Classical education was only half the old system of European education--below it and above it there was the religious education that was common to the whole people, and the higher theological education that was peculiar to the clergy, who provided the majority of the teachers in both the other departments of education. Now the lowest level of this structure, which has been least studied and least regarded, was the most important of them all. It is true that it differed considerably in different parts of Europe, but for the religious rather than material reasons. In Protestant Europe it was founded on the Bible and the catechism, whereas in Catholic Europe it was based on the liturgy and on religious art and drama and mime, which made the Church the school of the people. But in either case it provided a system of common beliefs and moral standards, as well as the archetypal patterns of world history and sacred story which formed the background of their spiritual world. Christopher Henry Dawson
About This Quote

The idea that classical education was only half of the old system of European education is wrong. It is true that classical education was founded on the Bible and catechism but then there was also religious art, drama and mime. This form of education made the church into school for the masses. Christianity became popular because it had all these things in place.

It had a moral code for people to follow and provided them with the knowledge necessary to understand the world around them. There were also stories about Biblical characters which helped people to understand their own past and their own personal stories. The Bible was the basis of all the other forms of education.

Source: Understanding Europe

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