather than having evolution taught, many Christians are promoting an “Intelligent Design” curriculum to be taught in its place. This debate is as hotly contested as the one surrounding abstinence only. The separation of church and state amendment in the constitution decries that public schools will not offer a Christian education, or that of any other religion, but will instead function as a secular state run institution.

As the fundamental Christian movement continues to pick up intensity, more debates surrounding the topic of Christian education can only be expected.