Classical Christian Education

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Questions and Answers

What is Andrew Seeley's role at the Augustine Institute?

Director of Advanced Formation for Educators

What is the setting for the beginning of the Odyssey?

An uncertain Bronze Age world

What is the character's situation at the beginning of the Odyssey?

Father missing in action, mother lost in grief, and influenced by licentious peers

Who helps the character in the Odyssey?

Athena disguised as Mentor, Nestor, Eumaeus, and Eurycleia Signup and view all the answers

What do the characters Athena, Nestor, Eumaeus, and Eurycleia teach the protagonist?

Piety, devotion, and virtues, while modeling well-ordered homes and introducing him to virtuous peers Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of the characters' influence on the protagonist?

To move him toward becoming a mature adult Signup and view all the answers

What does Andrew Seeley's work involve?

Re-thinking classical education to make it fully Christian while drawing on the best of the past Signup and view all the answers

What is required to accomplish Andrew Seeley's task?

Several decades and a new generation of leaders formed under classical education Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of classical education, as described in the text?

The primary goal of classical education is the multi-dimensional formation of students under the tutelage of virtuous guides for the sake of long-term flourishing. Signup and view all the answers

What are the seven areas in which classical education aims to nurture students?

The seven areas are intellectual, moral, aesthetic, spiritual, physical, practical, and social. Signup and view all the answers

Why does classical education begin at the end, as stated in the text?

Classical education begins at the end because it knows that the child is the father of the man or the mother of the woman the child will become. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary responsibility of classical educators, according to the text?

Classical educators are responsible not only to the students sitting in front of them but also to the adults they will become. Signup and view all the answers

What should determine the means of classical education, according to the text?

The ends should determine the means. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of works are prioritized in classical education, according to the text?

Works of art, literature, music, history, mathematics, natural science, philosophy, and theology that explore and exhibit the human condition, the natural world, and the divine in rich, beautiful, and revealing ways. Signup and view all the answers

Why is 'classical antiquity' not the primary criteria for inclusion in classical curricula, according to the text?

Because classical education is not limited to the study of ancient Greece and Rome, but rather seeks to explore and exhibit the human condition, the natural world, and the divine in a broader sense. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between classical schools and Classics departments, according to the text?

Classical schools are not primary and secondary versions of Classics departments. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Integration of Theology in Classical Education

Descartes lists theology as a part of classical education, but it is not fully integrated into the system.
Andrew Seeley, PhD, is the Director of Advanced Formation for Educators at the Augustine Institute and co-founder of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education.

The Purpose of Classical Education

Classical education aims to form students by nurturing them intellectually, morally, aesthetically, spiritually, physically, practically, and socially.
The goal is to promote long-term flourishing and help students become mature adults.

The Role of Teachers in Classical Education

Teachers in classical education play a crucial role in guiding students, similar to Athena, Nestor, Eumaeus, and Eurycleia in the Odyssey.
They invite students into a richer, truer story about their origins, identity, and purpose, demonstrating piety, devotion, and virtues.

Key Aspects of Classical Education

Classical education prioritizes works of art, literature, music, history, mathematics, natural science, philosophy, and theology that explore the human condition, natural world, and the divine.
The curriculum is designed to nurture the holistic and integrated formation of students.
The ends of classical education determine the means, and the focus is on long-term flourishing rather than short-term gains.

Misconceptions about Classical Education

Classical education is not limited to classical antiquity; it includes works from various periods and genres.
Classical schools are not primary and secondary versions of Classics departments; they aim to provide a well-rounded education.

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Description

This quiz explores the integration of theology in classical education, influenced by philosophers such as Descartes, Aquinas, and Newman. It discusses the importance of reforming classical education to make it fully Christian.