What is the purpose and meaning of classical education?
Imagine a world where education isn't just about information transfer but about shaping the soul, where students are nurtured to become virtuous, morally self-regulating citizens. Passing the Torch makes an energetic case for the critical role of classical Christian education in today's world. From the pre-Christian musings of Plato to the modern reflections of C. S. Lewis, Passing the Torch intertwines the wisdom of diverse epochs to argue for an educational renaissance grounded in classical Christian values.
Passing the Torch takes educators and parents on a literary and philosophical pilgrimage that includes:
- Bibliographic Essays: Each essay serves as a gateway to key texts and influential thinkers, making it an invaluable guide for educators and homeschooling parents alike.
- Close Readings: Delve into thoughtful examinations of pivotal figures such as Augustine, Rousseau, and Dorothy Sayers offering an intimate understanding of the moral and educational imperatives they championed.
- Passionate Advocacy: Passing the Torch ignites a fervor for the value and necessity of classical Christian education that is both infectious and inspiring.
In an era where educational paradigms often prioritize technological proficiency over moral formation, Passing the Torch is a call to return to the roots of classical Christian education.
"Reflecting on the writings of literary and philosophical giants from Plato and Augustine to C.S. Lewis and Dorothy Sayers, Markos makes a strong case for the benefits of classical education over the modern public education system." – Library Journal Review, April 2025
Table of Contents:
Preface
Introduction: The Nature of Man
Part 1: The Nature of Education
1. Liberal Arts Versus Vocational
2. Canonical Versus Ideological
3. Books Versus Textbooks
4. History Versus Social Studies
5. Humanities Versus Social Sciences
6. Goodness, Truth, and Beauty Versus Relativism
7. Virtues Versus Values
Part 2: The Nature of the Debate
8. Plato's Republic: The Educational Journey of the Philosopher-King
9. Augustine's De Doctrina Christiana: Learning to Think Rightly
10. Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Emile: The Pedagogical Implications of Denying Original Sin
11. John Dewey's Democracy and Education: The Birth of Progressive-Pragmatic Education
12. C. S. Lewis's The Abolition of Man: Building Students' Chests
13. Dorothy Sayers and Charlotte Mason: How Best to Train the Young
14. Mortimer Adler, E. D. Hirsch, and Neil Postman: Howto Educate Americans
Conclusion: From a Philosophy of Life to a Theory of Education
Bibliographical Essay
Appendix
Scripture Index
About the Author :
Louis Markos (PhD, University of Michigan) is professor of English and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University, where he holds the Robert H. Ray Chair in Humanities. His many books include From Achilles to Christ: Why Christians Should Read the Pagan Classics, From Plato to Christ: How Platonic Thought Shaped the Christian Faith, The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology through Christian Eyes, Apologetics for the 21st Century, Atheism on Trial, From Aristotle to Christ, and On the Shoulders of Hobbits: The Road to Virtue with Tolkien and Lewis.
Review :
"Dr. Markos' ability to refine complex ideas into coherent and actionable expressions astonishes me. In this treatise, he shows some of the main differences between a Christian classical education and a progressive-pragmatic education. The people he discusses are representative figures for the various views and practices. The issues he addresses lie at the heart of the debate—and the answers we apply to those issues will determine our future. This book provides a valuable contribution to oneof the most important deliberations our non-deliberative age needs to discuss."
Andrew Kern, president of the CiRCE Institute and author of Unless the Lord Builds the House: Shared Foundations for Christian Education
"In Passing the Torch, Louis Markos brings to the issue of classical education what he brings to everything else: scholarly wisdom, a broad knowledge of the subject, and just plain common sense. Classical Christian education has grown into a national movement despite the fact that many of those involved in growing it were not entirely certain of what it was they were trying to rediscover. Fortunately, a new generation of Christian classicists have arisen to tell them, and Markos may bethe best of them. He has retrieved from the sands of time the ancient scrolls of learning, blown off the dust of neglect from the scholarly relics, and returned them to the light of our attention. Passing the Torch is one of the best articulations yet of the importance of passing on the culture of the Christian West to a new generation."
Martin Cothran, provost at Memoria College in Louisville, Kentucky, and editor of The Classical Teacher Magazine
"This book is a staggering achievement. Written by the foremost contemporary authority on the intersection of classicism and Christianity, this triumph of scholarship encompasses the best that has been thought and said about education and virtue in the entire Western tradition from Aristotle through C. S. Lewis. This book is a complete sourcebook for thinking Christianly about education today."
Leland Ryken, emeritus professor of English at Wheaton College and author of sixty-five books
"Modern education is in crisis, and Louis Markos shows us why. More to the point and more importantly, he shows us how to overcome the crisis facing modern education through the rediscovery of ancient wisdom and the rejection of the bad ideas which have had such bad consequences. The crisis in education is a challenge, and Louis Markos rises to the challenge and shows us how to do the same."
Joseph Pearce, author of The Quest for Shakespeare
