Abstract
This chapter addresses character instruction was central to American schooling for nearly 350 years and it was the focus for Western education for thousands of years before then. The author traces the roots of character education all the way back to Abraham (b1991 BC?). He then highlights the centrality of virtue as expressed in qualities such as love and humility, which Christ asserted were the most important qualities that one could have. This emphasis is reinforced in Protestantism because Martin Luther asserted that intellectual development had a spiritual base and therefore character based on salvation in Christ was at the core of the Christian life. The author then summarizes the history of the practice of character instruction in American Protestant education. The author traces Bible-based character education beginning with the Puritans, and continuing through the 1600s, 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s. The author addresses contributions made by Noah Webster, charity schools, Horace Mann, common schools, and William McGuffey. The author also examines long overlooked speeches and writings by Thomas Jefferson. The significance of these historical trends is discussed.
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Jeynes, W. (2012). Character Instruction in Protestant Education Throughout History. In: Jeynes, W., Robinson, D. (eds) International Handbook of Protestant Education. International Handbooks of Religion and Education, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2387-0_1
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