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MARTIN LUTHER’S EDUCATIONAL APPROACH AND TEACHING ON

CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR RELIGIOUS
EDUCATORS

-Anweting, Livinus

HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL MILIEU

The Reformation was as much concerned with school as it was with

church and home. Appreciating the role of education in directing church and society back

to the source of Christian faith, the reformers, like Martin Luther, were committed to the

schooling of the young. One of Martin Luther’s first acts as a reformer was to propose

that monasteries be turned into schools, while one of his last was to establish a school in

Eisleben, where he died in 1545. As a result of the Reformation, public and Church

education were greatly altered by the end of the 16th century. It is interesting to note,

however, that the development of reformed education neither began nor ended with the

first generation of reformers. Long before Luther and his contemporaries wrote about the

necessity of reformed education, Christian humanists were publishing tracts promoting

educational improvement (Faber, 5). In fact, a hallmark of the Renaissance movement

that was impacting northern Europe was a rebirth of learning. The reformers not only

read the writing of humanists but, as graduates of universities, they had also witnessed

the debates about the various principles and methods of learning. As a result, they were

forced to consider the proper function of education in the life of the believer. With a

concerted effort, Luther had a vision to reform education according to norms of Scripture

– the core, from which educatees can learn to become responsible citizens.
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Indeed, the urgency for educational reform at the beginning of the 16 th century

was inevitable as there was no established school system. Education was often limited to

the children of wealthy merchants and city rulers. In many places, the Roman Catholic

Church supervised the training of young people in monasteries, cloisters, and other

church-run institutions. Unfortunately, these were falling into dispute and despair, as the

populace reacted against the corruption and abuses among the clergy. This caused many

parents to stop the training of their children, so much so, that one of the first tasks of the

reformers was to convince parents that the spiritual well-being of their children was more

important than the physical comfort. Martin Luther was at the forefront of those who

realized the need for change in education. Thus, Luther dedicated a few treatises strictly

to education that became seminal for the development of reformed schooling in the 16th

century (Reimer, 4).

LUTHER’S MOTIVATION AND NOTION ON EDUCATION

In response to the decline in church-run schools, as well as the anti-educational

sentiments that arose in Wittenberg and elsewhere, Luther wrote to the Councilmen of the

German cities in order to remind them that the temporal government has a responsibility

to ensure decency and good order in society. For this reason, the letter was addressed not

so much to parents but to civic leaders as they possessed the political and financial

resources to erect the schools. For Luther, of course, education was grounded in the study

of Scripture, a study that was to take place within homes and schools. Luther pressed

upon them the moral duty to promote the kingdom of God through the development of a

community that would allow Christian education to flourish and, through proper
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education that would benefit the state as well as the church. Additionally, Luther wrote to

the citizens, his “Beloved Germans,” and especially parents in order to remind them that

they are called by the priesthood of all believers to nurture their offspring. This must have

called the citizens to collaborative action at that time.

Luther saw parental responsibility as rooted in the Bible, citing several texts as

proof. One such citation is Psalm 78:5-7, where God orders “the fathers to teach His laws

to their children; that the next generation might come to know them … and tell them to

their children, so that they might put their trust in God, and not forget the works of God,

keeping the commandment." Luther also refers to the commandment to honor one's father

and mother (Ex.20:12). The responsibility to enforce this commandment is evidenced by

the injunction in Deuteronomy that rebellious youths be brought by them to the elders for

corporal punishment (Deut. 21:18-21). It is the duty of parents to teach their children

obedience to all those in authority over them. Luther argues that God, having established

a covenant with us, "entrusted (children) to us ... and will hold us strictly accountable for

them” (353).

Luther also reminded parents that, for proper training in the faith, Moses freely

advised the young to “ask your father and he will inform you, ask your elders and they

will tell you” (Deut. 32:7); for parents have the duty to instruct their children in keeping

God’s precepts. So, it is the councilmen’s duty to remind parents of their parental

responsibilities to their children, considering that some parents “themselves have learned

nothing but how to care for their bellies” (355). In The Small Catechism, Luther instructs

the youths saying, “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.
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All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes

the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s

mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:5–6).

