Many false religions fall into twin errors of either becoming one with nature by indulging in “animal” instincts (ie. Materialism) or by attempting to transcend nature completely in mind or spirit (ie. Gnosticism, New age, spirituality). Our religion, by contrast, is one in which Transcendent becomes man for the salvation of all. As Athanasius states, “For we were the purpose of his embodiment, and for our salvation he so loved human beings as to come to be and appear in a human body.” 

Christ came into the world as a flesh-and-blood human. His body was carried in Mary’s womb. His body turned real water into real wine. His body spread mud on a blind man’s eyes and gave him real sight. His body and blood were poured out for many. His body was really raised from the dead. And his body ascended into heaven.  

Through the Incarnation is the way of salvation, and so it is through this body we must walk in repentance and faithfulness. We therefore must not neglect our bodies in favor of training only our minds or believe our spiritual growth comes only by thinking. Through Christ, our bodies are gifts fit for the redemption of our souls. 

unity with the Divine

Through Christ also, we are now no longer subject to the final corruption of death. Our children are destined for eternity. So as parents and educators, we must care for the eternal souls in our charge. As CS Lewis says, “You have never looked at a mere mortal.” I will add, “You have never parented a mere mortal.” and “You have never taught a mere mortal.” 

Many of our modern practices of teaching deny the Image of Christ and the eternal destiny of the human. We often hear metaphors of the industrial era or, now, tech language. Students, teachers, schools and entire school districts are assessed on “inputs,” “steps,” and “measurable outcomes” as a manufacturing facility would be. Students are often seen as “downloading” information from a text or even simply being trained in skills that can then be used to accomplish goals. But children are not computers to be programed or machines on an assembly line. The way we teach must respect the dignity of their true nature for them to comport themselves with dignity.   

How then shall we teach?

As the axiom states, what children learn is often “caught not taught.” And so, we have considered carefully what practices we can put in place that will form our students. How will they practice truth, goodness, and beauty as we seek to educate them as Images of God, fit to do the work of his Kingdom on earth and glorify him forever in heaven. 

Submitting the body to practices that train the soul goes against the grain of our current age. The word “liturgy” is used quite a lot these days in Christian circles. The word comes from the Greek meaning “work of the people.” I think its rise in popularity comes from an ingrained understanding and longing to submit our finite bodies to something transcendent. This is exactly what we mean when we say, “Christ Classical Academy is a place to practice the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty.” The “practice” part refers to the “work” and the “truth, goodness and beauty” are the “transcendent”.  

Liturgy means forming habits, ordering souls, and creating patterns for virtue. In this upcoming series, we will be sharing with you some of the practical practices we have implemented within our school to make these ideals come to life.  

Classroom Liturgies

• Morning Prayer 

• Scripture Memory 

• Call and Response 

• Catechism 

• Ending Class with a Hymn