Forming Human Souls In Chaotic Times With Classical Christian Education ~ Chris Schlect

How does reading Homer benefit students in a world gone amok? Shouldn’t we focus less on doing the hard thing and more on the practical needs that stem from living through a pandemic? Chris Schlect, Fellow of History at New Saint Andrews College, reminds us that classical Christian education is needed now more than ever. Like the early Christians, parents and teachers must look beyond the practical and press in during these difficult times. According to Schlect, reading Homer is how we build the world and teaching kids to face adversity is how the kingdom of God advances. Turns out that aiming for the “timeless” will get you to the practical every time. Tune in today to hear how!

Christopher R. Schlect, PhD, has taught at New Saint Andrews College for many years. He has earned eleven competitive awards for his research on early 20th century Protestant religious life. He was a 2012 Research Fellow at the Presbyterian Historical Society, and has been awarded the 2016-17 distinguished lectureship for the Association of Reformed Colleges and Universities. Schlect has presented his research at meetings of the American Historical Association, the American Society of Church History, the American Academy of Religion and the Idaho Council for History Education. His historical work includes service as a ranger for the US National Park Service, where he specialized in Protestant missions to the Nez Perce people and interpreted historical sites and material culture for the public. As Fellow of History at New Saint Andrews College, Schlect teaches courses in ancient and medieval civilizations, US history, the history of American Christianity, medieval education, and Classical Rhetoric, among other subjects. He has also taught introductory and advanced courses in US history and Ancient Rome at Washington State University. Schlect is the Director of New Saint Andrews College’s graduate program in Classical and Christian Studies. He also serves Classical and Christian Schools around the country through his consulting and teacher training activities.

Schlect has authored Critique of Modern Youth Ministry, The Christian Worldview and Apologetics and an official history of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. His articles have appeared in Credenda/Agenda, Table Talk, Classis,and the National Park Service’s “Getaway” series. He has also contributed chapters to Repairing the Ruins: The Classical and Christian Challenge to Modern Education (Canon Press), the Omnibus series (Veritas Press), and the Latin Alive series (Classical Academic Press).

Dr. Schlect is a teaching elder at Trinity Reformed Church (CREC) in Moscow, Idaho. He and his wife, Brenda, have five children and one grandchild.