22 June 2009

The Pedagogical Value of Love

in 1872 as a university student at Basle, Adolf Schlatter took a course in philosophy with F. Nietzsche. Schlatter wrote:

'The chief impression that I internalized from his lectures arose from his offensive haughtiness. He treated his listeners like despicable peons. He convinced me of the principle that to throw out love is to despoil the business of teaching--only genuine love can really educate.'

--Werner Neuer, Adolf Schlatter: A Biography of Germany's Premier Biblical Theologian (Baker 1995), 44

1 comment:

Gavin Ortlund said...

Dane - thats fascinating. From reading Nietzsche that is not surprising that he gave that impression in his treatment of students. He was incredibly superior and cold and ugly to other people. Its also interesting to think about the connection between education and love. I think it demonstrates how pride ruins everything - you can't even teach well when you are dominated by it. In scholarship, as in other spheres of life, virtues like humility and benevolence are essential. I think C.S. Lewis said something like that.