Luther on Classical
Lutheran Education
John E. Hill, Pastor and
Headmaster
The following treatise is not intended to be a work of independent thought but rather a compilation of quotations from the writings of Dr. Martin Luther concerning schools, Christian education, and classical education. The comments of the present author are intended to guide the reader from quotation to quotation with enough context to enlighten the understanding. The reader is urged, however, to read the texts for himself, if not in the original, then at least in the noted translation.
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The
evidence of Luther’s own classical education is readily seen in his writings
and documented in biographies and histories of the Reformation. Of particular interest for Luther’s early
examination of the integration of Scriptures and the seven liberal arts is his
use of Cassiodorus’ Explanation of the
Psalms. Cassiodorus’ commentary on
the Psalms is an argument for the use of the classical tradition, which Luther
digested thoroughly at the beginning of his career as a lecturer in 1513-1515,
and the work is echoed in Luther’s school treatises of the 1520s.
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Luther’s
first formal treatment of the topic of schools is found in his treatise of
1520, “To the Christian Nobility” (Luther’s
Works, American Edition (AE), vol. 44, pp. 123-217). This work is one of Luther’s most important
in the early reformation, and while tearing down the walls behind which papal
authority was ensconced, he also proposed a lengthy list of reforms throughout
the German states. The proposal on
education (pages 200-207) is directed primarily at the universities.
The universities, too,
need a good, thorough reformation. I
must say that, no matter whom it annoys.
Everything the papacy has instituted and ordered serves only to increase
sin and error. What else are the
universities, unless they are utterly changed from what they have been
hitherto, than what the book of Maccabees calls gymnasia epheborum et graecae gloriae [i.e. places for the training
of youth in the fashions of Greek culture.
Cf. II Macc. 4:9]? What are they
but places where loose living is practiced, where little is taught of the Holy
Scriptures and the Christian faith, and where only the blind, heathen teacher
Aristotle rules far more than Christ? In
this regard my advice would be that Aristotle’s Physics, Metaphysics, Concerning the Soul, and Ethics, which hitherto have been thought to be his best books,
should be completely discarded along with all the rest of his books that boast
about nature, although nothing can be learned from them either about nature or
the Spirit. Moreover, nobody has yet
understood him, and many souls have been burdened with fruitless labor and
study, at the cost of much precious time. (p. 200)
Luther’s
objection to these works of Aristotle reveal that his reforms of the
educational system at that time were not merely a blind return to ancient
things, though he praised the ancient pedagogy in the liberal arts very highly,
as will be seen below. His proposals for
reform were guided primarily by theological criteria. He illustrated his objection to Aristotle,
continuing with this very pointed rejection.
For the same reasons his
book on ethics is the worst of all books.
It flatly opposes divine grace and all Christian virtues, and yet it is
considered one of his best works. Away
with such books! Keep them away from
Christians. No one can accuse me of
overstating the case, or of condemning what I do not understand. Dear friend, I know what I am talking
about. I know my Aristotle as well as
you or the likes of you. I have lectured
on him [Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
four times a week during his first year, 1508-1509] and been lectured on him,
and I understand him better than St. Thomas or Duns Scotus did. I can boast about this without pride and if
necessary, I can prove it. It makes no
difference to me that so many great minds have devoted their labor to him for
so many centuries. Such objections do
not disturb me as once they did, for it is plain as day that other errors have
remained for even more centuries in the world and in the universities.
I would gladly agree to
keeping Aristotle’s books, Logic, Rhetoric, and Poetics, or at least keeping and using them in an abridged form, as
useful in training young people to speak and to preach properly. But the commentaries and notes must be
abolished, and as
Luther continued with a recommendation of the
languages and the whole seven liberal arts.
In addition to all this
there are, of course, the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, as well as the
mathematical disciplines and history.
But all this I commend to the experts.
In fact, reform would come of itself if only we gave ourselves seriously
to it. Actually a great deal depends on
it, for it is here in the universities that the Christian youth and our nobility,
with whom the future of Christendom lies, will be educated and trained. Therefore I believe that there is no work
more worthy of pope or emperor than a thorough reform of the universities. And on the other hand, nothing could be more
devilish or disastrous than unreformed universities. (p. 202)
Luther
left the reform of the faculties in medicine to the medical men. He took a direct lead in the areas of law and
theology, however, where he utterly rejected the study of canon law, especially
the papal decrees. He urged that the
theologians lecture primarily on Holy Scriptures, and beyond that, only the
best books should be published and read.
He stated,
The number of books on
theology must be reduced and only the best ones published. It is not many books that make men learned,
nor even reading. But it is a good book
frequently read, no matter how small it is, that makes a man learned in the
Scriptures and godly. Indeed, the
writings of all the holy fathers should be read only for a time so that through
them we may be led into the Scriptures.
As it is, however, we only read them these days to avoid going any
further and getting into the Bible. We
are like men who read the sign posts and never travel the road they
indicate. Our dear fathers wanted to
lead us to the Scriptures by their writings, but we use their works to get away
from the Scriptures. Nevertheless, the
Scripture alone is our vineyard in which we must all labor and toil. (p. 205)
He then continued by urging that the Scriptures
be the primary text in the schools at every level.
