Here are a few Christmas wishes for 2011.

1. To Albert Pujols: I hope that all the money makes up for the fact that you had the opportunity to be the greatest sports icon in the most positive and rabid baseball town (Philly is more rabid, but negative) in the world. You left because they did not respect you?!?!?! C’mon man! They loved you. Good luck with this in an invented place. Coal for you!
2. To Jimmy Rollins: Love for you in the city of brotherly love. May your commitment to stay be as blessed as possible. Maybe another ring under the tree?
3. To Wendell Berry: Recently reading some of your best paragraphs. Brilliant! May you have a quiet and peaceful day with your family gathered round…and a good walk through a familiar and thick woods.
4. To Peter Leithart: Your blog is a blessing to read, but I fear that you might be reading, thinking, and writing too fast. You’re both and inspiration and a mystery. My wish for you is a long night’s sleep. Enjoy.
5. To the United States: A new government. This one is broken and its pettiness (on both sides) is making me sort of dread opening the paper in the morning. We borrow 40% of every dollar we spend. 40%!!!! We need an intervention. Hope it comes in 2012.
6. To my faculty and staff: Good work this year. Sleep soundly over break.
7. To my students: Drink deeply from the fountains of life. Christ Himself is the deepest fountain. Love God first with all your heart and do whatever you please with all of your heart!

I am going to try to go without my computer for a few days—this will feel like Linus without a blanket. See you in the New Year!

The project, however, is not over. It is only at the beginning. The goal of the project is to reintroduce our children (and ourselves) to our fathers—in the faith and in the flow of things called Western Civilization. We are still just learning how to do this. We have a lot of work to do. That said, I am proud of what we have accomplished. I am proud mainly of our students (both at Veritas Academy and in other schools and homeschools who are using Omnibus). They are becoming something more substantial than I was at their age (something more than what I could have even contemplated at their age) they are becoming culturally more whole and complete. They know their own story. This does not mean that they are immediately more mature. Sometimes, as parents, we imagine that our children can cut short childhood if we just give them a rigorous Christian education. This is a misnomer (and thank God that it is). Children (even ones who have read Boethius) still need to learn by doing and still make poor decisions—this means that they reflect us not just their education.

Here is what I am thankful for, however (especially in light of our recent Christmas Concert). Our children understand their identity better than we did. They know who they are and they know who the most pertinent stories that help them understand who they are much better than we did. And (or AND) they are beginning to love some things that we did not love. They see the beauty is complex and difficult thoughts, songs, pieces of music, poetry, theological concepts, proper dress, literature, and political philosophy. They still understand this immaturely, but they are beginning to value these things. In The Abolition of Man, Lewis talks about forming the tastes of the youth as being the most crucial and critical part of their education. Classical Christian Education supplies the content and philosophical rationale for taste formation. You are (or should be) a follower of Jesus Christ and you should value the culture produced by the work of your forefather’s in the faith who suffered for your sake and gave you a glorious inheritance. You should strive to learn this inheritance and live up to it. As you embrace it, you will find in it deeper and deeper delights, joys, responsibilities, burdens, callings, and work. These were the work of your fathers; they are now yours; you must  improve them where you can and hand them on to your children.

Will this work? I hope so. It is, quite frankly, our only hope culturally and nationally. God can (and may) wipe away the West and send His spirit to raise up new sons in far flung places (Africa, Asia, and South America). When he does this, however, they will begin to become more and more like our fathers—tempered by the rule of law based on God’s Word; affirming of and practitioners of monogamy, fruitfulness, and familial faithfulness. They will look back to our theological heritage, and it will become theirs. Classical Christian education beckons us to look back to our own heritage before it is too late.

This is not the end of an era (I pray) but only a beginning.

Before I begin, however, I should mention a few things. First, it was my wife, Emily, who first did Macbeth with 4^th graders. At the time I was concerned about whether our kids were ready to handle the material academically. I still remember the first time we did the play. It was a blast. As some might have heard, two of the students that participated in that play (there were only ten students) have now been on nationally syndicated television programs. (This, of course, was not part of our strategic plan, but it delights me none the less.) Also, I am the father of one young lady who played the most troubling role in the play—the murderous, ambitious, and eventually insane, Lady Macbeth. So, I have faced the play as a father, a husband, and as headmaster.

