Think Christian about Education
Why Classical Christian Education?
Imagine a world in which leaders—whether in politics, business, or the arts—are not only skilled and successful, but guided by integrity, wisdom, and virtue in every decision they make. This isn’t just a dream—it’s the vision behind classical Christian education.
In recent years, there has been a remarkable resurgence in what is known as Classical Christian Education. From the birth of the modern classical Christian education movement in the 1980s as a small, grass-roots effort, this centuries-old model of education has grown into a vibrant educational movement today. But what exactly is Classical Christian Education, and why are so many parents turning to it?
What Is Classical Christian Education?
At the core of classical Christian education is a deep commitment to wisdom and virtue. As a result, the curriculum and course of study are directed to the end of teaching children to love the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.
This is a time-honored approach rooted in the traditions of Western civilization, particularly those of ancient Greece and Rome. These early cultures, though not Christian, valued wisdom, virtue, and beauty. And as Christianity took root in the Roman world, it built upon those ideals and redirected them towards a higher purpose—knowing and glorifying God.
When children receiving a classical Christian education study literature, art, poetry, music, philosophy, and theology, they do so not simply to acquire knowledge, but to develop discernment and character. During this journey, they explore how history unfolded under the providence of God as He prepared the world for the coming of Christ. They trace the spread of the gospel to the nations. Along the way, children wrestle with deep questions and encounter great ideas which have shaped the formation of virtue throughout history.
Forming Virtue: The Goal of Classical Christian Education
Classical Christian education’s emphasis on intellectual and moral formation stands in contrast to modern education’s focus on job readiness or standardized testing. Its aim isn’t just to produce competent workers, but to shape wise and virtuous individuals.
Transmitting virtue involves more than teaching children right from wrong—it is about shaping the affections and teaching children to love that which is Good, True, and Beautiful. Known as the Transcendental Virtues, these ideals are central to a classical vision of education.
Rather than reducing moral instruction to rules or abstract principles, classical educators use the great stories of Western civilization to introduce children to heroes who embody Christ-like qualities like courage, sacrifice, humility, and justice. As a result, they grow to love virtue and begin to want it for themselves. Characters from fairy tales, legends, classic literature, or the Bible—such as Frodo Baggins, Queen Esther, or a knight defending the helpless—show virtue in action, inviting students to admire and emulate them.
By internalizing these narratives, children begin to see that virtue is not only desirable but possible. And they begin to understand that the highest fulfillment of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty is found not in a myth or moral tale, but in Christ Himself.
How We Cultivate Virtue: The Classical Method
Classical education is rigorous yet developmentally appropriate, working with the strengths of children as they grow and mature. It follows the framework of the ancient Trivium, guiding students through three stages of learning. During the Grammar stage, children build foundational skills and are introduced to stories, poems, art, and music that awaken a sense of wonder and nourish their souls with beauty.
As students enter the logic (or dialectic) stage of learning and move on to the rhetoric stage in high school, they grow in their analytical skills and in their ability to express themselves with clarity and grace as they connect with the best that has been thought and written throughout history. One hallmark of this approach is the study of Latin, both for the attention to detail that it instills as well as its ability to put students in almost first-hand touch with many of the greatest writers and thinkers of all time who wrote in Latin.
More Than Academics — A Vision for Human Flourishing
In a culture often focused on the immediate and practical, classical Christian education offers something different: a vision of human flourishing grounded in wisdom, beauty, and eternal truth.
An education purely for the sake of knowledge is incomplete. True education is concerned with more than filling minds. It must also be dedicated to forming hearts—cultivating not just what students know, but who they become. Classical Christian education takes this calling seriously. It recognizes that knowledge without virtue can be dangerous.
But knowledge with virtue? That is how heroes are born.
