The Liberal Arts Tradition

Here is another summary study of a book being read by our school board.

The Paradigm of the Liberal Arts Tradition

We have been gifted with the seven liberal arts tradition, which adds arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music to the base three subjects of grammar, logic and rhetoric.  Acknowledgments are made of those that have started the movement of what is called classical Christian education.  While the 7 subjects provide a well trained intellect they do not address what makes a Christian whole. 

Their thesis is to incorporate subjects like piety, gymnastics, music, liberal arts, philosophy and theology to enable students to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength. 

A subject like piety is recognized as a necessary focus for it was the end goal of any virtue that was valued.  The beginning of a true education must be with God as in loving God first so that all things are understood through a students love for Him.  Theology was to be a subject that informs other subjects.  Students are to be grounded in piety and governed by theology. 

Gymnastics and music allow for the body to be incorporated in a love for God (piety).  Training of the body brings discipline of mind as does training in music, which as a subject adds the element of beauty and joy.

Liberal arts that include an emphasis on linguistics and mathematics teach students not just what to think but how to think. 

The point is made that even when incorporating all of the liberal arts with a focus on piety that it is not enough.  All subjects are, in their most basic essence, tools of learning.  But when you provide students with these strong tools they become foundations to build upon.

Finally, the authors want the reader to know that their use of philosophy is not as it is used in modern studies but in truest sense of the word, which is a love of wisdom.  This allows the subject to incorporate moral sciences such as ethics and politics.  Combining the natural science and moral science is compared to understanding the transcendent Christ to the incarnate Christ.

The book will now look at the categories of piety, gymnastics, music, liberal arts, philosophy and theology.