Plato and the Necessity of Biblical Higher Education

Institutions of higher education face many challenges in the twenty-first century as they compete for funding, students, and relevance in a post-modern world. In this context Christian universities and colleges have a powerful position that the secular world often overlooks. How can administrators and professors at Christian colleges and universities make the case that dollars and education are best invested with them? When students, potential donors, and colleagues prove reluctant to accept Biblical arguments for the vital role of Christian higher education, administrators can find a powerful ally in Plato. In his battle with the relativism and amorality of the sophists, Plato withstood their opposition successfully. He was able to present truth and virtue to “enlightened” peers who often scoffed at such notions. I would like to survey seven points of Plato’s analysis of the crisis of his day that could provide powerful arguments for Christian education in our day.