Across the Christian world, the feast of St. John the Evangelist on December 27 is a timely moment to remember the famous opening of his Gospel: 'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.'
These famous lines, so often recited in grave tones in churches across the world, are one of the first signs of the Christian engagement with concepts arising from Greek philosophy. It is here that the roots of the partnership between faith and reason are found - and from this dynamic partnership emerged the Catholic intellectual tradition which, as we know, is the foundation of western education.
Perhaps we can use these days of rest to reflect on the roots of our contemporary educational systems. This is not a call to remain fixed (or fixated) in the past but it is our duty as educators to become more and more familiar with the family tree of educational thought in order to plant the seeds for the future.
Once again, happy Christmas 2013.
