Pursuing Wisdom and Exercising Eloquence

By Christina Walker

When we think about the reasons we send our children to a Christian classical school like The Geneva School, we often think of how good it will be for our children: how the school environment, the curriculum and programming, faculty and staff, and other students will affect them. These things are important and certainly worthy of our consideration; we want our children to thrive and flourish. And students do thrive in a supportive, loving environment under the instruction and guidance of adults who care for their pupils as well as for the material they teach, and it does matter what kind of friends and peers our children have. Along with these meaningful aspects, a significant and key facet of the educational experience at The Geneva School—one we’d like to focus on and explore this year with our families—is the effect or impact that our students will have on the world and culture once they leave these walls: during their years here, Geneva students pursue wisdom and exercise eloquence so that they are able to be difference-makers in the world for the building up of Christ’s kingdom.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom 12:2, ESV). Transformation takes place when we study Scripture and the world in which we live. These means of transformation (renewal) provide the wisdom and the tools to transform (renew) culture. In the book Wisdom and Eloquence: A Christian Paradigm for Classical Learning, Robert Littlejohn and Charles T. Evans demonstrate how a Christian classical education is not only an exceptional educational enterprise but also a highly effective way to equip and prepare young people for future roles that bring God’s goodness, truth, and beauty to peers, colleagues, and society.

During this school year, we are going to be sharing insights from Wisdom and Eloquence—informing and edifying our community, growing in our understanding of Christian classical education, and expanding on the mission of the school: to inspire students to love beauty, think deeply, and pursue Christ’s calling.