Praise to my Alma Mater?

I sang in a barber shop quartet while attending the University of Kansas. The other day, we watched an old video of the quartet. One of the songs was a KU fight song that elicited a “patriotic” response from the crowd. A couple of days later, my wife had a dream about this song which led to a discussion about the implications of some of the lines in the lyrics such as, “I will always be true to the crimson and the blue” and “singing praise to our dear old alma mater.” I had to repent of pledging allegiance to the crimson and the blue. During our discussion, I asked, “What does alma mater mean?”

According to the Wikipedia,

Alma mater is Latin for “nourishing mother.” It was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, and in Medieval Christianity for the Virgin Mary. In modern times it is ordinarily used to refer to the university or college a person attended. In US-American English, it may also be used in reference to the high school from which an individual has graduated.

I was amazed. All these years I have been referring to the schools I had graduated from as my “nourishing mother.” Needless to say, I immediately repented because Jesus is my provider, not an educational institution.

We have heard over the years many say that you HAVE to get a college degree to get a good job. In essence, “they” are saying that college is a “nourishing mother” in that its diploma will provide for your needs. Schooling has become an idol. People worship education. The put their trust in it. They sing praises to their “nourishing mother.” They give their offerings to it. They pledge allegiance to it. They send their children (and money) to it. They attend its ceremonies (eg. commencement exercises) wherein they pump up their graduates with pride. They proudly display their school’s mascot on their cars, home, clothing, etc. They go to their school’s sporting events and do silly things like scream, yell, chant and do waves. If you think about it, these “alma maters” have all the trappings of a religion, including priests (professors), temples (buildings), indoctrinations, teachings, creeds, songs, ceremonies, initiation rituals (especially in fraternities and sororities), sacrifices (often the students enter college at least nominally a Christian but end up rejecting Christ by the time they leave the system), offerings, state sponsorship, etc. Schools, even most “Christian” schools, exalt knowledge above God.

I did not intend to focus on the idolatry in the schooling systems. The important principle is that Christ is all we need. He is our provision. Whenever we trust in anything else for our provision, it becomes an idol.

While it is possible to learn something beneficial from an educational institution, they are not necessary. My son recently got a job with an international company that was looking for a candidate with a masters degree. My son was home educated and taught himself the necessary skills to do the job. He did not have a GED or any college instruction. The important thing is to trust in the Lord, hear his voice and obey. My son did not get the job by sitting around and waiting for it. Faith requires action, but only action in response to the direction of the Lord.

We don’t need an “alma mater.” We do need Christ.