Things Catholic, philosophical and educational

An interesting book crossed my path a few weeks ago: Recovering a Catholic Philosophy of Elementary Education by Professor Curtis Hancock of Rockhurst University, USA. It is published by Newman House Press. (See here and here for online reviews.)

It is striking to see a title which places words like 'Catholic', 'philosophy' and 'education' in one sentence. This is a pleasing reminder that education - and not just Catholic education - is first and foremost a philosophical endeavour. So often contemporary education is understood solely as a preparation for work and/or a training in so-called transferable skills.

What is striking about this short book is its clear critique of what have become the guiding poles of much contemporary educational thought. Hancock maps out the intellectual territory of Catholic education and identifies the implicitly and explicitly hostile ideologies which have encamped on this territory, often by innocent invitation. Hancock is not a contrarian but his book allows the reader to see just where and how certain fashionable viewpoints sit uneasily with the Catholic worldview.

The final chapter of the book is entitled 'Confronting the Idols of the Educational Tribe', a deliciously provocative look at the tension between Catholic ideas and the following themes: 1) values-neutral education; 2) the naturalist worldview; 3) the educational though of Rousseau and Dewey; 4) the question of truth; 5) Kohlberg's 'stages of moral development'; 6) Gardner's 'multiple intelligences' and 7) social construct theory (constructivism). There is much food for thought here for all educators…

The weakness (if we can call it that) of this book, paradoxically, is the title. It would be a great shame if only teachers in Catholic elementary schools were to read this book as its scope reaches far beyond elementary education and, indeed, Catholic education. It is a radical rethinking of the very soul of what has come to be known as 'progressive education'.

One last thought: Professor Hancock's book is not an obituary for a failed system; it is a manifesto for the future.

'Teaching the Tradition'

Recent years have seen the publication of a number of interesting volumes on Catholic education. For example, Stratford Caldecott's two books Beauty for Truth's Sake and Beauty in the Word offer some challenging perspectives on the unique Catholic vision of education. Alongside these two short monographs, the recently published Teaching the Tradition: Catholic Themes in Academic Disciplines  (Morey and Piderit, Eds.) is set to become a classic volume on education. I do not say this lightly, so let me explain.

The theme of Catholic education is never far from the surface of contemporary debate on education. It is right that this should be the case as the roots of modern education lie in the monastic schools which were dotted around Europe in medieval times. Catholic educational thought is hence the parent of education today!

Dr. Morey and Fr. Piderit's scholarly volume shows why any Catholic educational institution should do far more than simply add a course in 'Religious Education' or 'Theology' to a standard 'secular' curriculum. Catholic educators will be reminded of (or even introduced to) the distinctive Catholic approach to knowledge. Of course, there is no such thing as 'Catholic Maths' or 'Catholic Modern Languages': this is not a claim of the book. The Catholic educational body, rather, seeks to teach from a perspective which sees all knowledge as part of the revelation of God to humanity. This volume succeeds in setting out in an innovative way just how a Catholic (Higher) Education institution can configure a rigorous 'Catholic syllabus' in the tense, utilitarian and target-driven world of contemporary education.

If you know any teachers in Catholic schools or Higher Education institutions who are searching for good reading material for forthcoming winter staff development sessions, this book is worth a look. Its availability via Oxford Scholarship Online should help it gain a wide readership.

Back to School 2012

Across the world, schools, colleges and universities are returning to their mission of teaching and scholarship. The sense of renewal which affects educators at this time reminds us that good education is itself a process of on-going renewal of the human person in the light of the wisdom and traditions which we have been privileged to receive. As educators, despite the often dazzling mountains of forward-planning documents around us, we do not yet know what this academic year will bring: education, thankfully, is full of surprises. What we can do, however, is to constantly seek excellence in our profession, both in the 'grand' schemes and in the minutiae of daily life. Most of all, let us treasure the opportunity we have been given to help young (and not so young) people in their integral formation. This is how we can  - and should - make a difference.

'Taking Education Seriously' has not published over the summer months. Normal service is now resuming. Many heartfelt thanks to all who consult this blog and send me their comments and thoughts. I wish you all a good 'academic' new year.

Pope Benedict XVI: Education as the Shaping of Hearts

In the seven years of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI has offered to all people the fruits of his lifetime’s scholarship in areas such as liturgy and the relationship between faith and reason. He has travelled widely and spoken to diverse audiences about the role of religion and belief in a plural society. For this he has been both applauded and contradicted.

What is less apparent is his growing engagement with educational matters. Indeed, of all recent Popes he is the one who shown the greatest solicitude for the welfare of both schools and institutions of higher learning. (See this blog’s post of January 2, 2012). This should not surprise us as his interest in philosophy leads naturally to an interest in education - itself a branch of philosophy. As has been noted previously, Pope Benedict’s interest is not limited to the affairs and workings of Catholic schools but extends to all modes of education.

