Synthetic Learning and the Whole of the Gospel

I recently read the book “Consider This” by Karen Glass. Much of the book is about synthetic learning and analytic thinking and the differences between them. Glass summarizes Charlotte Mason’s educational theory and offers an analogy about eating an apple to illustrate the different methods of thinking. We can either eat an apple as a whole (synthetically) or we can tear the apple into its individual parts— the vitamins, the water, the sugar, etc.

Glass wrote, “On paper, we have consumed the same things in both cases—equal portions of nutrition—but there is a very, very large difference. Only one of those meals tasted good and created an appetite for more. When we break apart our food-meals into discrete portions of unrecognizable substances with no wholeness or discernible relation to each other, we have no interest in consuming more of the same unappetizing matter. The same holds true for our knowledge-meals. Given knowledge in recognizable, understandable form, we consume it gladly and it tastes good. Given mere information without context, we choke on the consumption of it and never think of it again if possible. Synthetic knowledge tastes good and gives us an interest and desire for more.”

It’s a shame that in some cases, children are exposed primarily to learning via an analytical model, memorizing facts and dates in the classroom rather than being able to explore and learn more experientially.

In my childhood, sometimes there was more of a focus on learning analytically versus experientially. For example, I was more apt to read 10 interesting facts about a flower instead of finding the flower, drawing it, and making observations about the flower.

Having learned analytically in my childhood, I look back and see that I applied this analytical approach to my spiritual education as well. When reading the scriptures, I vividly remember underlining the doctrine that applied to my life: What do I need to do, what’s the point, or theme, of the scriptures? I would pass over the stories as if they weren’t the important part.

However, if we look at the scriptures, much of it is stories. Jesus taught in parables. Why didn’t he just tell us what we needed to do? Why did he couch it in a story instead of just telling us the point?

This is where synthetic learning comes into play. Stories allow us to experience the gospel as a whole. They are what speak to our hearts instead of our minds, as our hearts are what will speak to our will to help us actually live out the principles that we are trying to digest as we read.

In contrast, when I was growing up, I did enjoy reading stories of people who survived horrendous events. I read story after story of the Holocaust—unable to fathom how the survivors were able to overcome the seemingly insurmountable adversities placed in their way. These stories inspired me that if they could overcome their trials, I could overcome anything that came in my way.

When I was reading for the doctrines in the scriptures, I was taking them out of context. I wasn’t able to form a relationship with them as I did with the survivors in the Holocaust. However, if I had started with the stories, then I would have been better able to digest the doctrines.

Glass wrote, “This synthetic approach to learning has been called ‘poetic knowledge’ by James Taylor in his book by that name because it speaks to the heart, not to the intellect only, which is why it may also be called ‘relational knowledge.’ If we recall that education is the ‘ordering of the affections,’ according to Augustine, we can see that the ancient educators understood that learning to love knowledge, love truth, and love beauty was their goal.”

Both the mind and heart are essential. But too often, we leave out the heart.

We need to experience the apple of the gospel as a whole to gain a relationship with the knowledge. Then, it can change our hearts and thus our actions. Charlotte Mason said, “To know is not synonymous with to do.” How many people can list off by memory the 10 commandments? How many people can retell 5 stories of the Bible?

My father frequently retold a story that, as a child, I didn’t completely understand. He talked of a man waiting to be interviewed. In his seat, he could hear another man being interviewed ahead of him. The interviewer was asking the interviewee what he knew about Christ. The man told some stories about Christ. The interviewer asked again, “What do you know about Christ?” The man told about all of the doctrines that Christ taught. A third time, the question was asked, and a third time the man answered with more knowledge about Christ. The man who had been patiently waiting the whole time and listening in on the conversation was getting nervous. He knew he was not as knowledgeable as the first man, and his interview was coming up next. The door opened, and the interviewer came out to get the man who had been sitting and listening. He looked up at the interviewer and immediately fell down on his hands and knees and said, “My Lord, my God.”

I had heard this story throughout my childhood, but finally, as an adult, I understand. During the past two years, I have begun to understand the gospel through The Story of the gospel. I have started to take it into my heart and not only into my mind. I am allowing all of the doctrines to change my heart. I am no longer obeying out of ‘shoulds,’ but out of ‘wants.’ I want to serve the Lord better because I have become acquainted with Him as a whole person. Was I a good person before? I like to think I was, but like the Pharisees, I may have been obeying laws with exactness and without heart. Hopefully, now my heart and mind are becoming ordered and are ready to do work not for myself, but for Him so that when I see him face to face I will recognize Him.

“The end then of Learning is to repair the ruins of our first Parents by regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to love him, to imitate him, to be like him, as we may the nearest by possessing our souls of true virtue, which being united to the heavenly grace of faith makes up the highest perfection,” wrote Milton, in “Of Education.”

My relationship with God and Christ has changed immensely as I have learned about His heart through the Story of the Gospel. And that change is affecting everything from my thoughts throughout the day to my relationships with others. I have begun to apprehend the immensity of His love and my daily dependency on Him and His atonement. I am grateful for His love and how it has changed my life.

Alicia Anderson lives in Palmer with her 3 children. She loves to go on adventures outdoors but also loves staying inside, curled up with a classic book. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.