Let me deal with the easiest objection (the academic objection first): “Can 4^th grade kids really read and interact with Shakespeare?” At many schools, sadly, the answer is no. The children would not be able to read the material, comprehend it, enjoy it, or love it—as many of our students have come to love it. We are blessed, however, by the work that our Kindergarten through 3^rd grade teachers have done with our children. They can enter in the work and understand. I have seen this again and again year after year. One of the great inducements of our 4^th grade literature list is that it begins to read books that are things that adults might choose to read and for 4^th graders reading the books that their parents love is cool. This book—and Beowulf—which their read aloud in 4^th grade—are stretches. They invest substantial time in Macbeth. They read Beowulf together out loud. So, can our kids handle this book academically—yes, they can!

When one considers the content of Macbeth, particularly the violence, I think that asking whether this content is appropriate is a responsible and important question that parents should ask. First, note that we read a children version of Macbeth—there is still violence, King Duncan is still murdered—but some of the language is updated to make it more appropriate and understandable. (This is helpful for our parents who come to watch Macbeth as well for our children who do the acting.) Even with the scrubbed up version that we use, it is still important to know that learning this material will be helpful to our children rather than damaging. As a father whose daughter played Lady Macbeth, let me tell you the three biggest reasons why doing Macbeth in 4^th grade was a blessing to my daughter. My assertion is that: Reading Macbeth helps our students become better Christians, and more mature people. 

First, the material is very useful to help students understand how sin destroys relationships and lives. The glory of Shakespeare is that he views the world biblically. He does not candy coat sin or make it seem more palatable than it is. Sin destroys lives. It wrecks the moral order. It leads to ruin and destruction. These are the points that we are bringing out to the students as they read about the murder of King Duncan and the subsequent unraveling of Lady Macbeth’s sanity and Macbeth’s rule. Sin has a price and that price is terrible. Fourth graders do not often get the chance to murder kings. They are, however, not too young to begin to murder people with their actions and their words. Studying Macbeth was an excellent time for my daughter (under the thoughtful guidance of Mrs. Arrick) to understand this terrible price. (This has not resulted in her living sinlessly, of course, it has made for some good conversations where I can talk with her about the damage that sin causes.) Reading Macbeth helps 4^th graders to be better Christians.

Reading Macbeth also helped my daughter to become more mature (in a really good way). She did not have nightmares. She did, however, begin to see through other forms of entertainment. We were once watching a movie as a family and someone was injured. She said to her sisters, “The blood is fake. It’s not real.” This sort of stuff has been a great blessing to my family and, rather than scarring her, the study of things like Macbeth, Beowulf, and the Bible has helped my daughters mature.

I have written a number of times about this sort of thing to the school community. My words, however, are much less effective than hearing from a parent who has walked down the road at Veritas. Here I attach a recounting of a phone conversation that I had with Violet Chen about some of her post Veritas experience. What she recognized as her son went into a very challenging environment is that what we were doing with him at Veritas prepared him to be able to stand faithfully. Her son, Jeremy, was our Convocation speaker this year:

The email popped up rather innocuously one morning last week.  A mother of one of our alumni had called and wanted me to call her back.  I was curious.  Families—like this one—usually have a full schedule and do not often call up the headmaster of the school from which their child graduated just to chat.  I called wondering what was up. 

After we exchanged greetings, “Hello,” she said, “I just wanted to call to thank you for all you did for my son.”  She continued to explain the reason for the call.  Her son has gone on to an incredibly challenging and intense academic environment.  Some of the Christian mothers at that university have joined together to pray for their children that their faith would be strong during this challenging time.  One of the young men, sadly, had fallen away from the faith.  His rejection of Christ resulted from reading some powerful unbelieving philosophy (Frederick Nietzsche, to be exact) with his college professor who despises the faith.  In this environment, the young man’s faith wilted. The mothers, of course, have continued to pray for this young man who has lost his way. “That’s terrible,” I said, still wondering about this story’s connection to the phone call.