For Luther, “necessity compels us (parents and councilmen), therefore, to engage

public-school teachers for the children” (355). While it might appear unusual from the

postmodern perspective, Luther's advocacy of a community-organized school was novel.

Assuming that the state would be ruled by Christian leaders, Luther imposed upon the

government the task of overseeing reformed education. Luther proposed a system of

education that would benefit all members of society, including boys and girls, the

wealthy and the poor. Public schools would belong to a system of institutions and

would operate in harmony with the church. In this manner, Luther thought, education

could serve the reform of religion and society. One question remains: did Luther ever

anticipate the conflict that might ensue between Church and state? The councilmen,

however, are enjoined to support education, for "a city's best and greatest welfare, safety,

and strength consist rather in its having many able, learned, wise, honorable, and well-

educated citizens” than in "mighty walls and magnificent buildings” (355-356). Here, I

see Luther arguing that, for the proper government of the earthly realm, education should

be viewed as an important means in producing responsible citizens. In short, the

councilmen have a vested interest in the training of the young, who will be the future

civic leaders.

In the “Sermon on Keeping Children in School,” Luther particularly attacked the

increasing materialistic cravings of his fellow Germans. He proposed education for

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proper development over and above the seeking of physical comfort, wealth, and

material prosperity. He indicted the wishes of the civil authority and parents for the

material well-being and not for the spiritual well-being of their children. It must be

pointed out that Luther, nevertheless, valued the worldly estate as “an ordinance and

splendid gift from God, who has instituted and established it and will have it maintained”

(237), yet he equally believed that “the true function of the secular realm is to take men

(and women) out of wild beasts” (237). In short, the material estate must create an

orderly, fair, and peaceful society in which the spiritual estate may be fostered. This

insight of Luther is a strength and very profound seeing that humans are not created for

themselves or their own benefit. Humans are created by, as well as for God and one

another and also must take responsibility in fostering this understanding and awareness in

the home, school, church and community.

Another interesting point in reflecting on Luther’s style of education is that Luther

was influenced by the methods espoused by the Renaissance. He believed that the best

model of prepare civic leaders was through the classics and the writings from ancient

Greece and Rome on civic life which stood out to him as learning about civic

responsibilities. He viewed the earthly (civic) government or “estate” as time-bound and

divinely ordained to carry out duties with utmost care. For Luther, the best example to

emulate for the proper conduct of worldly estate is the ancient Greeks and Romans, who:

although they had no idea of whether this estate were pleasing to

God or not, they were so earnest and diligent in educating and
training their young boys and girls to fit them for the task, that when
I call it to mind I am forced to blush for us Christians (367).
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As a corollary, Luther advocated the study of ancient life and letters because he

was convinced that knowledge of antiquity would provide believers with a better

understanding of the historical, social, and linguistic context of the Bible. For him, even

though the then published German translation would make the Bible accessible to all

German people Scripture must be preserved and studied with diligence in its original

languages. "My beloved Germans," writes Luther in a personal and passionate vein, "let

us get our eyes open, thank God for this precious treasure (of the Hebrew and Greek

Bible), and guard it well, lest the devil vent his spite and take it away from us again”

(358). This, was a strength for Luther given his 16 th century context. He proposed that the

gospel must be preserved, the true doctrine must be taught, and the faith must be

defended on the basis of God's Word alone. God, who "desires His Bible to be an open

book," argues Luther, desires that all know the Bible. Affirming the effort of Luther,

Riemer Faber writes:

Luther goes on at some length about the value of a classical

curriculum for the reformed school, for he was convinced that
knowledge of the liberal arts - history, languages and the like -
provided the best context for the study of Scripture. Not only
ministers, theologians, teachers, and scholars educated in this
manner would best serve the Church, but all believers as members
of Christ's body would better know God and His work in this world
by means of such learning (p. 9).

