Catetharsis

I’m reading a book by Douglas Wilson, on education. I have barely scratched the surface of it, but I was particularly struck by his insistence that we not shy away from teaching our children what we believe. He warns against a false idea of neutrality in education, the idea that schools providing an areligious approach are most fair and least biased (by removing God from the picture). Who will then teach about God? The proof from all other religions is that they do not shy away from their bias and belief, but are careful to instruct children in what they believe to be the revealed truth about God. And yet Christians are too often timid in this. Perhaps our standards and expectations are too much defined by popular opinion and social pressure.

We saints should shed the catechisms of the world,

and from our shoulders cast the true-rhymed lie,

that, standing, we might straighten long-bent spines:

so shall th’ opresséd mind of man unfurl.

Now let us be the force that fills the sails.

Instruct, because we see beyond the fence,

past balanced Baals, neutrality’s vain pretence.

Yes! Fearless, we shall shake our woollen veil.