Expressive individualism is a term used today to describe the intuitive way that we think about ourselves as human beings.

Dr. Carl Truman talking about his presentation at the 2025 issues, etc., making the case conference.

We think about ourselves as free, autonomous, self-determining, and we place a great emphasis upon our feelings as being decisive for who we are.

Now, from a Christian perspective, feelings are part of what it is to be human, but also we understand as Christians that made in the image of God, we are dependent creatures.

We're obliged creatures. We don't self-invent or self-create ourselves.

And what I want to do in this talk is analyze the problem and then suggest ways that the church

can combat this within our congregations.

You can meet and hear Dr. Carl Truman making the case against expressive individualism at this year's Making

the Case Conference July 18th and 19th at Concordia University Chicago. Learn more at Issuezc.org. There is no doubt that there is an educational crisis in the United States, especially in our public schools.

Our test scores simply have been going down and down and down for the last 30 years.

Is that a coincidence that it coincides with the establishment

of the Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Education?

Welcome back to Issues, etc. joining us to talk about a new report on the State of America's

Public Education System, Tim Gageline, vice president of government and

external relations at Focus on the Family in Washington, D.C. He formerly served as deputy director

of the White House Office of Public Liaison for President George W. Bush and he's author of several

books, including Stumbling Toward Utopia, How We Can We How We Can Revive the American Dream and a recent

column for The Washington Times titled

America's Educational Freefall continues.

Tim, welcome back.

It's great to be with you, Todd.

What does a recent national assessment of educational progress report tell us about the state of America's public education system?

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