Louis Markos’s Passing the Torch: An Apology for Classical Christian Education is a passionate and erudite defense of the enduring value of classical Christian education in the modern world. Markos, a seasoned scholar and advocate for the Great Books tradition, argues that education should be more than the mere transfer of information-it should shape the soul and cultivate virtue, preparing students to become morally self-regulating citizens.
The book is structured as both a philosophical pilgrimage and a practical guide, taking readers from the musings of Plato to the reflections of C. S. Lewis. Markos interweaves close readings of seminal thinkers-Augustine, Rousseau, Dorothy Sayers, and others-highlighting how their educational philosophies illuminate the ongoing debate between classical and progressive-pragmatic models.
Each chapter serves as a gateway to key texts and influential ideas, making the work especially valuable for educators and homeschooling parents seeking to ground their teaching in the wisdom of the past.
What sets Passing the Torch apart is its infectious enthusiasm for the classical tradition. Markos’s prose is both accessible and inspiring, distilling complex ideas into actionable insights.
He contends that contemporary education’s focus on technological proficiency often comes at the expense of moral formation and the pursuit of goodness, truth, and beauty. The book calls for a renaissance in education-one that returns to the roots of Western civilization and nurtures students to think deeply, live virtuously, and appreciate the rich cultural inheritance of the Christian West.
For anyone concerned about the direction of modern education, Passing the Torch offers a compelling case for why classical Christian education remains not only relevant but essential. Markos’s work is a timely and valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation about what it means to truly educate the next generation.
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