Abstract:
This study explores the tension that has emerged around the rise of home
schooling in a faith-community strongly committed to establishing and maintaining day
schools in the tradition of John Calvin. It aims to identify and understand factors that
contributed to this tension and to find ways to bridge, diffuse, reduce, or eliminate it. In
line with Calvin, personal convictions, and the nature of the community, the study takes a
Christian epistemological and axiological stance. Its premise is that the integrity of the
commvmity is more important than the manner in which its children are taught.
The study reviews relevant literature and several interviews. It considers both
secular and Christian literature to understand communities, community breakdown, and
community restoration. It also examines literature about the significance of home, school,
and community relationships; the attraction of Reformed day schools; and the appeal of
home schooling. Interviews were conducted with 4 home schooling couples and 2 focus
groups. One focus group included local school representatives, and the other home
schoolers and school representatives from an area with reputedly less tension on the issue.
Interviews were designed for participants to give their perspectives on reasons for home
schooling, the existing tension, and ways to resolve the issues.
The study identifies the rise of home schooling in this particular context as the
initial issue and the community's deficiency to properly deal with it as the chief cause for
the rising tensions. However, I argue that, within the norms the community firmly
believes in, home schooling need not jeopardize its integrity. I call for personal, social,
and spiritual renewal to restore the covenant community in gratitude to God.
