Book Review: Exploring the History and Philosophy of C.E., by Anthony and Benson

It is always gratifying to see attention paid to the perennial ideas and ideals, the importance of understanding the events and lessons of history, and to the appreciation of the classics in any educational enterprise. Perhaps more so today, it is cause to celebrate when that attention happens in the context of theological education. An informal survey of courses of study in theological schools will reveal a diminishing opportunity for being introduced in any systematic way to the history and philosophy of educational thought and Christian education.

So it was with some anticipation that this reviewer read Michael J. Anthony and Warren S. Benson’s volume on the history and philosophy of Christian education, Exploring the History and Philosophy of Christian Education: Principles for the 21st Century (Grand Rapids: Kregal Publications, 2003. 443 pages. $22.99. ISBN 0-8254-2023-7).

While the organization and coverage of the text offers a traditional Western approach that is recognizable to those who appreciate “old school,” sadly, it has little to contribute by way of new insight, interpretation, or challenge to the contemporary reader. The coverage of history and philosophies which impact Christian education extends up to the twentieth century, but ends with a cursory treatment of the very influential impact of existentialism, and almost no treatment of substance of postmodernism, a school of thought that, regardless of what extent one sees as relevant, should nevertheless be dealt with critically by any student of history, philosophy, and education.

This is at best an introductory college-level textbook. The coverage and treatment of the subject at hand is much too simplistic, at times understated to the point of inaccuracy, to allow for deep understanding of the subject. For example, the extent of the reference to the Odyssey is the statement that it is “the account of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who makes an arduous journey home from the battlefield” (p. 47). There are too many oversimplifications like, “People worshiped Greek gods more out of fear for how the gods could hurt them than out of a genuine desire to express their appreciation and affection for the gods. They presented offerings more to avoid future punishment than to express heartfelt thanksgiving” (p. 48). The book also suffers from an over reliance on educational, theological, and philosophical dictionaries and general works as well as some puzzling sources like the All Color Book of Greek Mythology (Pattrick, London: Octopus, 1972).

The authors provide what they call “three major emphases” throughout the book. The first is the placing of the historical content under examination into a broader context through the use of a timeline list under the caption “What in the world?” This is a sidebar feature that is somewhat helpful. The second is the use of textboxes (sidebars) that provide an (overly) interpretive summary of the material under discussion. The third feature is a final chapter section labeled “So What?” in which the authors summarize and attempt to apply “principles or lessons” (hence the subtitle) from the material—a sort of whack on the side of the head for those who may have difficulty connecting the dots on their own. Unfortunately, the principles offered are not helpful generally. More often than not they seem disconnected from the content coverage and intended more to reaffirm a predisposed philosophical stance. For example, the “So What?” list for Chapter 1, Hebrew Origins of Christian Education includes, “1. God desires to use people to accomplish His purpose on earth,” and “3. Ministry is about relationships.” Likewise for Chapter 2, Greek Education and Philosophical Thought, the “So What?” list includes, “1. Christian education must be more than rote memory,” “2. The curriculum of Christian education must be fully integrated,” and “3. Scope and sequence of Bible-related curriculum must consider basic tenants of human development.”

The book has a decidedly conservative evangelical perspective, including a lack of attention to inclusive language (God is always “He”). This work may provide a good introductory text for Christian and parochial high schools or a college religion course. But we’ll have to continue to wait for a more critical contemporary review treatment of the history and philosophy of Christian education for advanced programs of study.