By Jeremy Henzell-Thomas

In my previous column, I argued for positive engagement between the best of all educational traditions if there is to be a much-needed revival of authentic holistic education.

I believe that all young people, Muslim or not, can derive much from a concept of humane education — typical of the best liberal arts programs — which integrates higher-order cognitive activity into a holistic context. As elements in such an educational process (which itself provides valuable preparatory and intermediate experiences on the roads to spiritual integration), I would include the following: engagement in the creative arts as a means to engage the soul, kindle the imagination, develop aesthetic awareness and stimulate the connectivity of the brain; courses that develop communication skills including discussion and dialectic; courses that develop understanding of the human condition — a pluralistic and compassionate outlook that values and respects diversity and actively fosters intercultural dialogue; courses that give opportunities for direct experiential learning, especially in the beauty and majesty of natural settings; and, not least, courses that develop character and transmit ethical values, whether applied to personal conduct, relationships, citizenship, business practice, or the care of the environment — which is now a pressing concern for all of us.