Date

3-2020

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Gary Bredfeldt

Keywords

Classical Christian, Trivium, Christian Education, Christian Formation

Disciplines

Biblical Studies | Christianity | Religion

Abstract

Training young people to love and serve God is an important responsibility shared by both parents and church leaders. This study explored one approach to that mandate: classical Christian education, a modern revival of a centuries-long tradition. The modern renewal began in the 1980’s after a near century-long hiatus during which time classical methodology was replaced by a progressive, secular approach. Currently, research is still minimal, therefore this study seeks to fill a gap regarding this unique Christian pedagogy. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to determine if any perceived relationships exist between the distinguishing characteristics of classical Christian education and students’ Christian formation at three K-12 classical Christian schools. The research questions address four overarching elements of this educational approach: Trivium methodology, a high view of mankind, curricular integration, and an emphasis on Western civilization. Data was collected through classroom observations, interviews with teachers and parent/student groups, and homework assignments. In this multiple case study, each of the three schools was considered one bounded case. A within-case analysis was conducted on the first case, then replicated on the second and third cases. A cross-case analysis compared the findings, and conclusions were drawn regarding the potential connections between classical Christian education and students’ Christian formation.

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