Are All School Subjects Religious—Even Math?

This post is the second in a five post series about homeschooling. All of these posts are previews of topics I cover in more detail in my book Faithful Parents, Faithful Children which is available for free in the Amazon Kindle store now through Tuesday (2/12/2013), and is always available in print in our store. If you would like to get updates on the rest of this series, please join our growing community by Liking our Facebook page. Today’s preview comes from a chapter on neutrality in education, as in, there isn’t any.

Students Should Learn to Understand ALL Subjects in a Christian Way

…bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

2 Corinthians 10:5

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ

Colossians 2:8

The idea that neutrality may exist in any classroom is an evil illusion. It attempts to create a middle ground between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of man. Jesus has told us there is no middle ground. In all areas of our existence we are either for Him or against Him. Nothing else exists. The problem then is in our seeing, or lack of seeing, the lines of battle accurately. The apostle Paul explains the authority of Christ to the Colossian church like this:

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead: that in all things he might have preeminence. And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself: by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:16–20

When Paul teaches that, “all things were created by him, and for him…” and “that in all things he might have preeminence,” this leaves no room for the possibility of neutrality. Jesus has not agreed that some parts of life or study may be less than distinctive in honoring Him. Paul emphasizes his point in Colossians 2:2–3 saying:

…their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

It is these treasures of wisdom and knowledge we seek to impart to our children. If our children are going to attain the “full assurance of understanding” that Paul tells us is the goal, we have to inculcate “the acknowledgement of the mystery of God” in everything we teach. The sinful mind of man always seeks to take steps away from this truth. As we do so our message is quickly lost. Alternative ideas rush in, agreeing with the world that God is irrelevant to what we are doing. This silence of the truth brings ruin for our children and our churches. Silence is not neutral. It is, rather, a vote for the doctrines of man and a dethroning of the doctrines of God. The acceptance of the myth of neutrality is an alliance with the enemies of our faith.

For Christian Culture,

Don Schanzenbach,

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