Why are students’ affections an important part of education?
- Dr. Timothy Dernlan
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
By cultivating proper affections, we ensure that students are not just educated in knowledge but also morally aligned with God’s truth.
Training students to love the right things in a right way is a central component of classical Christian education. The cultivation of proper affections calibrates the hearts and minds of students to align with a love for what God loves and a hatred for what God hates. This proper formation and alignment of affections serve as a moral compass for graduates to serve as ethical Christian leaders, spouses, parents, and citizens throughout life.
Why do we focus on not just what students know, but also what they love in a classical Christian education?
Think about tuning a musical instrument. If the strings are out of tune, no matter how well you play, the music will sound off. But when the strings are perfectly tuned, the music is beautiful and harmonious.
Classical Christian education is like tuning the strings of a student’s heart and mind. It’s not just about filling their heads with knowledge but about training them to love the right things in the right way. When students learn to love what God loves and reject what He hates, their lives become harmonious, guided by a moral compass that leads them to be ethical leaders, spouses, parents, and citizens.
Martin Luther said, "I am afraid that schools will prove to be the great gates of hell unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the hearts of youth."
By cultivating proper affections, we ensure that students are not just educated in knowledge but also morally aligned with God’s truth.
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