Thus, in opposition to those who saw education as the privilege of only a few, Luther

argued vociferously for compulsory education for all (young and old), recognizing

the value of each individual before God. Luther forcefully reiterates this idea in his

Preface to Small Catechism saying,

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If, however, you happen to be preaching to some sophisticated,

learned audience, then you certainly may demonstrate your skill
with words by turning phrases as colorfully and masterly as you can.
But with young persons keep a single, fixed, and permanent form
and wording (para.2).

Luther emphasized it is only through education that we discover our gifts and
our calling, our individual vocation.

LUTHER’S IDEA OF CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

Having received disappointing results from a survey regarding the improvement

of life in church, home, and school, Luther realized that his earlier call for educational

reform had gone largely unheeded. Changing the thought and behavior of people did not

seem to be as easy as Luther had hoped at first. To worsen the situation, many parents

still preferred directing their children to the work force and the immediate material

rewards it would afford rather than investing in spiritual development and moral reform.

Luther seems to have wished that they "seek first the kingdom of God and His

righteousness,” so that, “every other things can be to them as well” (Mt. 6:31-33).

Nonetheless, it is appropriate to note that the Wittenberg disturbances, the Peasants'

Revolt, and the common misunderstanding that the Reformation meant an attack upon

learning, may have caused many parents to halt the education of their children as soon as

possible. Accordingly, in the “Sermon on Keeping Children in School,” Luther set his

hopes lower by focusing more on producing solid reformed preachers and teachers,

through whom modest improvements might be made. Yet, unlike the letter of 1524, the

gist of this letter is not the establishment of schools but the proper development of them

and their curriculum in order to train the young.

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Some of Luther’s harshest words were reserved for parents who failed in their

educational duty, abdicating the responsibility as caretakers and nurturers of their

children’s mind and spirits as well as their bodies. He roundly criticized those parents

who acted as if their children existed only for their benefit and failed to recognize their

responsibility in preparing them for future roles in spiritual and secular affairs. Observing

the little concern parents showed for the spiritual well-being of their children, Luther

writes in the “Sermon on Keeping Children in School,” "I see them (parents)

withdrawing their children from instruction and turning them to the making of a living”

(219). He further states that, by neglecting the role of Scripture in the life of their

children, parents appear to underestimate the function of learning in the service of the

Word, the sacraments, and "all which impart the spirit and salvation” (220). While

admonishing his fellow Germans, Luther reminds parents of the dire warning of

punishment “to the third and fourth generation" of those who do not love God, adding

that "you are guilty of the harm that is done when the spiritual estate disappears and

neither God nor God's word remains in the world” (222). In The Large Catechism, Luther

instructs parents “it is the duty of every father to question and examine his children and

servants at least once a week and to ascertain what they know of it, or are learning, and, if

they do not know it, to keep them faithfully at it” (para. 5). In Luther's view, education is

crucial to the advancement of the gospel, and all should see to it that their children live

first and foremost for the proclamation of the Word in the lives of others and their own. It

is also for this reason that he advised all to consider the importance of the preaching

office and theology as well as all learning that advances them. Thus, on the basis of the

Bible (Scripture), all youth should pursue education as a means to become responsible
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men and women who can govern churches, countries, people, and households. This forms

the core of Luther’s educational project.

Additionally, Luther emphasized that it is only through education that we discover

our gifts and our calling, our individual vocation. Thus, childhood education should be

designed so that it elicits knowledge of one’s gifts and calling – vocatio. Such

knowledge is not to be detached from an education in values; it should further the

understanding that, no matter what one’s vocation is, it should be utilized to serve a

purpose beyond oneself, to honor God, and to serve one’s community. Affirmatively

interpreting Luther’s opinion on education, James Kittelson wrote:

there can be no doubt, then, that Luther the educational reformer

contributed to the modern world not only by insisting that basic
education be available for all, and by making it so, but also by
bringing common people the fundamental notion that religion could
be a matter of the mind as well as of the heart and public behavior.
From the training of pastors, to the catechisms, to the hymns,
Luther’s educational reforms in fact did much to create the modern
world, with its typical distinction at the popular level between
religion of the head and religion of the heart (p. 111).

