Thought Christian homeschool might sound like a simply category of homeschooling, it may, in fact, be the most complicated subcategory with the most variety in its interpretation. This article looks at some of the meanings of the term Christian homeschool.
Sects of Christianity
There are three main divisions of Christianity: Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. Conservatively, we can follow the World Council of Churches and say that there are 22 families, or main divisions of the Christian churches, and 351 churches that are members of those families and the World Council of Churches.
Now, its very important that all these churches, being Christian, have a great deal in common. Nevertheless, a Quaker might approach homeschooling quite differently than an evangelical Protestant or a Catholic.
Types of Christian Homeschools
Here is a list of some of the types of Christian churches that are associated with at least one homeschool:
- Anglican/Episcopal homeschool
- Baptist homeschool
- Catholic homeschool
- Disciples of Christ homeschool
- Church of Christ homeschool
- Congregational Church homeschool
- Evangelical Lutheran Church homeschool
- Evangelical Presbyterian Church homeschool
- Greek Orthodox homeschool
- Mennonite homeschool
- Methodist homeschool
- Pentecostal homeschool
- Presbyterian homeschool
- Quaker homeschool
- Russian Orthodox homeschool
There are also nondenominational Christian homeschools.
Elements of a Christian Homeschool
Because Christian means so many things, it’s hard to speak definitively of how Christian homeschools are run. The best that can be done, perhaps, is to speak of what Christian homeschools might do.
- Prayer Christian homeschools are likely to involve prayer in their schoolday.
- Worship Christians that place an importance on worship may include this as part of the homeschooling experience.
- Bible Study Many Christian homeschools will have a place in their schedule for Bible class.
- Christian Perspective Christian homeschools usually cover Church history in their social studies or history course. But some go farther than others in incorporating a Christian perspective in their classes. At the extreme, every element of every subject will have a Christian emphasis.
Sources
oikoumene.org/en/member-churches
