PCA Resolution on public schools
It looks like my denomination will be voting on a resolution encouraging PCA members to not send their children to public schools. I remember when the SBC tried this a year or so ago at their convention.
Here is the text of the resolution.
Whereas, The Bible commands fathers to bring up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), and all parents who have had a child baptized in the Presbyterian Church in America have taken a vow to strive by all the means of God's appointment to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (BCO 56-5), and
A truly Christian education begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10), and teaches children to think biblically about all of life (2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 12:2; Deuteronomy 6:6-9), and
Whereas, The public school system does not offer a Christian education, but officially claims to be "neutral" with regard to Christ, a position that Christ Himself said was impossible (Luke 11:23), and
Whereas, The public schools are by law humanistic and secular in their instruction, and as a result the attending children receive an education without positive reference to the Triune God, and
Whereas, Some courageous teachers in our congregations disregard this law. Obeying God rather than men, they try to give their students a truly Christian education (Acts 4:18-20). This resolution should not be construed to discourage these adult believers who faithfully labor as missionaries to unbelieving colleagues and students. However, these rare exceptions should not lead anyone to believe the public schools are regularly giving children a truly Christian education.
Whereas, Sending thousands of PCA children as "missionaries" to their unbelieving teachers and classmates has failed to contribute to increasing holiness in the public schools. On the contrary, the Nehemiah Institute documents growing evidence that the public schools are successfully converting covenant children to secular humanism, and Whereas, We are squandering a great opportunity to instruct these children in the truth of God's word and its application to all of life;
Therefore, be it resolved that the 33rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America encourages all her officers and members to remove their children from the public schools and see to it that they receive a thoroughly Christian education, for the glory of God and the good of Christ's church.
I was unaware this was on the docket for business this year at the general assembly and right now, I am not sure what I would vote if I were in a position to do so right now.
I completely understand the reasoning behind this resolution and I firmly believe that public education does more harm than good in many places, but at the same time, I am sympathetic to people, like my wife, who went to a rural public school and did not encounter the broad secular humanism that goes on in larger school districts. And what about those kids who do go to public schools and make real impact? Do we want to just eliminate that? Granted, I realize that I am thinking of a slim number, but I still think that the Gospel can impact anyplace at anytime. I also see this as something that goes against one of the main reasons I was initially attracted to the PCA: changing culture. I didn't think that we'd give up like that.
I know that this resolution has at least one big backer, Dr. D. James Kennedy, who has more influence than most do in the PCA and in evangelical circles in general, but I don't know how this resolution will go. I guess I'll see on Friday.
Also: you have to understand that I come from a perspective where I do not have children, and I imagine I will see this issue differently in the future, but for now, I just don't know what to decide. I see good things about this resolution, as well as bad things.
Here is the text of the resolution.
Whereas, The Bible commands fathers to bring up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), and all parents who have had a child baptized in the Presbyterian Church in America have taken a vow to strive by all the means of God's appointment to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (BCO 56-5), and
A truly Christian education begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10), and teaches children to think biblically about all of life (2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 12:2; Deuteronomy 6:6-9), and
Whereas, The public school system does not offer a Christian education, but officially claims to be "neutral" with regard to Christ, a position that Christ Himself said was impossible (Luke 11:23), and
Whereas, The public schools are by law humanistic and secular in their instruction, and as a result the attending children receive an education without positive reference to the Triune God, and
Whereas, Some courageous teachers in our congregations disregard this law. Obeying God rather than men, they try to give their students a truly Christian education (Acts 4:18-20). This resolution should not be construed to discourage these adult believers who faithfully labor as missionaries to unbelieving colleagues and students. However, these rare exceptions should not lead anyone to believe the public schools are regularly giving children a truly Christian education.