Kittelson’s words succinctly highlight Luther’s strength in advocating for education that

is integral in advancing the church and society. This would inform minds and consciences

as the growing faith is learned and practiced. I argue, then, that the curriculum for

training and educating in faith should be one that fosters the integral paradigms of faith

and reason that Luther proffered and seeks to engage and inspire learners to a genuine

love of learning in its multiple forms. Of course, as Luther emphasizes, such education

should be devoid of coercion, as educators are to “steadily urge people toward it

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(Christian faith) and help them know what is considered right and wrong in a society they

want to live and earn their living” (para 1).

IMPLICATIONS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND EDUCATORS IN THE

NIGERIAN CONTEXT

I find ideas in Luther’s works that can speak in meaningful ways about the work

of religious education and, particularly, about childhood education in Nigeria. There is no

denying the huge gap between 16th century Germany, with its overwhelmingly Christian

influence, and the 21st century. In Germany, Luther could look to the state to further the

agenda of Christian education although he insisted that the responsibility of education

was not solely the responsibility of government. However, despite the difference in

context, the immediate and remote communities of Nigeria today with diverse tribes,

culture, and religious tradition still have children who, from an early age, experience that

diversity as well as religious tradition and values in their school and community. Thus,

Luther’s work offers us ground upon which to stand today as we survey the challenges

and opportunities before us with respect to educating children and young people in faith.

It is interesting to see from Luther’s works - beginning with The Letter to the

Councilmen to The Larger Catechism - how Luther argued passionately for compulsory

education for all and, particularly, children. At the heart of Luther’s writing is the fact

that each individual is valuable before God. In an age where, in most Nigerian villages,

only a few could afford to attend school and women receive little if any education, Luther

eloquently argued for expanding educational opportunities in the home, church, and state.

This invites religious educators and those in leadership roles over young people as youth
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ministers, catechists, or camp leaders to beef up their advocacy for teens and adolescents

in our faith communities and beyond. It is their responsibility to begin to help children

and young persons who have minimal church contact, especially during their earlier

years, to find reasons to embrace the church and to slowly experience various faith-

events. Luther’s word can serve as a starting point for teachers of young people and

children. He writes:

Let him (catechist, pastor, teacher, youth minister, choir director)

adopt one version, stay with it, and from one year to next keep using
it unchanged. Young and inexperienced persons must be taught a
single fixed form or they will easily become confused, and the result
will be that all previous effort and labor will be lost (para. 15).

Taking it slow, easy, and one step at a time can make the exercise of teaching the faith a

novelty for children and young people. Even just dwelling on the prayer “Our Father”

and reflecting on each phrase with teenagers and children can make it attractive and

inviting, for, as Luther in The Preface to the Large Catechism says, “these are the most

necessary parts on which one should first learn to repeat word for word and which our

children should be accustomed to recite daily when they arise in the morning, when they

sit down to their meals, and when they retire at night” (para 16).

More fully, Luther’s emphasis on the study of Scripture as foundational to

Christian education is equally vital for education in faith and public life in Nigeria.

Luther correctly perceived that literacy furthers freedom and independence. He was

profoundly aware that truly encountering a text can be a life-changing experience. As

different as the 21st century may be from Luther’s time, the question he posed to the

government leaders of his time echoes resoundingly today in the ears of religious
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educators. In the, Christian Society, Walther Brandt, reminiscent of Luther’s voice,

questions, “my dear sirs, if we have to spend such large sum every year on guns, roads,

bridges, dams, and countless similar items to ensure temporal peace and prosperity of a

city, why should not much more be devoted to the poor neglected youth?” This suggests

that the well-being of society, church, or home depends on the investment made in

educating its youths and preparing them for both temporal and spiritual responsibility.

Thus, a church or society’s greatest wealth is its catechized lot or educated citizen.

