Charlotte Mason addressed parenting issues in concurrence with her philosophy of education. This podcast episode is the first of a three-part series on her third principle of “authority and docility.” The first portion today concerns the right view of authority in our lives.
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“The principles of authority on the one hand, and of obedience on the other, are natural, necessary, and fundamental…” (Principle 3)
“Authority is for use and service.” (2/13)
“[Authority] is to be maintained and exercised solely for the advantage of the children, whether in mind, body, or estate.” (2/16)
“But be his knowledge of the law little or much, no parent escapes the call to rule.” (2/10)
“Now, the first thing we ask for in a ruler is, ‘Is he able to rule? Does he know how to maintain his authority?’ A ruler who fails to govern is like an unjust judge, an impious priest, an ignorant teacher; that is, he fails in the essential attribute of his office.” (2/10)
“But we have been taught better; we know now that authority is vested in the office and not in the person; that the moment it is treated as a personal attribute it is forfeited. We know that a person in authority is a person authorised; and that he who is authorised is under authority.” (3/11-12)
“For it is indeed true that none of us has a right to exercise authority, in things great or small, except as we are, and acknowledge ourselves to be, deputed by the one supreme and ultimate Authority. When we take up this volume on education, small as it is, easy reading as it is, we must bear in mind that we have put ourselves under the lead of a philosopher who overlooks nothing, who regards the least important things from the standpoint of their final issue, and who would not have the little child do as he is bid lest he should learn, as a man, to obey that authority, other than himself, which we believe to be Divine.” (3/7-8)
“We all have it in us to serve or to rule as occasion demands.” (3/10)
Parents and Children (Volume 2), Chapter 2
School Education (Volume 3), Chapters 1-2
An Essay Towards a Philosophy of Education (Volume 6), Chapters 4-5
Episode 107: Forming Informed Opinions
An article on the Christian foundation of Charlotte Mason’s Philosophy of Education
Thank you SO much for these podcasts. I am new to CM and I discovered your website just last week and have been listening to every podcast I can in every spare minute I can make. All three of you are so easy to listen to and are making my journey so much easier. You are feeding my soul and I am so grateful! I have ordered my CM volumes and can’t wait to dive in. I know I will listen to these podcasts over and over!
Jessica, We are so thankful you found the podcast, and even more that you are reading Mason’s volumes. You are exactly the mom we were hoping to reach when we began podcasting.