Patristic Education

Abstract

The book begins with a rich and extensive forward that puts the book into perspective. It provides a quick overview of education in an evolving world. It takes the reader on a historical journey of education spanning over two millenniums. It gives a picture of how education has morphed both as an agent and object of change. It presents the reader with education as originally conceptualized, its mission, intended purpose, and ultimate goal. The author describes education as handed down to us by the early Church Fathers (Patrists) comprising early Christian philosophers, theologians, scholars,  educators and church leaders; who are also credited, even in secular literature, for making immense contribution to education theory and practice. According to the Patrists, divine wisdom based on gospel truth is the origin, mission and destiny of education.

Patristic education is modeled upon the unique recognition of education as an agent of evangelization and transformation (salvation). It lays emphasis on holistic shepherding according to divine gospel, intellectual preparation, nurturing of value, and ultimate human transformation for the highest common good. Majawa brings to the fore the value of informative, formative and transformative education.

Since education takes place within a social context, it has not been spared from historical forces of change in society including radical shift in technology, ideologies, value systems, social relations, religion practices and beliefs, means of livelihood, and politics and governance. Today, education is in a crisis triggered by the widening gap between theory and practice; and between ideologies and transformational moral-spiritual values. In the process of adjusting to change in society, education has gradually lost its footing on divine wisdom to the extent that today, it is deprived of its true, quality witnessing and transformative character. The focus of the author in this text is essentially to consider ways of rerouting education back to its original intended purpose: to transform humanity and human society through divine wisdom and virtuous living.