It is amazing to see that the curriculum Luther advocated, with its study of the

Bible, now finds its context within church and home. In fact, I argue that the present

situation places even more responsibility upon church and family to establish the context

for scriptural structure. Effecting this with children in their faith and spiritual

development where adhering to Luther’s idea of “adopting one version and staying with

it” would help. This requires parental assistance and involvement. No less today than in

the 16th century, parents need to model education for their kid, both by what they teach

and by how they exemplify their values. The “Sermon on Keeping Children in School”

specifies it by stating:

These ideas (exemplification of values) ought to be impressed

particularly by the preachers on the people from their youth up, by
schoolmasters, and by parents, so that they may learn well what
estates and offices are God’s, ordained by God, so that once they
know this they will not despise or ridicule or speak evil of any one
of them but hold them all in high regard and honor. That will both
please God and serve the cause of peace and unity, for God is great
lord and has many kinds of servants (para. 221).

It suffices to state that education is most successful when it is collaborative. Education,

above all, is a community endeavor. Therefore, the inclusion of values and ethos within
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the home becomes more important. As a religious educator, I recognize that my

responsibility to prepare children for roles in secular and spiritual affairs is important. I

find Luther’s comments about valuing and respecting different forms of education

particularly meaningful. In Luther’s Germany, few individuals - mainly males - had the

opportunity for higher education. In Nigerian society today, Luther’s words that only

some should progress to higher education may seem elitist and exclusionary. He

proposes those who are the, “most highly qualified students who have been well trained

in the lower schools” should advance to the university” (350). This training for Luther

was, above all, the study of Holy Scripture. Yet, I sense another meaning behind Luther’s

words. Inasmuch as an education from a University and Colleges has, in recent years,

become the entry card to the work force in most states in contemporary Nigeria,

nonetheless, religious educators, as they educate in faith should teach them to respect

diversity of gifts and callings. The dignity of all vocations, many of which are not link to

university study, is to be valued and respected.

When educating children and young people in faith and morals, religious

educators can use any form of educational ministry to soothe the young people’s

spirituality and to help them discover their own as they mature in age, affirm faith-events

in their lives, and strive to deepen the practices that enrich everyone in the community.

Recently, I read Albert Schweitzer’s Memoir of Childhood and Youth, written decades

ago. He was raised in a profound religious environment as his father was a pastor.

Schweitzer knew the toll the Great War had upon his community, and he describes his

attempts to fit-in with the village children despite being the son of a relatively prosperous

father. Nonetheless, even though World War II and the Holocaust were not yet on the
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horizon, Schweitzer recognized the importance of education to shape a compassionate,

faith-filled, and just community. Recounting the formative experience of his childhood

and directing himself toward the young, Schweitzer remarks, “so the knowledge about

life which we grown-ups must impart to the young is not: reality will surely do away with

your ideals” but, rather, “grow into your ideals so life cannot take them away from you”

(p. 39). I believe, Schweitzer reminds religious educators – pastors, catechists, and

parents - of an extraordinarily important truth to model our ideal. Thus, when preparing

young people to face the challenges of faith-events in Nigeria today, one does not strip

them of their ideals, instead, they are to be empowered in their ideals and provided

models that can guide them in their search for God and a meaningful life.

LIMITATIONS IN LUTHER’S WORK ON EDUCATION

I find reading Luther’s ideas and thoughts on educational reforms and training,

particularly of children, to be captivating and mind blowing. The insights Luther

articulated in multiple ways gives credence to an education that is inclusive and

recognizes the value of each person before God; however, I offer to say, first, that

Luther’s educational approach was sectarian and allowed impetus for extremes. For

example, while it is important for doctrines to be taught and the Gospel to be preserved

for Christians and an ongoing Christian education, Luther seems to have been silent on

what and how the teaching of the Scripture can offer meaning and purpose in the lives of

non-Christians or non-believers. This lack of expansion and outreach must have done

more harm than good to his 16 th century non-Christians citizens and can still harm people

of other faiths and beliefs in the contemporary world. It is not only the Bible that teaches,
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even in its indispensable form, in order to educate in faith and help people find meaning

in living, but the Koran also teaches, the Hindu Verdas and Upanishads teach, the

Theravada and Mahayana of Buddhism teach, and arts, music, as well as movies have

their teachable tenets also! In this sense, Luther never seemed to have transcended his

particular Christian or religious loyalty and, thus, could not make sound educational and

religious judgments that would have impacted other faith or non-faith based people and

communities.

