Who We Are

Augustine Christian Academy (ACA) was established in 1997 as a private inter-denominational Christian school committed to providing a classical and Biblically-based education to young people in elementary through high school levels. Education at ACA is intended to be inherently different in philosophy and content than that offered in most other schools.

ACA strives to operate as an extension of the family under the assumption that the education of young people is the responsibility of parents rather than the responsibility of the State. ACA offers a classical curriculum utilizing a variety of publishers and original works and teaches all subjects as parts of an integrated whole with the Scriptures at the center. We’re dedicated to creating an environment that fosters individual creativity, academic inquiry, Christian service, and spiritual growth.

Ask any ACA student, faculty, staff, or alumni, and they’ll tell you, “We’re family.” Above all, though, we strive to do everything “for the glory of the Lord.”

We believe it is impossible to teach from a religiously neutral position. Therefore, we set our statement of faith as the foundation of this ministry with the full commitment to teach every subject from this perspective without apology or compromise.

● We believe that all life is created and sustained by God (Isa 42:5) and can only be properly understood in terms of God’s purpose throughout history, to bring glory to His name and to develop His kingdom.

● We believe that the Word of God, both the Old and New Testaments, is the only true and final authority for the believer. (2 Pet 1:20-21) The Scriptures, being self-validating, properly direct us in our relationship to God and our relationship to other men and the rest of creation.

● We believe that God is a Spirit, eternally existing in three persons, and is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is the Author of all truth. All theories of man, while recognized as legitimate for study, must be validated in terms of God and the absolutes of His revealed Word. (Psalm 36:9)

● We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, (Mark 1:1) the second person of the Trinity, (Mt 28:19) very God, and very man, equal in power and glory with God the Father.

● We believe Christ’s resurrection established Him as victor over death, affirmed His kingship and guaranteed His ultimate victory over the kingdom of Satan. (Rom 1:4) As our King He rules over us and defends us, putting all enemies under His feet.

● We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, (Mt 28:19) and proceeds in His work from the Father and the Son. He is that Person of the Godhead who illuminates the mind and the heart of the believer; leading them in the truth while working obedience in their life, assisting and comforting them in the distresses of the world, and convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 16:13)

● We believe that man was made in the image of God. (Gen 1:27) In this exalted position He rules the world under God. All mankind sinned in Adam, and is subject to the wrath and curse of God. Man stands in need of regeneration, the impartation of life by a sovereign and gracious act of God, and the forgiveness of man’s sins through faith in the vicarious atonement of Christ. (Romans 5: 12-15)

● We believe that marriage between one man and one woman for life uniquely portrays Christ’s relationship with His Church. (Eph. 5:21-33) Marriage is the foundational unit of society. (1 Cor. 7:2) Ideally, the children of a Christ-centered, lifelong marriage who grow up in the same home with both their father and mother receive from their parents the clearest example of important character traits including love, commitment, loyalty, responsibility, self-sacrifice, courage, and reverence to name a few.

One of the first questions prospective families ask Is...

"What is Christian Classical Education and how does it differ from 'traditional' education?" Classical education focuses on learning styles, content, and approaches that are attuned to students’ needs while traditional education often uses convenience and “social norms” as guidelines. Classical education is a conscious return to the ancient goal of education: teaching children to think and learn for themselves by imparting to them the tools of learning. Classical learning is called ‘classical’ because future leaders have been trained in its methods for centuries. It is precisely this kind of education that has produced countless great leaders, inventors, scientists, writers, philosophers, theologians, physicians, lawyers, artists, and musicians over the centuries.

Classical learning follows a particular pattern called the Trivium - which consists of grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. The students learn the grammar of each subject (that subject’s particulars). They then learn dialectic, or the relationships of these particulars to one another, and then go on to learn rhetoric. These three stages match the development stages of growing children, and provides a rigorous education suited to basic human nature, rather than one developed from the theories of educational faddists.

Students in classical education study all the same basics (math, science, grammar, history, etc.), but they study them in a different way. At ACA, the subjects are more integrated, giving students the opportunity to see the relationships between topics.

The value of classical instruction is that it teaches students the rigors of logical analysis. Our society abounds in “buncombe” (empty or insincere talk); we desperately need to train people recognize it. To do this, one must be able to recognize faulty reasoning, to respond to specious arguments, to analyze, to think, to persuade, and to interact. Classical education is about studying great thinkers, reading their works, and responding to them. Christian classical education is about responding to them Biblically and viewing their arguments, and the arguments of the culture, through the lens of Scripture. It is with the firm grounding in Scriptural truth and logical thinking that Christian classical education brings that students are equipped to do all things Gloriae Domini, or “for the glory of the Lord.” That is the mission of Augustine Christian Academy.

The Trivium is a theory of education that is at the heart of the classical model. It recognizes three stages in a young person’s development and assigns an educational emphasis which capitalizes on these stages, creating a natural progression through a School of Grammar, a School of Dialectic, and a School of Rhetoric.

SCHOOL OF GRAMMAR (K4-Grade 5) uses the sponge-like quality of children’s minds and their natural ease of memorization to equip them with sets of rules and facts, which serve as the foundation for more complex study.

SCHOOL OF DIALECTIC (Grades 6-8) acknowledges the questioning nature of a young person’s mind and teaches students to use logical methods as they grapple with truth. At this stage, students are encouraged to examine relationships between different areas of study and to apply rules of logic in each area.

SCHOOL OF RHETORIC (Grades 9-12) teaches students who have learned to draw logical and well-informed conclusions to engage in the “Great Conversation.” As suggested by the name, this stage emphasizes communicational skill as foundational. Students study great literature and original sources and respond in discussion, presentation, and written assignments.

Augustine Christian Academy’s foremost goal is the promotion of the glory of God, and therefore seeks to produce young people who share that vision and are equipped for God’s service in whatever vocation they pursue. The Trivium is the classical method for giving young people the informational, logical, and communicational skills useful for reclaiming the culture for Christ.