The mother continued.  Her son, the Veritas alumnus, had the same classes with similar unbelieving professors and similar books to read.  His faith was not destroyed.  Instead, he is involved with campus ministries and is contemplating a life of Christian service.  Now the mother arrived at her point for the call: 

I did not understand everything that you were doing with my son when you were doing it.  In grammar school you were reading Beowulf and other difficult material.  Sometimes my husband and I wondered why you were doing it.  When my son reached secondary school, there were books that you read with him that were both challenging and, we knew, full of philosophy that challenged Christianity.  Now, I understand what you were doing.  He studied these ideas and philosophies in a believing environment with your faculty at Veritas.  Now these ideas do not frighten him. He is able to learn in this challenging environment without it destroying his faith. Thank you.    

I was so thankful for her call. I assured her, however, that a lot more went into her son’s faith and courage than what we did with him at Veritas.  He has a supportive family praying for him.  He has involved himself in worship and fellowship opportunities.  At the root of all of it is the grace of God. Still, I said, “Concerning Veritas’ part, however, you are exactly right. That is exactly what we were doing. We wanted to help your son stand strong in dark places and not be afraid of the darkness around him.”  

I was so thankful for her call. It blessed me.  Know that this is exactly what Veritas will give to your son or daughter.  We want them to be academically competent to have access to all that their God-given gifts and abilities will allow, and we want them, as they stand in these places, to be able to stand strong for Christ with faith that endures.

Brain Wallace’s article

The gist of the matter is that public school boards  (and all other events pertaining to the schools run by the government) are being forced to stop the prayers that they have at the beginning of the meetings. Here are a few reasons why this is bad—even chilling:

1. Ironically, prayer is being replaced by a moment of silence. The place where God and Jesus was has become a void, an emptiness, a blank!
2. (Double) Ironically, other religious points of view such as naturalism (the world is here because of chance) are mandated! Positive thinking and instruction about sinful behavior (like homosexuality) are enforced. Jesus is whited out and papered over.  
3. Hypocritically, the upper echelons of government exempt themselves from this forced secularism.
4. Sadly, our schools need prayer, guidance, and the Holy Spirit now more critically. We face educational and cultural and financial challenges that are tough. We need repentance, faith, and divine guidance—and we are legally forbidding the very thing we need most.
5. (Double) Sadly, this is a terrible reading of the Establishment Clause. Even the most theologically liberal, Jefferson, let an Episcopal Church worship in the Capitol. They would have seen this sort of micromanagement as the very sort of tyranny that this country was created to end or avoid.

Can we as Christians continue to support schools where Jesus is being blanked out? What will the future hold for schools were such is required and such is forbidden? What will come of a culture where the powers that be are setting themselves increasingly against the powers in Heaven? (Which power will you follow if they disagree? Which power will win in this fight? How can believers keep our leaders from setting our country on a course away from the throne of grace and mercy—where we all so desperately need to kneel?)

Douglas Wilson Video

Good morning, my name is Sergeant West with the Pennsylvania National Guard.  I joined the United States Army on my 18th birthday, thinking that this was my first decision as an adult.   Many have made this decision before me, and many will make it after.  And before most of you and I were born, many have had that decision made for them.   Today honors everyone who has made that decision;  Today honors everyone who must live with that decision; And today honors all those who in various ways who have sacrificed because of that decision.  

As we just heard, today marks the end of World War I.  The Great War, as it has been called, was a war of massive scale, with unprecedented lethality of modern weapons and a vast numbers of casualties.  And as this war’s name also reminds us, there would soon be second.   In such great wars and even in minor conflicts, the United States has been there and has asked for the modern qualitative of the idyllic medieval knights.  Indeed your nation’s military brandish the most advanced and innovative technology, tactics and techniques known to man.  And for all you that have played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare:  1, 2 and now this week 3 know, we have a lot of cool toys.  And we will continue to adapt to overcome [as we say in the Army] to new challenges and new threats. 

