Classical Lutheran Education
Historical Classical Lutheran Education
The first “Lutheran” schools were formed for the precise purpose of offering a classical education to a broader segment of the population than had ever been offered before that time. Martin Luther and the early reformers urged the local governments to set up schools patterned after the ancient academies of the Greeks and Romans teaching the seven liberal arts of grammar, dialectic (logic), rhetoric, aesthetics (music), empirics (astronomy), mathematics, and geometry. These schools became the model for the famous German “gymnasium” and the English “public schools” that set the standard for excellence in education well into the twentieth century.
Today
In recent years, classical education has experienced a remarkable resurgence among Christian teachers, parents, and homeschool families. Growing dissatisfaction with ever-changing progressive educational models has led many to rediscover the enduring wisdom of the Great Books, the rich heritage of Western civilization, the cultivation of independent thought, and the proven effectiveness of the classical tradition. Christian parents, in particular, are taking a closer look at what their children are being taught and increasingly recognize the need for educational institutions grounded in a biblical worldview.
This renewed interest in classical education is also evident within Lutheran schools, where a growing number of institutions are embracing the classical model. Leading this movement is the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education (CCLE), which seeks to restore and promote this time-tested approach within Lutheran education. As a result, more Lutheran educators are coming to appreciate the pedagogical strengths and formative principles of the classical liberal arts, recognizing their value in shaping students who are intellectually capable, spiritually grounded, and prepared for faithful service in the world.
The CCLE believes, as articulated by Martin Luther, that [classical Lutheran] schools are the “preservers of the church.” Classical Lutheran education, being anchored in the historic Christian faith, raises up faithful, well-educated people for heavenly and earthly citizenship. In the words of Dr. Gene Edward Veith, “The liberal arts can equip a child for effective service in the world; catechesis can equip a child for everlasting life.” The CCLE is dedicated to working alongside those who wish to further classical Lutheran education for both the good of the church and for the betterment of society.
The furtherance of classical Lutheran education is essential to the preservation of the Lutheran church in training up young people in the Christian faith, fostering in them a love of learning, equipping them with skills in eloquence, leadership, and independent thinking, and engendering within them a love of God and neighbor. Classical Lutheran education develops wisdom, eloquence, and virtue through the formative elements of the liberal arts while nurturing a child in the historic Christian faith.
Classical Lutheran education is less of a method than it is a return to the rich tradition of an education rooted in historic Christianity and the classical liberal arts—ad fontes."
Adopting Classical Lutheran Education: A Guide for Educators, (CCLE Press, Plano TX, 2024), 11