Secondly, Luther proposes education that seeks to advance the study of Scripture.

This sounds great especially when considering the context and the status of education in

his time. However, while such training should be available to all who seek it, no matter

what their socio-economic and religious status, it also crucial to encourage young people

and adults to respect the diversity of gifts and the dignity of all vacations –craft/art work,

farming, fishing- many of which are not linked to public school or a church setting. Thus

Luther did not address various disciplines of study. This is one of those ideas that miss in

Luther’s educational project.

Thirdly, reading Luther, I have not concretely seen where he outlined the

practicalities of training children or the young. Reserving harsh words for parents who

fail in their educational duty and abdicate their responsibility as caretakers and nurturers

is not enough. Luther advocated for memorization as a pedagogical style, but how

educatees can make meaningful that which has been memorized was not specified. For

example, memorizing the ‘penny Baltimore catechism,’ as it is referred in some Nigerian

circles is still in vogue, but I am wondering how much and how long catechumens are
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able to retain and utilize the information that they memorize. Thus, several questions

arise: How relevant and effective can memorization as a learning style be? How might

what is memorized be made fruitful for others and oneself? How much can parents and

guardians do to teach kids the faith, given the work ethic that keeps most parents away

from home for hours during the day and weeks? In all, Luther’s educational approach

was still dynamic. He advocated for non-coercion in educating the young and, at the same

time, called educators to explain what a damnable sin it is if they fail to be educated in

faith.
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CONCLUSION

The paper highlights that the Reformation, as championed by Luther, sought the

rejuvenation of Christian faith and excellence in good conduct. He did not only have

schools, but churches and homes as veritable grounds for imparting reforms. The paper

also articulated that education can serve to reform church and society. Further, it exposes

Luther’s need for Christian educators to emulate the arduousness of ancient Greeks and

Romans in the training people in proper conduct for world estate. Nonetheless, the paper

pointed out that Scripture was a central pedagogical tool in the grooming of young men

and women to be able to take up task as leaders and responsible citizens. It also argues

for the fostering of awareness and understanding of faith based education in homes,

schools, and communities. In fact, the paper sees all these as strengths for Luther’s effort.

Articulating the implications of Luther’s ideas, the paper argues that collaborative

education, as propounded by Luther, is relevant for the religious education of children

and young people. Here, the Bible should be central to teaching at home, church, and

school. More fully, the paper observes that incorporating compulsory education, as

proposed by Luther to benefit women, children and the handicapped in Nigerian

communities would make faith-events come alive. Finally, the paper highlights that

Luther’s non-inclusive stance towards the bodies of teaching of other faith in his thoughts

on education is a weakness of scholarship in a pluralistic world. His style of learning, too,

though relevant for his time, might be an aberration in contemporary and diversified

pedagogy. In sum, though the first generation of reformers made considerable

improvements to Christian education, Luther’s contributions in refining education far and

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beyond the 16th century remains inspirational. His style is worth emulating especially in

the erection of schools and the development of curricula. While Luther’s views on the

education and probably the education of the young may be redefined by pedagogues now

and beyond, yet his approach have provided an important basis upon which contemporary

religious educators must build for an ongoing educational reform and ministry

exploration.
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Bibliography

Faber, Riemer. “Martin Luther on Reformed Education.” In Clarion, Vol. 47, No. 16.
1998.

Jacobs, C. M. 1967. An English Translation in Luther’s works. Vol. 46. Philadelphia,

209-258.

Kittelson, James J. 1985. “Luther the Educational Reformer.” In Luther and Learning:
The Wittenberg University Luther Symposium, 99-114, Associated University Press.

Luther, Martin. The Small Catechism with explanation. http://bocl.org? LC+PRE

Luther Martin. 1986. From Luther’s Catechism. Concordia Printing House. (cph.org).

Luther, Martin. The Large Catechism: Short Preface. hhtp://bookconcord.org/1c-2-

preface.php.

New American Bible. Saint Joseph Medium Size Edition, 1970.

Steinhaeuse, A. 1963. English Translation in Luther’s Work. Vol. 45. Philadelphia, 347-
378.

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