Foundations of Education - Essay Example

Gutek thus argues that religion contributes to the development of fundamental peace through the progressive inclusion of various religions in the education system globally.

By analyzing the input of Thomas Aquinas, the author of the book further asserts that religion contributes fundamental societal values that help constrict cohesive societies. Religion is therefore a fundamental aspect of the society whose inclusion in the education system is paramount. Education serves the purpose of communicating the values to successive generations thereby influencing the social structures and relations among people. The values further influence the interactions between the learners and the educators. Discipline is an essential aspect of education that contributes to the success of the entire exercise. Religious values often influence the creation of laws to guide the conduct of the learners and the development of appropriate ethical codes of conduct for the teachers. This way, each group appreciates the other and acknowledges the need for respect a feature that enhances the success of the learning process.

In Chapter 8, the author analyses the contributions of John Calvin to the development of education. In doing this, he discusses the American education movement often giving keen attention to the contributions and ideas of John Calvin. Among the fundamental aspects of the chapter is the rise of nationalism. Just as the name suggests, nationalism refers to the love of an individual’s country. The historical rise of nationalism is therefore an essential aspect of historical studies since it helps understand the historical relationship among people in a society. Additionally, nationalism led to the development of modern-day government. The historical analysis of nationalism thus helps understand the nature of contemporary politics in the country. Additionally, John Calvin also makes fundamental religious contributions to the development of education as he explains the need for translation of the bible to various languages thus enhancing the spread of both the gospel and the concept of education throughout the world.

In addressing the role of nationalism, the author further compares the ideologies of Martin Luther King and those of John Calvin. The two offer diverse viewpoints on the rise given their different backgrounds. As an African American, Martin Luther analyses the nature of the relationship between the whites and the Black and the effects of such relationships in the rise of nationalism in the United States while John Calvin gives the whites’ viewpoint. The two are different yet provide the contributions of two distinct groups in the development of nationalism thus influencing the two American politics.