Above all, the foremost
reading for everybody, both in the universities and in the schools, should be
Holy Scripture–and for the younger boys, the Gospels. And would to God that every town had a girls’
school as well, where the girls would be taught the gospel for an hour every
day either in German or in Latin.
Schools indeed! Monasteries and
nunneries began long ago with that end in view, and it was a praiseworthy and
Christian purpose.... Is it not right
that every Christian man know the entire holy gospel by the age of nine or
ten? Does he not derive his name and his
life from the gospel? (pp. 205-206)
He poured out a lament for the failures of the
educational system of his day.
Oh, we handle these poor
young people who are committed to us for training and instruction in the wrong
way! We shall have to render a solemn
account of our neglect to set the word of God before them. Their lot is as described by Jeremiah in
Lamentations 2 [:11-12], “My eyes are grown weary with weeping, my bowels are
terrified, my heart is poured out upon the ground because of the destruction of
the daughter of my people, for the youth and the children perish in all the
streets of the entire city. They said to
their mothers, ‘Where is bread and wine?’ as they fainted like wounded men in
the streets of the city and gave up the ghost on their mothers’ bosom.” We do not see this pitiful evil, how today
the young people of Christendom languish and perish miserably in our midst for
want of the gospel, in which we ought to be giving them constant instruction
and training. (p. 206)
Luther continued by putting forth his view on
how enrollment standards should be managed at the universities.
Moreover, even if the
universities were diligent in Holy Scripture, we need not send everybody there
as we do now, where their only concern is numbers and where everybody wants a
doctor’s degree. We should send only the
most highly qualified students who have been well trained in the lower schools.
(p. 206)
Finally, Luther concluded his recommendations
for the reform of the universities with this oft-quoted and very important
statement.
I would advise no one to
send his child where the Holy Scriptures are not supreme. Every institution that does not unceasingly
pursue the study of God’s word becomes corrupt.... I greatly fear that the universities, unless
they teach the Holy Scriptures diligently and impress them on the young
students, are wide gates to hell. (p. 207)
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Luther’s
initial proposal for education was preliminary at best, and was merely one part
of a larger tractate on the reform of the German states. As the Reformation progressed, the competing
interests of the church, scholasticism, humanism, and the economic lure of
trade were preventing the needs of community, church, and home from being met
by a crumbling and ineffective educational system. In fact, Luther himself was being quoted as
opposing the theologically corrupt schools, and his translation of Scriptures
into the vernacular seemed to de-emphasize the importance of the
languages. Genuine theological
opposition to education was being urged by the radical reformers, who declared
all learning sinful and devilish. This
situation prompted Luther’s 1524 treatise, “To the Councilmen of All Cities in
After
a brief introduction which rooted the subsequent admonitions in the Gospel
(“until Christ’s righteousness goes forth as brightness, and His saving grace
is lighted as a lamp,” p. 347), Luther turned to the current condition of the
schools.
First of all, we are
today experiencing in all the German lands how schools are everywhere being
left to go to wrack and ruin. The
universities are growing weak, and monasteries are declining. . . . For now it is becoming known through God’s
word how un-Christian these institutions are, and how they are devoted only to
men’s bellies. . . No one is any longer
willing to have his children get an education.
“Why,” they say, “should we bother to have them go to school if they are
not to become priests, monks, or nuns?
‘Twere better they should learn a livelihood to earn.” (p. 348)
Luther observed that while the pre-Reformation
educational system had served the devil by training people away from God’s word
and pure Gospel, the Reformation had revealed this deceit; now the complete
rejection of education served the devil’s evil purposes far better.
Luther
then developed the theme of his treatise, the importance of the schools for the
welfare of church and home and world. He
does not speak of numbers, but of the one single student who can make all the
difference.
No one is on the alert,
but just goes quietly along. Even though
only a single boy could thereby be trained to become a real Christian, we ought
properly to give a hundred gulden to this cause for every gulden we would give
to fight the Turk, even if he were breathing down our necks. For one real Christian is better and can do
more good than all the men on earth. (p. 350)
He urged the councilmen, as the keepers of the
public purse, to make the funding of schools a great priority.
For it is a grave and
important matter, and one which is of vital concern both to Christ and the
world at large, that we take steps to help our youth. . . . My dear sirs, if we have to spend such large
sums every year on guns, roads, bridges, dams, and countless similar items to
insure the temporal peace and prosperity of a city, why should not much more be
devoted to the poor neglected youth–at least enough to engage one or two
competent men to teach? (p. 350)
Luther
further reminded them that the Christian has now been relieved of the vast
financial burden of the Roman error. The
money that had been spent for masses and pilgrimages should go to schools.
Now that he is, by the
grace of God, rid of such pillage and compulsory giving, he ought henceforth,
out of gratitude to God and for his glory, to contribute a part of that amount
toward schools for the training of the poor children. That would be an excellent investment. (p.