Whereas, Sending thousands of PCA children as "missionaries" to their unbelieving teachers and classmates has failed to contribute to increasing holiness in the public schools. On the contrary, the Nehemiah Institute documents growing evidence that the public schools are successfully converting covenant children to secular humanism, and Whereas, We are squandering a great opportunity to instruct these children in the truth of God's word and its application to all of life;
Therefore, be it resolved that the 33rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America encourages all her officers and members to remove their children from the public schools and see to it that they receive a thoroughly Christian education, for the glory of God and the good of Christ's church.
I was unaware this was on the docket for business this year at the general assembly and right now, I am not sure what I would vote if I were in a position to do so right now.
I completely understand the reasoning behind this resolution and I firmly believe that public education does more harm than good in many places, but at the same time, I am sympathetic to people, like my wife, who went to a rural public school and did not encounter the broad secular humanism that goes on in larger school districts. And what about those kids who do go to public schools and make real impact? Do we want to just eliminate that? Granted, I realize that I am thinking of a slim number, but I still think that the Gospel can impact anyplace at anytime. I also see this as something that goes against one of the main reasons I was initially attracted to the PCA: changing culture. I didn't think that we'd give up like that.
I know that this resolution has at least one big backer, Dr. D. James Kennedy, who has more influence than most do in the PCA and in evangelical circles in general, but I don't know how this resolution will go. I guess I'll see on Friday.
Also: you have to understand that I come from a perspective where I do not have children, and I imagine I will see this issue differently in the future, but for now, I just don't know what to decide. I see good things about this resolution, as well as bad things.
posted by Bobby's blog at 9:43 AM
6 Comments:
Bobby-- it was not on the docket. This was a "personal resolution" which (as I understand it) means that it arose from an individual on the floor; it was a resolution, however, so it would have to have been submitted in writing. It did not come from a Presbytery and was not on the docket, per se.
There is always a time when personal resolutions are heard and can be taken up as new business for the Assembly. This is the nature of the resolution in question.
It will likely get voted down, because many in the PCA do not believe this is an appropriate step for the Assembly to make; that is, the "grassroots" nature of the denomination is threatened by this kind of top-down urging. I would be surprised if it got a large number of votes.
That's why I was surprised because I have been keeping up with the docket and I was unaware of this resolution. Then I read a news story about it and it threw me for a loop.
Unfortunately, the SBC is going to try and do this one again this year. And even more unfortunately, I can't get to the convention to speak against it.
Bobby, you are much more pessimistic on public schools than I am. I drove past a public elementary school today at lunch. It was the last day of school and all the teachers were waving to the students as the buses left. I really felt proud to be a citizen of Howard County at that moment. My teachers never did that- but that's beside the point.
I don't believe there's anything inherently Christian about sending your kids to a Christian school and it's wrong (and legalistic) to say that you must do it. I think that most school systems in the United States are good. I haven't personally seen much difference between public and Christian school kids in church. We have a couple missionaries from my church and they both went to public schools.
We also have many public school teachers in my church- what are resolutions like this saying to public school teachers? It treats them like second class Christians.
Ryan,
I gave it more thought today and after listening to the debate online, I have to say, I would have voted against this resolution. It was vague, and then I thought back to how public school kids were treated when I was younger and realized that it doesn't give a good testimony or send a good message.
I also think that it would have been somewhat hypocritical for the PCA, which has one of the largest campus ministries of all denominations, to say ixnay on public education, while attempting to redeem it on a collegiate level with RUF. It just doesn't send the right message, especially to members who cannot afford private schooling, and are unable to homeschool their children.
Again, I am coming at this from a POV of one who has never attended a single class in a public/government school setting, so my experience comes from church school, Christian college, and Reformed Evangelical seminary.
I've attended public elementary school, public high school, and public college.
I was treated second-class at PCC. I've even been asked by some if I were saved when I was in public school. That attitude is about as close to Phariseeism as it gets.
There are times when it's best to send kids to Christian schools. If I lived in Baltimore City, no way would my kids attend a public school. But I have no problems telling folks to take this kind of resoultion and shove it.
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