CLASSICAL, CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: AN ANNOTATED DEFINITION
by Bryan Lynch, Dean of Academics
Classical and Christian education is the cultivation of wisdom and virtue by nourishing the soul on Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, by means of the seven liberal arts, in the light of Scripture, under the lordship of Christ, and all to the glory of God.
Bryan Lynch
Dean of Academics
Classical and Christian education is
By classical we mean that which has stood the test of time and has proven its value, both in method and object. It refers specifically to the history, literature, and culture of ancient and medieval Western Civilization. This impacts how we teach and what.
By Christian we mean Christ-centered, that our faith is not just added to our studies but that it defines how we see the world. Defining and embracing a thoroughly Christian world and life view is vital to what we do.
the cultivation of wisdom and virtue
Scripture admonishes us to “get wisdom” in all of our getting, that wisdom is the principal thing, more to be valued and sought after than gold and silver. Virtuous living springs out of true wisdom. Wisdom is not a bodiless ghost but works itself out in our lives. This is our chief goal, above all “getting” of knowledge. This may seem ‘impractical’ in the sense that it is not job- or salary-driven, and yet the Bible tells us that nothing is more important.​​
by nourishing the soul
Education is best that contemplates truth, that meditates in the soul on what is true, good, and beautiful. Education is not merely the learning of ‘information.’ We are not training brains but educating people.
on Truth, Goodness, and Beauty,
We aim to put before our students great examples of beauty, truth, and goodness and to hold them up to be imitated. The God of the Bible is the ultimate source and standard of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
by means of the seven liberal arts
We follow the pattern of the trivium in our K-12 teaching, with grammar, the memorizing of the building blocks of learning, in the early years; logic, or the rational discussion of cause/effect and relationships in the middle years; and rhetoric, the beautiful and persuasive presentation of ideas in the later years. Classical education emphasizes the tools of learning rather than completion of courses (as important as that organizational tool is).
in the light of Scripture
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the authoritative rule of truth. We treasure the beautiful and insightful writings of men of the past (even of pagans) but all of them must be evaluated and critiqued in the light of Scripture. Biblical truth is not just a lens through which to filter the world we see, but rather it is the light that reveals all things.
under the lordship of Christ
All things in heaven and in earth bow down to the sovereign reign of Christ. There is nothing, no field of science or of mathematics, that is autonomous. All are Christ’s and can be understood only in that way.
and all to the glory of God.
To God alone be the glory. We seek not to elevate man but to appreciate the image of God in man and to embrace with joy the God who is revealed in nature and the Scriptures. All of our efforts to teach and learn are nothing if not laid at the feet of our merciful and gracious God.
Bryan Lynch is the Academic Dean of Veritas School. A founding board member, Bryan served as its Headmaster for 20 years; he has worked in both private and public education for over 40 years. In addition to his administrative duties focusing on teacher training and observation, Bryan teaches Humane Letters, Rhetoric, and Art History. He is a frequent presenter at the ACCS annual conference and an accrediting administrator for the ACCS.