351)
Luther warned, however, that the German cities
need to seize the opportunity while they still had it.
We have today the finest
and most learned group of men, adorned with languages and all the arts, who
could also render real service if only we would make use of them as instructors
of the young people. Is it not evident
that we are now able to prepare a boy in three years, so that at the age of
fifteen or eighteen he will know more than all the universities and monasteries
have known before? (p. 351).
He then reminded them that the freedom to
provide sound Christian schooling was the very freedom of the Gospel itself,
which they would not have forever. He
sounded a reminder that rings prophetic for European and American Lutherans.
For you should know that
God’s word and grace is like a passing shower of rain which does not return
where it has once been. It has been with
the Jews, but when it’s gone it’s gone, and now they have nothing. Paul brought it to the Greeks; but again when
it’s gone it’s gone, and now they have the Turk.
Luther
then placed his greatest reason for the support of truly Christian schools
before the councilmen.
The third consideration
is by far the most important of all, namely the command of God, who through
Moses urges and enjoins parents so often to instruct their children that Psalm
78 says: How earnestly he commanded our fathers to teach their children and to
instruct their children’s children [Ps. 78:5-6]. This is also evident in God’s fourth
commandment, in which the injunction that children shall obey their parents is
so stern that he would even have rebellious children sentenced to death [Deut.
21:18-21]. Indeed, for what purpose do
we older folks exist, other than to care for, instruct, and bring up the
young? It is utterly impossible for
these foolish young people to instruct and protect themselves. This is why God has entrusted them to us who
are older and know from experience what is best for them. And God will hold us strictly accountable for
them. (p. 353)
Luther
listed three reason why parents neglect this duty and fail in their
responsibility. He writes,
In the first place,
there are some who lack the goodness and decency to do it, even if they had the
ability. . . . In the second place, the
great majority of parents unfortunately are wholly unfitted for this task. . .
. In the third place, even if parents
had the ability and desire to do it themselves, they have neither the time nor
the opportunity for it, what with their duties and the care of the
household. (p. 355)
Then he emphasized why this duty fell to the
sound Christian councilmen of the cities of
A city’s best and
greatest welfare, safety, and strength consist rather in its having many able,
learned, wise, honorable, and well-educated citizens. They can then readily gather, protect, and
properly use treasure and all manner of property.
So it was done in
ancient
With
these lavish words of praise for the ancient, classical system of educating
young men for the service of the nation, Luther then turned to the educational
curriculum itself.
“All right,” you say
again, “suppose we do have to have schools; what is the use of teaching Latin,
Greek, and Hebrew, and the other liberal arts?
We could just as well use German for teaching the Bible and God’s word,
which is enough for our salvation.” I
reply: Alas! I am only too well aware
that we Germans must always be and remain brutes and stupid beasts . . . . Languages and the arts, which can do us no
harm, but are actually a greater ornament, profit, glory, and benefit, both for
the understanding of Holy Scripture and the conduct of temporal
government–these we despise. . . .
Truly, if there were no
other benefit connected with the languages, this should be enough to delight
and inspire us, namely, that they are so fine and noble a gift of God, with
which he is now so richly visiting and blessing us Germans above all other
lands. We do not see many instances
where the devil has allowed them to flourish by means of the universities and
monasteries; indeed, these have always raged against languages and are even now
raging. For the devil smelled a rat, and
perceived that if the languages were revived a hole would be knocked in his
kingdom which he could not easily stop up again. Since he found he could not prevent their
revival, he now aims to keep them on such slender rations that they will of
themselves decline and pass away. (pp. 357-8)
Luther
further reflected upon the importance of the humanist, Renaissance revival of
the classical languages for the Reformation:
Although the gospel came
and still comes to us through the Holy Spirit alone, we cannot deny that it
came through the medium of languages, was spread abroad by that means, and must
be preserved by the same means. For just
when God wanted to spread the gospel throughout the world by means of the
apostles he gave the tongues for that purpose.
Even before that, by means of the Roman Empire he had spread Latin and
Greek languages widely in every land in order that his gospel might the more
speedily bear fruit far and wide. He has
done the same thing now as well.
Formerly no one knew why God had the languages revived, but now for the
first time we see that it was done for the sake of the gospel, which he
intended to bring to light and use in exposing and destroying the
Luther followed with praise for the Hebrew and
Greek languages, because God chose them to be the languages in which His holy
Word was given. He became eloquent in
urging the teaching and learning of the sacred languages:
And let us be sure of
this: we will not long preserve the gospel without the languages. The languages are the sheath in which this
sword of the Spirit [Eph. 6:17] is contained; they are the casket in which this
jewel is enshrined; they are the vessel in which this wine is held; they are
the larder in which this food is stored; and, as the gospel itself points out
[Matt. 14:20], they are the baskets in which are kept these loaves and fishes
and fragments. (p. 360)
Luther had written something similar to the
Bohemian Brethren at the end of his tract, “The Adoration of the Sacrament”
(1523, AE, vol. 38, p. 304), urging
them to train some of their talented boys in the Greek and Hebrew language.
