[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ast time, we discussed how our friend Charlotte approached the knowledge of the Old Testament. Today, we’ll discuss the New Testament. Honestly, because I think of the Bible as one big whole, I found it fascinating that she approached the New Testament so differently from the Old, and yet I appreciate her reasoning and believe I might begin incorporating her thoughts into what we are doing, beginning with my Circle Time plans for next term {which have yet to be written, of course}.
As a quick disclaimer, I am not saying that this is the only way to study Bible, or that Bible ought to be studied this way. I simply find Charlotte’s ways to be incredibly thoughtful and worth pondering, even though most of us then tinker with things to make them fit our families. I also think it is helpful if we separate Charlotte’s ideas about what is a good way to spend time in the classroom with what our families do outside of the classroom. I know there is no fine line in home education which neatly divides “school” from “non-school,” however, comma, I do not think that all of this is the same as family worship. It would be in addition to not in place of.
Ahem.
The New Testament
The quote I used before in praise of the Old Testament is a good starting point for discussing the handling of the new:
[I]t is probably true that the teaching of the New Testament, not duly grounded upon or accompanied by that of the Old, fails to result in such thought of God, wide, all-embracing, all-permeating, as David, for example, gives constant expression to in the Psalms. Let us have faith and courage to give children such a full and gradual picture of Old Testament history that they unconsciously perceive for themselves a panoramic view of the history of mankind typified by that of the Jewish nation as it is unfolded in the Bible.
Just as the goal of reading the Old Testament over and over is not just simply to better understand our God, but to have a full understanding of the New Testament, so not rushing through the New Testament when children are young is to promote the same. The purpose of Charlotte’s methodical plan is to ground them in understanding.
Ages Six to Twelve
Charlotte tells us that the lower forms read in turns each of the Synoptic Gospels. That, my friends, is a very slow reading — something that even I can pull off! So far, I am encouraged.
A good question to ask here, though, is why we would have them “simply” read the life of Christ over … and over … and over. Granted, they are reading three different Gospels, but we all know they are more similar than different.
I should like to urge the importance of what may be called a poetic presentation of the life and teaching of Our Lord. The young reader should experience in this study a curious and delightful sense of harmonious development, of the rounding out of each incident, of the progressive unfolding which characterises Our Lord’s teaching.”
James Taylor would be thrilled to know that by poetic she means no analysis. Charlotte herself quotes another on this point:
We are at present in a phase of religious thought, Christian and pseudo-Christian, when a synthetic study of the life and teaching of Christ may well be of use. We have analysed until the mind turns in weariness from the broken fragments…
Our goal, then, is for the child to form a unified whole, the fullest picture of Christ it is possible for them to have. This is poetic in its more traditional sense. Interestingly enough, though, it is also poetic in the literal sense in that children are then answering exam questions concerning the New Testament in the form of poetry, expressing their Scriptural knowledge with a poetic impulse. Considering that most poetry is written from a place where we feel deeply, this is, in my opinion, evidence of Charlotte’s great success. In building, gently and methodically, a whole picture of Christ, the children have cultivated deep understanding and love.
As far as I can tell, at this age they simply read {or were read to} and then narrated. Charlotte explicitly says very little teaching ought to be done as
…the danger of boring young listeners by such teaching is great…
This boredom would lessen the poetic impulse we are seeking to feed.
Ages Twelve to Fifteen
In Form IV, John and Acts were added to the student’s diet. Form IV roughly corresponds to the American conception of eighth and/or ninth grade. Commentaries were not mentioned for the earlier ages, but they are definitely suggested for this stage. Narration is not mentioned, but considering what we know of Miss Mason, I think it is safely assumed.
Ages Fifteen to Eighteen
Here is where children study the Epistles and Revelation. I see the wisdom in this, especially considering that the children are also on their third reading of the Old Testament at this age. If you recall the quote I posted a while back from Eugene Peterson’s Reversed Thunder:
Everything in the Revelation can be found in the previous sixty-five books of the Bible. The Revelation adds nothing of substance to what we already know. The truth of the gospel is already complete, revealed in Jesus Christ.
I did a little research and learned that, on average, each verse of Revelation has more than one quotation or paraphrase of the Old Testament. We do not tend to catch these, but our children may, if they are offered the gift of this sort of education.
Other Material
Charlotte also mentions the things which do not fall neatly into the above categories:
The Catechism, Prayer-book, and Church History are treated with suitable text-books much in the same manner and give opportunities for such summing-up of Christian teaching as is included in the so-called dogmas of the Church. We find that Sundays together with the time given to preparation for Confirmation afford sufficient opportunities for this teaching.
I am unsure at what age Confirmation occurred, nor am I enlightened as to what this involved. If you have such knowledge, please share your thoughts with us in the comments!
What Our Family Actually Does, What I’m Adding/Changing
I was debating over whether or not to include this, but I decided I will. Our church does not have a Prayer Book, but other than that, things line up fairly neatly. {I would be curious to know how one uses a Prayer Book at home — is it a daily thing? What is a Prayer Book anyhow?}
In Circle Time, we read a story from the Old Testament, and everyone six and older {which, as of now, is only two of my children} must narrate. We began in Genesis a year or two ago, and we are in Judges right now. I had never considered the benefit of chronological education, but I like it, so I’m going to try and figure out how to do it correctly.
In addition to the Old Testament story, we read one chapter of Proverbs {whichever chapter matches the day’s date} and one Psalm {we are working our way through from start to finish}. After we finish Psalms, I plan to go through Job before returning to Psalms.
My oldest is reading through the Gospel of John on his own. I haven’t been having him narrate, which is a mistake I ought to remedy. It is my favorite, so I never considered that he ought to read the Synoptics first. After John, I will have him read the two Synoptics he hasn’t yet read. {My husband is kind enough to break them into readings for me.} He began reading the gospels in Year Three. I am considering adding a daily New Testament story to Circle Time, but haven’t yet committed one way or the other.
He is also reading through Romans because we are taking a Romans class at church. I know Charlotte would probably frown on this, but he really likes the class, and I find he is absorbing Romans more than I expected. The class gives us a small reading {a paragraph or two} as “homework” for each week. Every day, he reads that assignment in a different translation: KJV, NASP, NKJV and NIV. He tells me he likes the King James best. {He is a strange child, but I must agree it is the the most beautiful of all available options.}
We are currently using the Children’s Catechism. I don’t know where we’ll head after that — Westminster or Heidelberg. It’s a toss-up right now! This fits into our memory binder, along with Scripture memory. They are memorizing various Psalms and parables, which is something Charlotte mentions in her Formidable List of Attainments for a Child of Six, but does not mention in her section on Bible lessons.
I am researching commentaries. I would like to add one in the next year or so, if I can find something that works well.
AmblesideOnline incorporates Church History into the curriculum, so I just do what I’m told. Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula is read over the first six years. I would like to see my children do King’s Meadow Study Center’s Christendom course in high school.
After reading through all of this, I find myself wanting to do more as Charlotte did, not less. Her approach makes a lot of sense to me, and what I am doing now is similar {due to her influence, not any inherent wisdom on my part}, so I think it’d be easy to switch. I won’t drop the Psalms/Proverbs/Job plan, though. I like it too much, and I never know where to place Job anyhow.
What does your family do? Does Charlotte make you want to change anything?
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