'Sweetbriar' was chosen in honor of our life in and relationship with Christ which make living sweet, but also acknowledges the briars inherent in a sin-filled world (Micah 7:4a). 'Patch' is a nod to the CiRCE Institute, Wendell Berry, the Southern Agrarians, the Inklings, and Frodo Baggins & the Shire, and refers to rootedness, covenant community, and our own little patch of ground.
23 March 2010
Education
Education is our path to true humanity and wisdom. By this I do not mean simply what goes on in school and university--which all too often turns out to be a path in another direction entirely away from both humanity and reason. I mean the broader process that engages us all through life. To be alive is to be a learner. Much of the learning we do takes place at home, in the family, or after we leave both home and college and begin the struggle to survive in the wider world. Increasingly, in a society shaped by technology that is continually changing, we need to learn a new skill: how to keep learning. We must be flexible and adaptable enough to survive in any circumstances. Even more important than flexibility is a virtuous character and set of guiding principles that will enable us to keep track of goodness amid the moral and social chaos that surrounds us.