Following
a lengthy discussion of the importance of the languages especially for
preachers of the Gospel, Luther then turned to the needs of the secular kingdom
which must be supplied by good schools.
To this point we have
been speaking about the necessity and value of languages and Christian schools
for the spiritual realm and the salvation of souls. Now let us consider also the body. Let us suppose that there were no soul, no
heaven or hell, and that we were to consider solely the temporal government
from the standpoint of its worldly functions.
Does it not need good schools and educated persons even more than the
spiritual realm? Hitherto, the sophists
have shown no concern whatever for the temporal government, and have designed
their schools so exclusively for the spiritual estate that it has become almost
a disgrace for an educated man to marry. . . . (vol. 45, pp. 366-7)
Christian schools cannot be focused solely upon
the spiritual realm, but must provide an education that serves the world. Here Luther again turned to the classical
education of the ancient world.
It is not necessary to
repeat here that the temporal government is a divinely ordained estate . . .
. The question is rather: How are we to
get good and capable men into it? Here
we are excelled and put to shame by the pagans of old, especially the Romans
and Greeks. Although they had no idea of
whether this estate were pleasing to God or not, they were so earnest and
diligent in educating and training their young boys and girls to fit them for
the task, that when I call it to mind I am forced to blush for us Christians,
and especially for us Germans. Yet we
know, or at least we ought to know, how essential and beneficial it is–and
pleasing to God–that a prince, lord, councilman, or other person in a position
of authority be educated and qualified to perform the functions of his office
as a Christian should.
Now if (as we have
assumed) there were no souls, and there were no need at all of schools and
languages for the sake of the Scriptures and of God, this one consideration
alone would be sufficient to justify the establishment everywhere of the very
best schools for both boys and girls, namely, that in order to maintain its
temporal estate outwardly the world must have good and capable men and women,
men able to rule well over land and people, women able to manage the household
and train children and servants aright.
Now such men must come from our boys, and such women from our
girls. Therefore, it is a matter of
properly educating and training our boys and girls to that end. (pp. 367-8)
This
is the point where Luther then laid out his vision for a classical education in
his day, rooted firmly in the pedagogical tradition that had been received
through a thousand years of Christian adaptation from the Greeks and Romans.
But if children were
instructed and trained in schools, or wherever learned and well-trained
schoolmasters and schoolmistresses were available to teach the languages, the
other arts, and history, they would then hear of the doings and sayings of the
entire world, and how things went with various cities, kingdoms, princes, men,
and women. Thus, they could in a short time
set before themselves as in a mirror the character, life, counsels, and
purposes – successful and unsuccessful – of the whole world from the beginning;
on the basis of which they could then draw the proper inferences and in the
fear of God take their own place in the stream of human events. In addition, they could gain from history the
knowledge and understanding of what to seek and what to avoid in this outward
life, and be able to advise and direct others accordingly. . . .
For my part, if I had
children and could manage it, I would have them study not only languages and
history, but also singing and music together with the whole of mathematics
[i.e. the quadrivium: arithmetic, music, geometry, astronomy]. For what is all this but mere child’s play? The ancient Greeks trained their children in
these disciplines; yet they grew up to be people of wondrous ability,
subsequently fit for everything. How I
regret now that I did not read more poets and historians, and that no one
taught me them! (pp. 368-370)
Luther
understood the need for the children of that day to be home, do chores, and
learn a trade, and consequently proposed that “study and work will go
hand-in-hand while the boys are young and able to do both” (p. 370), and
suggested likewise for the girls. He
added, however,
The exceptional pupils,
who give promise of becoming skilled teachers, preachers, or holders of other
ecclesiastical positions, should be allowed to continue in school longer, or
even be dedicated to a life of study. (p. 371)
Again he urged that action be taken quickly
before it was too late.
The
last section of this treatise took up the topic of books. Luther urged the collecting of
libraries. Yet his prioritization also
reveals the considerations that must go into the formation of a
curriculum. He began with the importance
of good books.
Finally, one thing more
merits serious consideration by all those who earnestly desire to have such
schools and languages established and maintained in
Luther cited the example of Moses and the
prophets. He also noted the failures of
the monastic and university libraries, lamenting that “they taught us nothing
good.” He stated the indictment, “That
is the reward of our ingratitude, that men failed to found libraries but let
the good books perish and kept the poor ones” (p. 375).
Luther
then gave a prioritized book list, a kind of curriculum, just as Cassiodorus
had done 1000 years before him, as a suggested source for the program of
education he envisioned.
First of all, there
would be the Holy Scriptures, in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and German, and any
other language in which they might be found.
Next, the best commentaries, and, if I could find them, the most
ancient, in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
Then, books that would be helpful in learning the languages, such as the
poets and orators, regardless of whether they were pagan or Christian, Greek or
Latin, for it is from such books that one must learn grammar. After that would come books on the liberal
arts, and all the other arts. Finally,
there would be books of law and medicine; there too there should be careful
choices among commentaries.
