Live your theology.

I think this is a symptom of the Western tendency to subcontract out what we don’t want to do ourselves. Homeschooling is easily supported from Scripture but sending your kids to be given a secular education by somebody who, believer or not, is functionally required to teach as an unbeliever. It is an emotional issue for parents who don’t homeschool and it is so culturally ingrained that many parents don’t give it a second thought.

Of course I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t point out that this tendency to subcontract out stuff also is commonplace in ministry where many Christians are quite content to delegate ministry to a professional instead of the entire Body being responsible for sharing the work.

I agree, I think the reason why so few pastors are bi-vocational is because everything has been left in their laps. Too often they’re in situations where their job is being the sole person willing or able to teach, counsel, disciple, visit, evangelize, etc.

It’s clear that at least *some* teaching must be delegated, or else God wouldn’t have teachers in his church. The children of Ephesus, for example, were being taught by St. Paul as he instructed them directly through his letter. Also, our baptismal vows teach as much… there’s an educational component in the life of the body of Christ.
-Tim Prussic
prussic.wordpress.com

I wouldn’t disagree with that at all, but I also don’t view it as delegation. I see the teaching Paul instructs us to submit to (that given by Pastors & Elders) as something in addition to, rather than in the place of the teaching given by parents to their children.

I’m understanding delegation to be doling out the parental responsibility to some other party not given room for by the Scriptures.

Not sure how far you mean to take this but the passage in Deuteronomy is referring specifically to the commandments of God. I don’t think it is saying “you must teach your own children math”. Not to say that math or any subject is neutral but simply to point out that there is a context for the verse. The church and the synagogue both have a long history of assisting parents in education and that is appropriate don’t you think? If I am following your line of thinking then should I not send my children to Sunday School because I am surrendering my responsibility to teach them myself? There is no direct scriptural mandate for Sunday School teachers.

Obviously I don’t think homeschooling is the only way to educate your children. IMHO The most important factor is parental oversight. If the parents are daily instructing at home then I see no problem with a godly man or woman teaching your child to add and subtract. When parents interview at Heritage I explain it as “this is your job and we are here to help you meet your obligation before God. You are responsible for your child’s education.”

Second, if you take this to mean that a parent is responsible for directly teaching all academic subjects then at what point does that end? Does that mean that I am violating a clear command from God if I cannot teach my son high school chemistry or trigonometry? Or has that command been fulfilled if I home-school until he is 14? I would think that in theological education my instruction to my children would if anything become more rigorous as they age, but I have to confess that my ability to teach them some subjects that may have a God-given talent for would be completely inadequate. In other words, If I am still obligated to teach my children in high school (which I definitely think I am) then I would still be obligated to teach them everything else they need to know.

For the record I agree that most people (Christians and non-Christians) do not see their child’s education as their responsibility and that if there is not regular instruction by the parents at home it is a clear violation of God’s command.

I agree with you about there being no direct mandate for Sunday School teachers, but I don’t think the passage is condemning additional teaching made by godly men and women as something to be avoided. Rather I think it’s a positive command to be the one bringing up our children (morning, evening, on the road — it’s an all day life thing).

Parents, this is your role to fill. This is your obligation. I’m not on board with the notion that “I’ll make sure someone takes care of that” is acceptable.

I have no quarrel with assistance. If you value a certain skillset for your child you think is critical to their increase in godliness & are unable to teach it, by all means seek the help of another. But that’s the exception, rather than the rule.
I’ve long been at the point where I believe homeschooling to be the absolute best method of educating your child. I’m not yet willing to say that anything other than is a sin, though. However, I do find the reasoning for assigning someone else (godly though they may be) as the primary educator and intellectual influencer of your child as soon as they hit 5 to be lacking. I feel it’s a reflection of the state’s educational standards and ideals rather than Scripture’s.

I think that we mostly agree. I don’t think that parents are necessarily assigning someone else to be the primary educator and influencer when they send their children to school. If you are doing your job as a parent that should not be the case. No one on staff at Heritage sees themselves as the primary influence in a students life. In summary, I don’t think that you can say that every school is a reflection of the state’s educational standards since schools predate state education. What we can say is that the idea you expressed that the school (or by extension in most cases the state) should be the primary influence in shaping your child is unbiblical.

I already knew we did. But I will pose this to you… though Heritage is THE top notch Christian school (I have a link to it!), and no one on the staff sees themselves as the primary influence in a student’s life… does the daily operation truly reflect that? I’m not trying to bait you, but it’s just a different facet of my concern.

What I mean is, the child will wake up and head to school for let’s say 7 hours, they get home and have 4-5 hours of time where all the training is supposed to happen (minus time needed for homework – which can be considerable, minus chores/food/play). My point is, with the system we have in place, though the intent isn’t to become the sole steady influencer, I feel the result is the opposite in spite of good intentions.

I don’t feel baited. And thanks for the vote of confidence. :) That is not a difficult question. Many parents do rely on the school too heavily, but that is not a flaw with the school but with the parents. While I am not great a math I think that the average student spends no more than 25% of their waking hours at school.
For some parents the problem is that the 75% is an inconvenience. What I think presents the greatest problem in Christian schools is that parents feel that their child’s happiness is the most important priority, but maybe that is a seperate post.

I don’t feel baited. And thanks for the vote of confidence. :) That is not a difficult question. Many parents do rely on the school too heavily, but that is not a flaw with the school but with the parents. While I am not great a math I think that the average student spends no more than 25% of their waking hours at school.
For some parents the problem is that the 75% is an inconvenience. What I think presents the greatest problem in Christian schools is that parents feel that their child’s happiness is the most important priority, but maybe that is a seperate post.