Pete Hegseth, Christianity, and the Mind
- Annette Watson
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
In 2022, Pete Hegseth co-authored a book on the education of the American child called Battle for the American Mind: Uprooting a Century of Miseducation. This book landed on the top of the New York Times Best Seller list and stayed on the list for 12 weeks. After laying out the Progressive attack within the public school system to hijack young minds, Hegseth provoked his readers to begin a thoughtful insurgency against the Progressives to return education back to classical, Christian education.
It was Hegseth’s co-author David Goodwin, an active advocate and leader in the Christian
education movement, that provided the historical background of the American mind-shift as
seen in The New Republic publications to Hegseth. The New Republic is an American educator’s magazine founded in 1914. It provides a current and historical window into the worldview that its Progressive editors plan for the American mind and culture.
In a 2024 symposium, Goodwin set forth his explanation of Christian education or Christian-
culture paideia. In his argument, Goodwin follows the history of the church’s transformation of
classical Greek topics into ones that followed the Scriptures’ transcendent realities. Horace
Mann championed the Progressive culture that would replace Christianity through an emphasis on science. His plan included removing children from their parents as early as age 1, a new concept. By the 20th century, Progressive ideology had warped the historic classical Christian method of education of the United States. The New Republic documented the plans and Progressive success in New York, NY; Gary, IN; and more. In this step, the Progressives aimed to remove Christianity from school and replacing it with nationalism. As Goodwin noted, “As good as patriotism is, it is a poor substitute for Christ as the cornerstone of culture.” By the 21st century, Cultural Marxist ideology further took the minds of American youth away from their historic Christian values. The influence of the Marxist mind produced an oppressor/oppressed education that is now affecting our culture. Goodwin titled his poignant article “Four Steps That Ended the West and One to Revive It.”
Both Hegseth and Goodwin present Christian education as the instrument to redirect American back to its foundational core. One could call it the renewing of the mind. This educational shift back to Scripture and Christian values allows not only the culture to produce good works but also the American dream to be maintained. First, the Apostle Paul remarked to his spiritual mentee Timothy that Timothy's upbringing in reading the Old Testament prepared him to know and understand the life of faith in Christ. Studying “all Scripture” both Old and New is the basis of Timothy's sanctification and ability to produce “all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Second, the Founders of America knew that the United States’ constitutional republic could
only be maintained by a Christian society. John Adams wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other”
(https://oll.libertyfund.org/quotes/john-adams-religion-constitution). Hegseth and Goodwin
would agree that a renewing of the mind is the cure for the current state of American values.
The renewed mind reflects on the nature of God. When reflecting, consider the unchanging
God of the Bible. Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 record, “For I am the Lord, I change not” and
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Deuteronomy 32:4 states, “He is
the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” Consider the unchanging nature of Scripture. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth,” wrote Isaiah, “But the Word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8). God has an unchanging standard of holiness and an unchanging Word. The Bible is a revelation of God and His legal judgement on what He views as right actions and wrong actions.
The renewed mind reflects on the nature of God implemented in human law. Regent University, an educational school for Constitutional Law, gives an extended explanation of government’s need for an unchanging moral foundation; a consistent method of evaluating law results in lawful measures that preserve liberty. The result of having a Christian mindset when approaching government is not robotic synchrony. Rather, a Christian mindset provides an anchor by which that man can judge all the various issues of government and society.
In the end, whether or not the Progressive or Marxist ideology change by tomorrow in our
society, Jesus Christ does implore His disciples to transform their mind to His teachings. Paul
wrote, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Get into
God’s Word and engage in classical Christian education in your own heart and mind.
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