Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. (Aristotle)
Discussing spirituality is always complicated, as it is a term that means everything and, at the same time, nothing. Reflecting on the role of spirituality in education is even more complex, as it is a diffuse concept that requires explanation and delimitation appropriate to each educational context. However, we cannot deny the great responsibility of schools not only to educate, but above all to guide the spirit of each student. Below, I will briefly describe what spiritual education is and the pillars upon which it rests.
To begin with, spiritual education can be described as a pedagogical approach aimed at fostering the inner development of each student, providing them with the tools to connect with their own being, with others, and with the world around them. This type of education goes beyond academic knowledge or technical skills; it is a transcendent education.
I would propose that spiritual education rests upon the following four pillars:
1. Self-knowledge. Students should have the opportunity to reflect on their own being. They must be encouraged to answer the question, "Who am I?" at different points during their schooling, recognizing themselves as holistic individuals.
2. Relationships with others and with the environment. Students should be guided to consider questions such as, "What is my responsibility towards what surrounds me?" and "How do I relate to others and my environment?"
3. An education centered on values.
4. The meaning of life. This aspect involves two central questions: "Why am I here?" and "What am I here for?" Exploring these existential questions should be part of spiritual education.
These four pillars can be traced in the thoughts of many Jewish philosophers. However, I would like to highlight three: Martin Buber, Emmanuel Levinas, and Abraham Joshua Heschel, whose teachings serve to connect spiritual education and Jewish education. All Jewish education should aspire to be spiritual education, integrating these four pillars. Jewish education should not solely focus on teaching Jewish history or Jewish sources, but should aspire to be living, dynamic education that nourishes the spirit of students, teachers, and administrators on an ongoing basis. Teaching history, texts, and sources should be a vehicle for educating the spirit (a means to an end).
Below is a brief description of each pillar and its relation to the teachings of the aforementioned philosophers.
Emmanuel Levinas, a Jewish French philosopher, helps us to address two of the four pillars: self-knowledge and relationships with others. Levinas approaches self-knowledge from a perspective distinct from many Western thinkers. He argues that self-knowledge is not found within oneself but rather in relationships with others. In other words, through knowledge of the other, self-knowledge is revealed.
The relationship with others is always an ethical relationship, where responsibility is the key element. The self can only know itself through responsibility towards the other. It is in the face of the other, demanding an ethical response, where the self confronts its own humanity.
The realm of relationships with others is central to the philosophy of Martin Buber, who introduces the concept of the I-Thou relationship. The I-Thou relationship occurs where the self and the other see themselves as subjects, without a specific purpose or objective for the relationship, which simply happens in an authentic space. These types of relationships foster dialogue, transforming both parties. The true self is liberated from the ego in an I-Thou relationship.
The I-Thou relationship is presented through dialogue, which involves active listening and, more importantly, empathetic listening. This dialogic relationship allows students to develop multiple skills, including empathy, solidarity, and responsibility towards others, ultimately becoming global citizens (concerned with the environment and the members within it).
Schools should provide spaces where students can recognize themselves through relationships with others. According to Levinas, self-knowledge and relationships with others go hand in hand, and it is through relationships with others that we access our true selves. Buber asserts that relationships with others should be dialogical, where each party experiences transformation.
Abraham Joshua Heschel, a 20th-century Jewish theologian, advocated a particular idea of spiritual education. However, for practical purposes, we will focus here solely on the subject of values.
Heschel understood and promoted the importance of returning to the study of the biblical prophets to reclaim the values and type of society they envisioned. According to Heschel, the issues addressed by the prophets remain relevant today, as we aim to create a more just and value-oriented society. For example, the following quote from the prophet Amos: “Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke its punishment; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals” (Amos 1:6). Here, the prophet criticizes the exploitation of the poor, a problem that persists to this day. It is important to revisit these texts to recover valuable teachings on values from Israel's prophets.
Furthermore, Heschel advocated and personally practiced values such as empathy and solidarity. Social activism is central to his thought. Speaking out, confronting injustices, and being a social agent empathetic to others' pain are essential. Heschel himself marched for African American civil rights alongside Martin Luther King.
Schools should be spaces for learning and cultivating values, as well as identifying and acting against social injustices.
Finally, there is the pillar of seeking a sense of purpose in life. Self-knowledge, relationships with others, and a values-based education are what will enable students to find the meaning they want to give to their lives.
Today, an education focused solely on content and skills development is not enough. Now more than ever, we must consider educating the spirit of each student. Today more than ever, self-knowledge, the search for meaning, the recognition of others, and values must be the pillars of schools (as institutions). This invites us to rethink education as one of the deepest challenges of the 21st century. Educating the mind is not enough; we must educate the spirit.
Ivonne is a student in the International Master's in Jewish Education of the Melton Centre, and works as a teacher at the Olami ORT School in Mexico.
Bibliography
Buber, M. (1982). Yo y tú. Ediciones Nueva Visión.
Heschel, A. (1973). Los profetas: I El hombre y su vocación. Paidós.
Levinas, E. (1991). Ética e infinito. A. Machado Libros S.A.