Faith
A Civic Institution with a Biblical Foundation
Is CCA a Christian School?
Columbus Classical Academy is a school founded, governed, and led by those who affirm the truth of the Apostle’s Creed, both Catholic and Protestant, and is operated in a manner consistent with the principles of historic, orthodox Christianity; however, Columbus Classical Academy does not provide instruction in Christian doctrine or practice as part of the curriculum, nor does it require a statement of faith from students or families in order to attend.
At Columbus Classical Academy we teach students the broad and deep body of human knowledge that makes for an educated American, as well as the virtues that are the hallmarks of a good citizen. This requires us, like every school, to embrace certain presuppositions—first principles—about the nature of reality, of man, and of the truth. The education CCA offers rests upon a classical, biblical foundation.
However, whether or not families or students have “come to God through the work of Christ” themselves, our purpose is not to evangelize or to catechize students as part of our academic programming, nor do we require that those who seek an excellent education for their child sign any statement of faith in order to join our community of learners. We are a school and do not assume the role of the family or the church.
In short, CCA is a civic institution with a biblical foundation.
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For those considering CCA who are Christian:
The classical, Christian foundation of a CCA education ensures that your child will receive rigorous instruction in the liberal arts and sciences and in classical virtue in a manner consistent with the principles of the Christian faith. However, we believe that it remains the responsibility of parents and the church to catechize children and to disciple them in the faith. Thus, CCA will support you—but will not displace you—in the fulfillment of that duty.
Moreover, while we are not neutral about the fundamental truth of Christianity, as a matter both of institutional competence and of doctrinal integrity, we believe that an ecumenical approach to such matters presents more challenges than benefits.
For those considering CCA who are not Christian:
Any honest assessment of Western thought and culture must acknowledge the classical, Christian foundations at its base. In addition, a school that purports to be neutral with respect to those foundations is either mistaken or misleading about the matter. Either moral virtue is divinely ordained and fixed, or it is merely a human invention and changeable; either truth is objective and knowable, or it is subjective and a matter of individual perspective; either man and his world are part of a created order, or they are the product of material and chance. In each case, we believe the former is true, and not the latter.
Nonetheless, the instruction that we provide at CCA is not proselytic in nature. We will not require your student to affirm any religious doctrine as part of their academic program or to participate in liturgical exercises as part of school life. Our commitment is to provide every child with an excellent education in knowledge and virtue, while respecting the role of parents as the first and final authority over their child’s training in ultimate matters.
Additional Resources
Download our Board Policy on the Role of Faith.
Review the list of prayers offered at Morning Assembly and Lunch each day.
Further Reading:
- Christianity and Culture by C.S. Lewis
- “The Idea of a Christian Society” by T.S. Eliot
- “Tertullian’s Enduring Question” by Nicholas Wolterstorff
- “On Education” by Francis Schaeffer
- “Does the Church Have a Teaching on ‘Classical Education’?” by Arthur Hippler
- “On the Urgent Task of Educating Young People” by Pope Benedict XVI
