ERIC Number: EJ906323
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 14
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1366-5456
EISSN: N/A
An Augustinian Culture of Learning for Interdisciplinary Honors Programs
Ste. Antoine, Tom
Journal of Education & Christian Belief, v14 n2 p69-82 2010
Any attempt to discern the purpose of honors education and to integrate it with the unique ethos of a Christian institution can prove to be difficult. Yet, describing and articulating a sense of purpose is essential for an honors program to justify itself. This essay contends that a philosophy of education based on Augustine's "Confessions" can provide such a sense of purpose to an honors program, not to supplant its modern aims but to complement them. The "Confessions" can be seen not just as a spiritual autobiography but also as an intellectual autobiography. Augustine's intellectual journey narrates a kind of Christian education that strongly contrasts with the utilitarianism and materialism of the contemporary academy. The major elements of Augustine's approach to learning have been the basis for a distinctive culture in the honors program at Palm Beach Atlantic University. By pursuing an Augustinian kind of education, the university's honors program has tried to define itself as a distinct subculture within, and an enhancement to, the university's interdenominational Christian mission. In this essay, the author describes how Augustinian values help to shape a distinctive subculture in the honors program of his nondenominational institution. With its emphasis on formative (as opposed to instrumental) knowledge, and its concentration on cultivating a "well-ordered soul," the honors program at Palm Beach Atlantic seeks to promote what Augustine calls a life of "rest in the Lord." (Contains 8 notes.)
Descriptors: Honors Curriculum, Subcultures, Academically Gifted, Autobiographies, Interdisciplinary Approach, Christianity, Educational Philosophy, Religious Education, Program Descriptions, Teaching Methods
Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning. 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. Tel: 616-526-7500; Fax: 616-526-7502; e-mail: jecb@calvin.edu; Web site: http://www.jecb.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A