After being in the military eleven years, it is amazing to see how the Army has changed… I joined prior to Sept 11th.  and when I was in the Active Duty, in the Infantry, we focused mostly on woodland combat, with only a few Military Operations in Urban Terrain or MOUT training events throughout the year.

But today, every soldier, in every job title, knows how to do a four man stack and clear a room.  Today, every soldier can be the gun bunny standing in most exposed and deadliest position on a Humvee, manning the machine gun turret.  Today every soldier learns how to spot a roadside bomb.  We now award the Combat Action Badge, because so many non-combatant in the military have engaged directly with the enemy.

And behind all such armor, the badges, the cool equipment, the training, there must first be dutiful and loyal knights.  Those who can contain as a single individual, the paradox of fighting as peacemakers. Because with such power, with such capabilities, comes a huge responsibility and expectation.  Likewise, the United States demands military men and women fight effectively yet appropriately; passionately yet justly… and always in a principled and professional manner.  In a word, we expect our military to fight honorably.  The American veteran, some your very friends and family members, are such individuals;  Individuals of distinction, of courage and of honor. 

Individuals that have taken up arms, not on behalf of themselves, but on behalf of this country and its God ordained responsibilities for civil order and justice.  They are those who have made the decision to protect this land from all threats, foreign and domestic.  This is never an easy task; their are many life changing hurdles and sacrifices, on and off the battlefield.  

In the National Guard, I have seen my own friends go two, three and four time to Iraq or Afghanistan.  What was a part-time job, a part-time obligation, quickly becomes a full-time commitment.  I was a full-time college student, my wife pregnant with our first child, when I was called to Iraq.  She gave birth without me.  I missed the first year of my daughter’s life and my amazing wife was left to raised her daughter alone.  But my family only dealt with this once. 

And while certainly, families can lose their loved ones in combat, during my deployment we lost two soldiers just as equally jarring and equally as sad, I have seen my own friends and their families destroyed by such tiring, stressful and often numerous deployments.  Some family’s lose their soldiers.  Some soldiers lose their family.  Yet, this nation’s brave military and their equally heroic families, carry on and continue the mission in face of even these difficulties. 

This is our job… our duty as American veterans.   And we have and will continue to strain, weather and grieve under such personal losses and the possibility of such losses.  And somehow, we will go on. 

Personally, I know my family was and is held together by Christ’s care and provision; and by my church (here in Lancaster county) and it was their prayers and support too.  For that, my family and I are forever grateful.  And so likewise, today I urge you, as Paul urged Timothy, pray for all those in authority and especially pray for all those who bear and have borne the responsibility of your society’s sword. 

You may honor your nation’s veterans by remembering their sacrifices.  You may honor your nation’s veterans by thanking them, but you will truly honor their lives by how you live your own.  You have been born into an amazing country, with unique and exceptional opportunities.  Do not squander the freedoms afforded you from this country.  Do not squander God given gifts and personal talents.  Instead follow the example of these veterans, serve others, serve your nation and most importantly serve your God.  

For the best warrior is the Christian warrior.  And I challenge you to continue in that fight. 

Here again the Apostle Paul to Timothy expresses the duty of all Christians in just two words:  godliness and dignity.  If we all live that, if we all strive for that, in whatever station in life, none of our nation’s veterans will have served and sacrificed in vain.

Thank you.

Concerning Halloween by James Jordan 

Also, whether you celebrate Halloween or not, you should celebrate the Reformation today. This morning we sang Luther’s great hymn “A Mighty Fortress” in devotions and remembered that 494 years ago, on this very day, a brave monk nailed a list of debating points to the door of the church in Wittenberg. He was not trying to start a movement or split the church. He was aiming at starting a discussion about whether the church in his day had misread the Bible. The Reformation divided the church (and the reformation churches have divided again and again). We pray that God would end this division by drawing all His people closer to His truth. We should be thankful, Protestants of all stripes and even Catholics, that there are people like Martin Luther who challenge us with the Word of God and who will not back down without an answer. Today, as believers, we need to pour ourselves into the study of God’s Word. We need to be re-formed as people in Christ’s image by it. Open our eyes Father!

