With All Your Mind makes a compelling case for the value of thinking deeply about education in America from a historically orthodox and broadly ecumenical Christian point of view. Few people dispute that education in America is in a state of crisis. But not many have posed workable solutions to this serious problem. Michael Peterson contends that thinking philosophically about education is our only hope for meaningful progress. In this refreshing book, he invites all who are concerned about education in America to "participate" in his study, which analyzes representative theories and practical strategies that reveal the power of Christian ideas in this vital area.
About the Author :
Michael L. Peterson is professor of philosophy at Asbury Theological Seminary, managing editor of the journal Faith and Philosophy, and the editor of The Problem of Evil, also published by the University of Notre Dame Press.
Review :
"... a readable study of a complex topic." —Interpretation
"Peterson's expositions of the positions of others are exemplary. His accounts and evaluations of Dewey and postmodernism are particularly helpful here...this is a significant, interesting and lucid contribution to an important topic, and should be warmly welcomed" —International Journal of Education and Religion
"This is a very carefully written book with much of interest to say on a wide range of topics. It is comprehensive and yet succinct. It evidently represents a distillation of many years of reflection from a Christian perspective on all these topics. It is a valuable addition to recent Christian writings on education." —Journal of Education and Christian Belief
"The book's value lies in being one of those... engaging, friendly and accessible texts which make complex ideas accessible to first-time readers in the field." —Journal of Christian Education
"Peterson is clear, rigorous, critical, and fair. This is a valuable book, not only for students at church-related colleges who may need an introduction to the special educational contributions of their institutions and students in philosophy of education courses, but also as a reminder that Christian faith is not just a set of affections or a collection of virtues, but a confession. That confession, as Michael Peterson so ably points out, ought to make a difference in what we understand education to be for and how we go about educating." —The Cresset
"Peterson takes on [an] ambitious challenge, attempting to extend the influence of Christian perspectives to address the crisis pervading mainstream American education and culture. . . . [He] adroitly provides an overview of the basic concepts of three traditional schools of thought and four philosophies that have influenced education." —America
"A thoughtful argument from a broadly ecumenical viewpoint that education does not just happen. Educators, to be effective, must think about what they are doing, and that thinking may result in something like a philosophy of education." —First Things
"Contemporary education is beset by many problems, [Peterson] argues, that can best be solved by instilling a reverent sense of humanity in children of all ages. . . . Recommended." Library Journal
"Refreshingly forthright about the priority of educational philosophy over methodological issues, and therefore about the foundational role of a Christian worldview, Peterson grounds the quest for truth and moral development and the pursuit of excellence in the creational mandate and redemptive task. An important call to educators, and a viable text for prospective teachers." —Arthur F. Holmes, emeritus professor of philosophy, Wheaton College