Among the foremost would
be the chronicles and histories, in whatever languages they are to be had. For they are a wonderful help in understanding
and guiding the course of events, and especially for observing the marvelous
works of God. How many fine tales and
sayings we should have today of things that took place and were current in
German lands, not one of which is known to us, simply because there was no one
to write them down, and no one to preserve the books had they been written. (p.
376)
He concluded,
Now that God has today
so graciously bestowed upon us an abundance of arts, scholars, and books, it is
time to reap and gather in the best as well as we can, and lay up treasure in
order to preserve for the future something from these years of jubilee, and not
lose this bountiful harvest. (p. 377)
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One
of the very significant events of the reformation was the first official
visitation of the churches and schools of Electoral Saxony. The actual visitation began early in
1527. In the year that followed, Philip Melanchthon began to draw up a guide
as the doctrinal foundation for the visitation.
Instructions for the Visitors of
Parish Pastors in Electoral
The
final section of instructions for the
visitor pertains to schools (pp. 314-324) and is quoted here at length. The opening words express the direct ideas of
Luther as noted from other works of his concerning schools.
The preachers are to
exhort the people to send their children to school so that persons are educated
for competent service both in church and state.
For some suppose it is sufficient if the preacher can read German, but
this is a dangerous delusion. For
whoever would teach another must have long practice and special ability which
are achieved only after long study from youth on. As
Able people of this kind
are needed not only in the churches but God also desires them in secular
government.
Because it is God’s
will, then, parents should send their children to school, and prepare them for
the Lord God so that he may use them for the service of others. (p. 314)
Here the Instructions
remind the visitors and parish pastors that the children are not sent to school
for the sake of earning an income, but to prepare them for service. God “will provide for them as he has
promised” (p. 315), they are reminded.
They then turn to the course of instruction.
At present many faults
exist in the schools. We have set up the
following syllabus of study so that the youth may be rightly instructed.
In the first place the
schoolmasters are to be concerned about teaching the children Latin only, not
German or Greek or Hebrew as some have done hitherto and troubled the poor
children with so many languages. This is
not only useless but even injurious. . . .
Secondly, they are also
not to burden the children with a great many books, but avoid multiplicity in
every way possible.
Thirdly,
it is necessary to divide the children into groups. (p. 315)
What follows are the three divisions recommended
for the parish schools and the curriculum which was to be used.
The
First Division
The first division
consists of children who are beginning to read.
Here this order should be followed.
They shall first learn
to read the primer in which are found the alphabet, the Lord’s Prayer, the
Creed, and other prayers.
When they have learned
this they shall be given Donatus [350
B.C., Roman grammarian and teacher of rhetoric; his Ars grammatica was a popular textbook of medieval schools] and Cato [100 B.C., Roman poet and teacher
of grammar; grammar was largely the study of parts of speech, and was intended
to enable the student to read Latin], to read Donatus and to expound Cato. The schoolmaster is to expound one or two verses
at a time, and the children are to repeat these at a later time, so that they
thereby build up a vocabulary of Latin words and get a supply of words for
speaking.
They shall practice this
until they can read well. We would
consider it not unfruitful if the weaker children who do not have especially
quick minds, went through Cato and Donatus not only once but also a second
time.
The children are to be
taught to write and be obliged to show their lessons daily to the schoolmaster.
In order that they may
learn a greater number of Latin words, the children may be assigned a few words
for memorization each evening, as wise teachers formerly have done in the
schools.
These children shall
also be taught music and shall sing with the others, as we hope by God’s help
to show later. (pp. 315-316)
The Instructions
then turn to the second stage of the parish schools and the formal beginning of
the grammar stage of education.
The
Second Division
The second division
consists of those children who can read and should now learn grammar. With these we should proceed in the following
manner.
All the children, large
and small, should practice music daily, the first hour in the afternoon.
Then the schoolmaster
shall first expound the fables of Aesop [about 600 B.C.; these stories have a
moral and were often used in the Middle Ages as texts in the school] to the
second division.
After vespers the Paedagogia of Mosselanus [1493-1524,
humanist scholar and professor at
This may be repeated on
the following evening.
When the children go
home in the evening a sentence from a poet or other writer may be prescribed
which is to be repeated the next morning, such as Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur: A friend in need is a friend
in deed. Or, Fortuna quem nimium fovet, stultum facit: Of him on whom fortune
smiles too much it makes a fool. Also
Ovid [43 B.C.-A.D.17, last of the great Roman poets; Ars amatoria and Metamorphoses]:
Vulgus amicitias utilitate probat:
The crowd praises friendship for its usefulness.
In
the morning the children shall again explain Aesop.
The preceptor shall
decline a number of nouns and [conjugate] verbs, many or few, easy or hard,
according to the ability of the pupils, and have them give the rule or
explanation of these forms.
When children have
learned the rules of syntax they should be required in this period to identify
parts of speech or to construe, as it is called, which is is a very useful
practice, though it is used by few.