In classical Christian education, we, like Luther, go back to the sources (the cry of “Ad Fontes” which means “back to the source or the fountain”) is heard around school from time to time. We want to have truth. Without it all is window dressing without hope.

Here is his take on classical Christian education:

Wagler left home a number of times. Most because of family dynamics—particularly with his father—and because of his longing for the broader outside world. He always came back. This returning pattern, at first I believed, showed the strength of the Amish lifestyle. He was drawn back by the relationships and by the economic pressure of Amish life. (Low and behold, Amish parents retain a measure of authority—sometimes too much—over their children because they bestow economic blessing on the children as they follow in the Amish path.)

Finally, however, the pressure that drew him back was spiritual and was, at points, frightening. He was taught to believe that the Amish lifestyle (and the works and taboos that accompany it) were his only path to salvation. He was lied to about the gospel. Eventually, the thing that made him able to move away from the Amish lifestyle was coming into contact with the gospel. When he knew that Christ’s grace and not his own works (or his avoidance of the automobile) was what saved him, he was able to move away definitively.

I have great respect for the Amish—particularly my Amish (albeit atypical) friends. (Recently, I enjoyed homemade sushi at their home. Really! I am not lying. They made sushi for Emily and me. Another, as odd as this sounds, left the Amish church and became a farmer. He was working construction when he was Amish. Go figure!) I think that the Amish lifestyle is a good choice. It can be a choice of good work, a deep commitment to family life, sensible economic decisions, and joy (I have seen it). This can only happen, however, through the gospel of Jesus Christ (which can be embraced by Amish and English alike). When the Amish lifestyle is a choice, it is beautiful. When it is THE choice, forced on people who are made to believe that its works hold the only way to salvation for them—it, like all other man made religion—is slavery.

I hope to meet Mr. Wagler soon and learn more about his story. If I do, I will include a post here.

This murderous fellow (deceptively dressed up like a policeman to kill young people) must have some sort mental disconnect. He might be naming the name of Christ, but he is not doing the work that Christ calls us to. We should be reaching out to the downtrodden and to the immigrant. We should be fighting Islam, but not with bullet and bombs. We should be fighting with the gospel, with works of charity (which make little sense within the Islamic Power Entranced Worldview and thus are highly apologetic), and by bearing the cross.

Christians in our day tend to fall of the log two ways. Some Christians wanting to fit in to the majority secular, democratic, egalitarian culture have given up Christ’s crown rights. They are content in saying that Christianity is just one religion among many and that Jesus is one option for your salvation (or personal fulfillment…or feeling of personal fulfillment). If we take our Bible’s seriously, we cannot say this. Jesus did claim to be a King. He will judge the nations and every knee will bow to Him—willingly and unwillingly. Also, we will not be able to look our martyred brothers and sisters in the eye if we renounce Jesus universal claims to be the true king and to be THE way and THE truth and THE life. Some today do this so that they can fit in with the majority culture or avoid some sort of ostracism. Our brother and sisters in ancient times died because they would not say that Caesar was lord, but instead answered “Jesus is Lord!” We must do this too.

Yet, there is another side of the log which a few—to the harm of all of us—fall off. They claim Christ’s crown rights, but they want to bring in His rule in the wrong way. They pick up weapons thinking that they can force people into the kingdom—or kill people so that others will buy their ramblings. Christianity is not about starting some sort of Helter Skelter race war. This is so misguided! Christ came to cleanse all the families of Adam. He has empowered His Church to conquer the world, but not with guns and bombs. These weapons are of no use in this warfare. They are not strong enough. He gives the Church the power to persuade her enemies to lay down their weapons and embrace the gospel. The path to dominion is one of loving our neighbors, of meeting the needs of the poor, and suffering as we bear the cross. If we would do more of this, we would see the faith having more influence in the world.