Publications

Serpents in the Classroom: The Poisoning of Modern Education and How the Church Can Cure It

Serpents in the Classroom answers questions that teachers, pastors, and parents often ask themselves. Despite their best efforts, why do children so often reject the Christian faith? The answer is found in the theological presuppositions that undergird much of contemporary education. Though the educational establishment often presents its models as products drawn from evidence-based research that is theologically neutral, they are anything but. Rather, they are founded on theologies that are diametrically opposed to orthodox Christian teaching.

Drawing on his experience as an educator, pastor, and professor, Dr. Korcok uncovers the theological tenets of some of the pedagogues who have been influential in shaping contemporary educational thought and discovers how they have intentionally designed education to turn children away from the Christian faith.

For the Christian teacher and parent, there is an alternative. Dr. Korcok presents the classical liberal arts education model that has served the church well for almost 2,000 years as a practical and theologically sound model of education for training a child for a life of faith.

You may order it here: Serpents in the Classroom

Lutheran Education: From Wittenberg to the Future

The liberal arts model has traditionally been preferred in Lutheran elementary classrooms. No other educational paradigm so well meets the requirements of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. There is no reason that the liberal arts cannot be adapted to meet contemporary needs. The question is, what should be the main focus of a contemporary presentation of the arts?

Thomas Korcok demonstrates how the Wittenberg theologians settled on a liberal arts education as the preferred model for Evangelical Christian elementary schools. He then traces how that model persisted and was adapted as Lutherans moved from Europe to North America. Korcok concludes that the liberal arts model fits our contemporary setting as changes in society today make it ever more important to have an elementary education that is compatible with Evangelical Theology. The book includes:

• Historic exploration of educational models in view of theological truths
• The challenge of influences that push educators either to the Word as objective truth or away from the Word toward secular standards of truth
• A definition of an Evangelical Liberal Arts approach, its flexibility, and how it fits into classrooms today
• Extensive references to educational, historical, and theological literature

You may order it here, via the web, or call 800-325-3040. Here is a sample for you to download.