When now the children
have learned Aesop in this way, they are to be given Terence [ca. 190–ca. 159
B.C., Roman comic poet] to be learned by heart.
For they have now matured and can carry more work. But the schoolmaster shall exercise care so
that the children are not overtaxed.
After Terrence the
children shall be given some of the fables of Plautus [d. 184 B.C., Roman comic
dramatist who adapted Greek plays to the Roman stage], such as are not
objectionable: Aulularia, Trinummus,
Pseudolus, and the like.
The hours before
The children are to
recite these grammatical rules from memory, so that they are compelled and
driven to learn grammar well.
Where the schoolmaster
shuns this kind of work, as is often the case, he should be dismissed and
another teacher found for the children, who will take on this work of holding
the children to grammar. For no greater
harm can be done to all the arts than where the children are not well trained
in grammar.
This is to be done all through
the week, and the children are not to be assigned a new book every day.
But one day, for
instance Saturday or Wednesday, shall be appointed on which the children are
given Christian instruction.
For some are taught
nothing out of holy Scripture. Some
teach their children nothing but holy Scripture. We should yield to neither of these
practices.
It is essential that the
children learn the beginning of a Christian and blessed life. But there are many reasons why also other
books beside Scripture should be given the children from which they may learn
to speak.
This order should be
followed: The schoolmaster shall have the whole division come up for
recitation, asking each pupil in turn to repeat the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed,
and the Ten Commandments.
If the group is too
large one part may come up for recitation one week, another following.
In one period the
schoolmaster should explain simply and correctly the meaning of the Lord’s
Prayer, at another time, the Creed, at another, the Ten Commandments. He should emphasize what is necessary for
living a good life, namely, the fear of God, faith, good works. He should not touch on points of dissension. He also should not accustom the children to
lampoon monks or others, as many incompetent teachers do.
Furthermore the teachers
should ask the pupils to memorize a number of easy Psalms that contain in
themselves a summary of the Christian life and speak about the fear of God,
faith, and good works. (pp. 317-318)
Here the Instructions
give psalms 112, 34, 128, 125, 127, and 133 as examples. It continues:
On these days, too, St
Matthew is to be expounded grammatically.
When one has completed it, one should begin again from the beginning.
Or, if the boys are a
little older, one may expound the two epistles of Paul to Timothy, or the first
epistle of John, or the Book of Proverbs.
The schoolmaster should
not undertake to read other books than these.
For it is fruitless to burden the youth with hard and deep books. It is for their own reputation that some
have assayed to read Isaiah, the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, the Gospel of
St. John, and the like.
The
Third Division
When now the children
have been well drilled in grammar the more excellent ones may be chosen for a
third group.
Along with the others
these shall rehearse music the hour after
Then one should expound
Virgil [70-19 B.C., best known of the Roman poets; Eclogues, Georgics, and the Aeneid]
to them, and when this is finished one may read Ovid’s Metamorphoses with them.
In the evening: Cicero’s
Officia or Familiar Letters [106-43 B.C., Roman orator, politician, and
philosopher].
In the morning: Virgil
is to be repeated, and in grammar the pupils are to be required to explain,
decline, and indicate the various forms of discourse.
One should keep to
grammar the hours before
When they have mastered
etymology and syntax the pupils shall go on to prosody, wherein they become
accustomed to composing verses. For this
practice is very useful in learning to understand other writings. Also it gives the pupils a rich vocabulary
and makes them apt in many ways.
When they have
sufficiently studied grammar they may use these hours for dialectic and
rhetoric.
Of the second and third divisions
should be required each week a written exercise such as a letter or a poem.
The pupils shall also be
required to speak Latin. The
schoolmaster himself, as far as possible, should speak only Latin with the
pupils so that they become accustomed to and are encouraged in this practice.
(pp. 319-320)
+
Appearing
at about the same time as the Visitation Articles was Luther’s 1528 Confession Concerning Christ’s Supper (AE, vol. 37, pp. 161-372). In the first two parts of his Great
Confession Luther responded to the fanatics on the doctrine of the Lord’s
Supper and examined in detail the four biblical texts of the Lord’s
Supper. In the third and final section,
however, Luther set out to confess all the articles of the faith in a final and
comprehensive way. This section became
one of the foundation documents for the Schwabach articles of 1529, and in
turn, of the Augsburg Confession.
In
affirming the three “holy orders and true institutions established by God” (p.
364), namely, the office of priest or ministry of the Word, the estate of
marriage, and the civil government, Luther rejected and condemned the monastic
orders. However, he observed a
continuing good use for these foundations, thus defining the central purposes
of the schools.
