The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education

This article highlights one likely ‘fall’ to which Catholic education is susceptible in the modern era due to the oppressive climate in which it operates. Our critical method in arguing for this position is to oscillate between two texts—one written and one visual: <i>Genesis 3: 1–18</i>...

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Autores principales:	David Torevell, Michael James Bennett
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	Genesis fall Catholic Catholic education Religions. Mythology. Rationalism BL1-2790
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/0f24432b56dc479195ac1554434bc489
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:0f24432b56dc479195ac1554434bc4892021-11-25T18:52:53ZThe Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education10.3390/rel121109582077-1444https://doaj.org/article/0f24432b56dc479195ac1554434bc4892021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/11/958https://doaj.org/toc/2077-1444This article highlights one likely ‘fall’ to which Catholic education is susceptible in the modern era due to the oppressive climate in which it operates. Our critical method in arguing for this position is to oscillate between two texts—one written and one visual: <i>Genesis 3: 1–18</i> and Masaccio’s painting of ‘The Expulsion’. The hope is that one will inform and enrich a deeper understanding of the other. As part of this exercise in creative hermeneutics, we first argue that the dramatic story of the fall through pride or amor sui (self-love) and its resultant feeling of shame is a universal one in which readers (listeners) glimpse the long history of their own fears and desires. Second, we show how one 15th century Italian painter represented the tragic consequences of the Faustian self by examining Masaccio’s painting in some detail. Third, we investigate St. Augustine’s writings on this narrative and suggest how some forms of self-elevation align dangerously with the promotion of the autonomous self in contemporary education. We also critically examine exegetical writings from Jewish and Christian perspectives to draw out further meanings of the narrative. Fourth, we point to the themes of hiding and forgiveness embedded in the account which leads us neatly into the last fifth section where we discuss the text’s implications for contemporary Catholic education. Here, the focus is on one likely ‘fall’ of Catholic education when it fails to live up to its distinctive mission to place love unconditionally at its centre. In a highly market-driven, managerial climate of competition where league tables, bureaucratisation, and data analysis assume an overwhelming significance allied to institutional survival and kudos, the temptation is to show the worth of the school by emphasising its examination success and employment rates rather than through its service to others, especially those who have been forgotten. Although we are highly sensitive to the conflictual demands on Catholic institutions at the present time from a variety of stakeholders, we conclude that their healthy continuation depends on their public, ethical avowal to love everyone unreservedly with assistance from God’s grace and when this aspiration fails, to seek forgiveness. The article is not concerned with strategies of resistance against those developments in education contrary to a Catholic philosophy.David TorevellMichael James BennettMDPI AGarticleGenesisfallCatholicCatholic educationReligions. Mythology. RationalismBL1-2790ENReligions, Vol 12, Iss 958, p 958 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Genesis fall Catholic Catholic education Religions. Mythology. Rationalism BL1-2790
spellingShingle	Genesis fall Catholic Catholic education Religions. Mythology. Rationalism BL1-2790 David Torevell Michael James Bennett The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education
description	This article highlights one likely ‘fall’ to which Catholic education is susceptible in the modern era due to the oppressive climate in which it operates. Our critical method in arguing for this position is to oscillate between two texts—one written and one visual: <i>Genesis 3: 1–18</i> and Masaccio’s painting of ‘The Expulsion’. The hope is that one will inform and enrich a deeper understanding of the other. As part of this exercise in creative hermeneutics, we first argue that the dramatic story of the fall through pride or amor sui (self-love) and its resultant feeling of shame is a universal one in which readers (listeners) glimpse the long history of their own fears and desires. Second, we show how one 15th century Italian painter represented the tragic consequences of the Faustian self by examining Masaccio’s painting in some detail. Third, we investigate St. Augustine’s writings on this narrative and suggest how some forms of self-elevation align dangerously with the promotion of the autonomous self in contemporary education. We also critically examine exegetical writings from Jewish and Christian perspectives to draw out further meanings of the narrative. Fourth, we point to the themes of hiding and forgiveness embedded in the account which leads us neatly into the last fifth section where we discuss the text’s implications for contemporary Catholic education. Here, the focus is on one likely ‘fall’ of Catholic education when it fails to live up to its distinctive mission to place love unconditionally at its centre. In a highly market-driven, managerial climate of competition where league tables, bureaucratisation, and data analysis assume an overwhelming significance allied to institutional survival and kudos, the temptation is to show the worth of the school by emphasising its examination success and employment rates rather than through its service to others, especially those who have been forgotten. Although we are highly sensitive to the conflictual demands on Catholic institutions at the present time from a variety of stakeholders, we conclude that their healthy continuation depends on their public, ethical avowal to love everyone unreservedly with assistance from God’s grace and when this aspiration fails, to seek forgiveness. The article is not concerned with strategies of resistance against those developments in education contrary to a Catholic philosophy.
format	article
author	David Torevell Michael James Bennett
author_facet	David Torevell Michael James Bennett
author_sort	David Torevell
title	The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education
title_short	The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education
title_full	The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education
title_fullStr	The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education
title_full_unstemmed	The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education
title_sort	naked truth: temptation and the likely ‘fall’ of catholic education
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/0f24432b56dc479195ac1554434bc489
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The Naked Truth: Temptation and the Likely ‘Fall’ of Catholic Education

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