When I first heard the book Indoctrination Public Schools and the Decline of Christianity edited by Charles Laverdiere with contributors like R.C. Sproul Jr., Ken Ham, Doug Phillips, Voddie Baucham and more, I was excited by what I would learn from this book. As I began to read this book I began to question whether reading and reviewing this book would be a good idea as I started to think that the argument this book was making was about taking kids away from the world in order to shelter them from the world. Thankfully as I continued to read this book (I also watched the film) I quickly realized this thought was mistaken and not the intent of the book to suggest that parents shelter their kids from the world, but rather to guard their hearts in order to train them in the Word of God so they could be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ.
As I mentioned already, I was skeptical at first about this book, but was quickly won over to the argument of the book. Here are a few reasons why I think this book is an important one to read and consider (along with getting a copy of the DVD).
First, children are a precious gift from our Creator. Parents have been tasked with a very hard job in raising children to grow in the grace and knowledge and fear of the Lord. Since I’m not a parent my perspective on this review comes from one without kids, but as one who grew up attending public schools throughout elementary, middle and high school, so I know well the dangers they speak of in this book. Furthermore, I have family members who have recently graduated from high school and have seen firsthand through their experience how high school has changed. Second, since parents have been tasked with educating and training their children in the fear and knowledge of God they ought to seriously consider what is being taught to their kids in schools today.
Much of what this book shared was new to me in terms of the history of how public education in America came into being, but it should be seriously considered by others because as the authors trace the history of public education they reveal that it has roots not in the Bible but rather in secular thought. Finally this book is important because it not only reveals why American children are having so many issues with learning, but also that what they are learning in schools today is anti-American and against the Judeo-Christian foundations America was founded upon.
Indoctrination is an important book because it not only speaks to one of the greatest issues of our day; the education of further generations, but it does so in a way that will open eyes and prayerfully hearts to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through personal examples, real history, and the Word of God the authors accomplish their goal of providing a shocking, and sure to be controversial look at the American educational system from firsthand witnesses who taught in the system and experts who know our educational system. I recommend this book for every parent, and every concerned American citizen. While there are sure to be areas that others disagree, this book I believe is an important step forward in helping everyone understand why Christian parents may want to seriously and prayerfully consider homeschooling their children.
Title: Indoctrination
Author:Collin Gunn and Joaquin Fernandez
Publisher: Master Books (2012)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Master Books book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dave Jenkins is happily married to Sarah Jenkins. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021) and The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