It would be a good thing
if monasteries and religious foundations were kept for the purpose of teaching
young people God’s Word, the Scriptures, and Christian morals, so that we might
train and prepare fine, capable men to become bishops, pastors, and other servants
of the church, as well as competent, learned people for civil government, and
fine, respectable, learned women capable of keeping house and rearing children
in a Christian way. But as a way of
seeking salvation, these institutions are all the devil’s doctrine and creed, 1
Timothy 4 [:1], etc. (p. 364)
+
The matter of the monasteries surfaced again
in a letter from Margrave George of Brandenburg to Luther, reporting the reform
of the churches throughout
In the first place, we
think it well that the monasteries and foundations should be left as they are
until they die out, for so long as the old inmates still live, and they are
forced either to introduce or put up with innovations, there is little hope
that there will be any peace. Moreover,
such worship, established on the foundation of the old manner of worship, will
in time become an unprofitable thing, as has occurred before. Whatever of the old, good order of worship it
is desired to reintroduce is best put into the schools and parish churches,
where the common man too can be present and be touched by it, etc. as we do
here in
In the second place, it
would be good if in Your Grace’s principality Your Grace would establish one or
two universities, where not only the Holy Scriptures but also law and all the
sciences would be taught. From these
schools learned men could be got as preachers, pastors, secretaries,
councilors, etc. for the whole principality.
To this purpose the income of the monasteries and foundations could be
applied so that good scholars could be maintained in the schools at proper
salaries: two theologians, two jurists, one professor of medicine, one
mathematician, and four or five men for grammar, logic, rhetoric, etc. If studying is to be encouraged, you must
have, not empty cloisters and deserted monasteries and endowed churches, but a
city in which many people come together, work together, and incite and
stimulate one another. Solitary studies
do not accomplish this, but common studies do, for where many are together one
gives another incentive and example.
In the third place, it
is well that in all towns and villages good primary schools be
established. From these could be picked
and chosen those who are fit for the universities, and men can then be taken
from the universities who are to serve your land and people. If the towns or their citizens cannot do
this, it would be well to establish new stipends for the support of a few
bright fellows in the deserted monasteries, and so every town might have one or
two students. In the course of time,
when the common people see that their sons can become pastors and preachers and
incumbents of other offices, many of those who now think that a scholar cannot
get a living will again keep their sons in school.
If some of the scholars
who are trained in these schools take service and hold office in the dominions
of other princes, and the objection is made that you are training people for
other lords, it must be remembered that this does no harm, for beyond a doubt
these men will promote the founding and endowment of schools in the lands of
other princes and peoples, etc. (pp. 326-327)
+
In
a letter to Elector John of Saxony, written the next year (
The merciful God is also
giving a sign of his graciousness by making his Word so powerful and fruitful
in Your Grace’s land. For surely Your
Grace’s land has more excellent pastors and preachers than any other land in
the whole world, and their faithful, pure teaching helps to preserve
peace. As a consequence the tender
youth, both boys and girls, are so well instructed in the Catechism and the Scriptures
that I am deeply moved when I see that young boys and girls can pray, believe,
and speak more of God and Christ than they ever could in the monasteries,
foundations, and schools of bygone days, or even of our day.
Truly Your Grace’s land
is a beautiful paradise for such young people.
There is no other place like it in all the world. God has erected this paradise in Your Grace’s
land as a special token of his grace and favor. (pp. 142-143)
+
Luther
again addressed the issue of education in the two catechisms of the
In particular, at this
point also urge governing authorities and parents to rule well and to send
their children to school. Point out how
they are obliged to do so and what a damnable sin they commit if they do not,
for thereby, as the worst enemies of God and humanity, they overthrow and lay
waste both the
+
His
instruction related to education is found in the Fourth Commandment of The Large Catechism (141 and 167-178, Ibid., pp. 405-410). Schools are included in the command and
promise of the Fourth Commandment, in that teachers exercise a delegated
authority. So Luther observed,
Where a father is unable
by himself to bring up his child, he calls upon a schoolmaster to teach him; if
he dies, he confers and delegates his responsibility and authority to others
appointed for the purpose. (141)
Luther turned to the duties of parents included
under the Fourth Commandment. Here he
laid out the vision of what must be done with children, how the parents should
understand and approach their duty, and what the parents should hope to
accomplish in their homes. Luther’s
teaching lays the foundation for the parents’ attitude and use of the schools.
In addition, it would
also be well to preach to parents on the nature of their responsibility, how
they should treat those whom they have been appointed to rule. Although their
responsibility is not explicitly presented in the Ten Commandments, it is
certainly treated in detail in many other passages of Scripture. God even intends it to be included precisely
in this commandment in which he speaks of father and mother. For he does not want scoundrels or tyrants in
this office or authority; nor does he assign them this honor (that is, power
and right to govern) so that they may receive homage. Instead, they should keep in mind that they
owe obedience to God, and that, above all, they should earnestly and faithfully
discharge the duties of their office, not only to provide for the material
support of their children, servants, subjects, etc., but especially to bring
them to the praise and honor of God.
Therefore do not imagine that the parental office is a matter of your
pleasure and whim. It is a strict
commandment and injunction of God, who holds you accountable for it.