His recent address to some American bishops is a case in point. There is much here which, unsurprisingly, refers to expressions of Catholic identity in education. Within these wider thoughts, we catch once again rich and valuable glimpses of his broader educational philosophy emerging from comments which are rooted in the context of the Catholic mission of education:

‘… the essential task of authentic education at every level is not simply that of passing on knowledge, essential as this is, but also of shaping hearts.’


The authentic secular educator recognises the truth of this statement. It is a safeguard against expressions of schooling which have an inordinate focus on preparation for work, exam results, school league tables and the gaining of national and international awards. Pope Benedict reminds us all that education which is not heartfelt is no longer an education but has become a rude and mediocre system of human training for mechanistic ends.

Finally, I read into this extract the following message to Catholic schools: keep on reforming your ways of working, avoid the rush to seek approval from the agencies of the state and, most importantly, see your school as a ‘sign of contradiction’ to educational philosophies and practices which are not aligned to the Catholic worldview.

Do you believe in a tolerant society? I do!

One neuralgic issue for all schools today is how to address the question of  marriage in Religious Education lessons and other school activities. Certainly those in favour of changing the traditional understanding of marriage as between one man and one woman (henceforth ‘marriage’) have largely succeeded in fighting the battle on the territory they have chosen. Supporters of marriage have constantly to respond to accusations that they are promoting attitudes which promote backwardness, bigotry and intolerance. It is clear that the issue of marriage is becoming enmeshed in wider arguments about the role of religious ways of thinking in a secular society.

The UK press tends to give a reasonable hearing to both sides of the argument. A recent article and associated comments in the Guardian exemplifies the mindset of some of those who wish to redefine marriage. Another article in the Telegraph (written by an atheist) states the case for Catholic schools to teach from a Catholic position and explains why Catholic schools will always support and teach the value of marriage.

What is of concern is how the state will deal with schools which cannot assent to the proposed new definitions of marriage  - assuming it ever becomes law.  I refer here principally but not exclusively to Catholic schools. Although we are often told that we live in a plural society, the Guardian article above is testament to how far we have to go to achieve a genuine pluralism in the UK.

This issue will be in the news for a while and educators are once again in the front line.

Revisiting Jacques Maritain’s 'Education at the Crossroads'

A classic but often neglected work on education is the French philosopher Jacques Maritain’s Education at the Crossroads. This short and readable volume is based on a series of lectures given at Yale University during the Second Word War. Maritain made no attempt to disguise his attachment to Catholic philosophy and proposed a carefully nuanced vision of education based on Catholic anthropology which would be of value to all who have an interest in good education. As such, he is both a Catholic philosopher of education and a philosopher of Catholic education…

The book merits careful reading as a whole but some brief sketching of its lines of argument can be helpful. Maritain joins the philosopher Hannah Arendt and the historian Christopher Dawson in identifying a cultural crisis in education. For Maritain, education is the process which makes the person fully alive. Wisdom is the key to good life and, for Maritain, there is danger in reducing education to the teaching of sets of skills without a clear focus on the moral and human development of the human person. Maritain’s curriculum for a liberal education (Chapter III) is hence a plan for a study of the ‘great achievements of the human mind’: philosophy, theology, classical literature and poetry are all there - although he courts controversy by not including Latin, Greek and Hebrew in his proposals.


In modern times, Pope Benedict XVI has drawn on similar ideas to diagnose an ‘educational emergency’ in the west. For all of these profound thinkers, an education system which is not rooted in the fertile stream of tradition is one which lacks the vital resources needed in order to nourish the young generation. Education which does not look beyond the teaching of skills and aptitudes is no longer education but training.

A final thought: the authentic educator should be an agent of both conservation and change in education; the authentic educator does not simply ‘deliver’ a curriculum designed to meet the perceived needs of an economic system; the authentic educator simply educates.

What can we do to steer our education systems back on to the firm rock of tradition?

Palm Sunday 2012

As the Christian liturgical calendar journeys through the great ceremonies of Holy Week and  Easter, the educator does not and cannot stand by in disinterested observation. There are rich and profound educational lessons here which sit alongside the rich and profound theological mysteries of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The secular world celebrates the 'spring festival' and watches in wonder as nature comes alive and new life bursts into the gardens, fields and valleys of our land. The Christian too rejoices at these signs of  'new life' and uses these propitious moments to proclaim that the human spirit and body can be renewed no matter how tough life can be. This theme of renewal and hope should not, of course, be unique to the Christian. All of us can look beyond the confines of our own memories and experiences and find in education the key which unlocks the potential within us to live an authentically human life.

Good education offers a new life of hope for those who have been beaten down by the scourges of materialism and family breakdown.

Good education opens our mind to the great thinkers of the past and allows us to draw inspiration from their works and words.

Good education allows students and teachers to look to the future with a joyful hope which is not enclosed by the fear of failure and the search for an undefined 'relevance'.

Good education helps to break down the barriers of unjust discrimination, sectarianism and narrow-mindedness. These vices flourish in a sea of ignorance but cannot resist the light of wisdom.

The important role of the educator cannot be overestimated. Let us all truly take education seriously.