But once again, the real
trouble is that no one perceives or pays attention to this. Everyone acts as if God gave us children for
our pleasure and amusement, gave us servants merely to put them to work like
cows or donkeys, and gave us subjects to treat as we please, as if it were no
concern of ours what they learn or how they live. No one is willing to see that this is the
command of the divine Majesty, who will solemnly call us to account and punish
us for its neglect. Nor is it recognized
how very necessary it is to devote serious attention to the young. For if we want capable and qualified people
for both the civil and the spiritual realms, we really must spare no effort,
time, and expense in teaching and educating our children to serve God and the
world. We must not think only of
amassing money and property for them.
God can provide for them and make them rich without our help, as indeed
he does daily. But he has given us
children and entrusted them to us precisely so that we may raise and govern
them according to his will; otherwise, God would have no need of fathers and
mothers. Therefore let all people know
that it is their chief duty–at the risk of losing divine grace–first to bring
up their children in the fear and knowledge of God, and, then, if they are so
gifted, also to have them engage in formal study and learn so that they may be
of service wherever they are needed.
If this were done, God
would also bless us richly and give us grace so that the people might be
trained who would be a credit to the nation and its people. We would also have good, capable citizens,
virtuous women who, as good managers of the household [Titus 2:5], would
faithfully raise upright children and servants.
Think what deadly harm you do when you are negligent and fail to bring
up your children to be useful and godly.
You bring upon yourself sin and wrath, thus earning hell by the way you
have reared your own children, no matter how holy and upright you may be
otherwise. Because this commandment is
neglected, God also terribly punishes the world; hence there is no longer any
discipline, government, or peace. We all
complain about this situation, but we fail to see that it is our own
fault. We have unruly and disobedient
subjects because of how we train them.
This is enough to serve as a warning; a more extensive explanation will
have to await another time. (167-178,
pp. 409-410)
+
The
“another time” came in the next year, 1530.
Six years after “To the Noblemen”, while the Diet at
There may, of course, be
an occasional idolater, a servant of Mammon [Matt. 6:24], who will take his son
out of school and say, “If my son can read and do arithmetic, that is enough;
we now have books in German, etc.” Such
a person sets a bad example for all the other good citizens. (p. 215)
Luther then urged the pastors and preachers
especially to take a leadership role in exhorting parents to keep their
children in school, lest the devil “have his own way with our offspring,” and
“the Scriptures and learning disappear” (p. 217). He indicated the shape of this education in
condemning their reluctance to pay for the right teachers.
Because they are not now
willing to support and keep the honest, upright, virtuous schoolmasters and
teachers offered them by God to raise their children in the fear of God, and in
virtue, knowledge, learning, and honor by dint of hard work, diligence and
industry, and at small cost and expense, they will get in their place
incompetent substitutes, ignorant louts such as they have had before, who at
great cost and expense will teach the children nothing but how to be utter
asses. (p. 218)
Luther’s declaration of the law was unyielding
as he condemned the educational priority of getting the child a good,
well-paying job:
He has not given you
your children and the means to support them simply so that you may do with them
as you please, or train them just to get ahead in the world. You have been earnestly commanded to raise
them for God’s service, or be completely rooted out–you, your children, and
everything else, in which case everything you have done for them is condemned.
(p. 222)
The
first portion of Luther’s exhortation placed the highest priority on providing
pastors for the church, along with sacristans and schoolmasters. Church offices need well educated men.
Boys of such ability
ought to be kept at their studies, especially sons of the poor, for all the
endowments and revenues of the foundations and monasteries are earmarked for
this purpose. In addition, though, other
boys as well ought to study, even those of lesser ability. They ought at least to read, write, and
understand Latin, for we need not only highly learned doctors and masters of
Holy Scripture but also ordinary pastors who will teach the gospel and the
catechism to the young and ignorant, and baptize and administer the sacrament.
. . .
Even though a boy who
has studied Latin should afterward learn a trade and become a craftsman, he
still stands as a ready reserve in case he should be needed as a pastor or in
some other service of the word. Neither
will such knowledge hurt his capacity to earn a living. On the contrary, he can rule his house the
better because of it . . . . (p. 231)
Following
a lengthy section on the spiritual office of preaching, Luther turned to
providing for temporal or worldly government, which is also an ordinance and
gift of God (p. 237). He defined this
government and observed that it is ruled most effectively by wisdom, not by
force (p. 238). As he had praised the
good done by the preaching office, so he also praised the good that the pious
jurist, legal scholar, or clerk can do (p. 240). “All these great works your son can do. He can become such a useful person if you
will hold him to it and see him educated” (p. 241). He compared the two offices:
Indeed, there is need in
this office for abler people than are needed in the office of preaching, so it
is necessary to get the best boys for this work; for in the preaching office
Christ does the whole thing, by his Spirit, but in the worldly kingdom men must
act on the basis of reason–wherein the laws also have their origin–for God has
subjected temporal rule and all of physical life to reason (Genesis 2
[:15]). (p. 242)
Here Luther also inserted a brief comment on the
singular pleasure that education provides:
I shall say nothing here about the pure pleasure a man get