Inspired by Dorothy Sayers’ essay The Lost Tools of Learning, NCCA focuses content and pedagogical practices in alignment with students’ natural stages of development, known as the Trivium (Latin for “three ways”). Knowledge is gained in the Grammar phase, understanding that knowledge occurs more deeply in the Logic phase, and then this understanding is applied through wisdom in the Rhetoric phase. These three sequential phases–Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric–respectively correspond with the biblical concepts of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom (cf Prov 24:3-4).

Classical Christian Education generally, and NCCA specifically, aligns students’ understanding and reasoning with God’s Word. To do this, theology is not merely one subject among others but thoroughly integrated into all subjects. Proverbs teaches that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7) and of wisdom (Prov 9:10). Therefore to know anything well, it must be known in light of the authority of Scripture.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he commands to think about whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Phil 4:8). We become what we behold, so we desire students to behold time-tested, excellent works displaying the transcendentals of truth, goodness, and beauty. Whether it’s studying Latin and Greek, learning rhetoric and ethics from Aristotle, or going ad fontes (to the sources) to read the great books of the past, our students enter the great conversations of the past.

We focus on virtue, not mere vocation. We’re not in the business of making Christians into better businessmen, tradesmen, parents, and teachers. We’re making future businessmen, tradesmen, parents, and teachers into better Christians, equipped with the wisdom and virtue to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Lewis said “Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth ‘thrown in’; aim at Earth and you will get neither.” Likewise, aiming at virtue glorifies God and prepares for the next life, but it also prepares students with the wisdom and virtue to live well in this life. To paraphrase Lewis, when you aim at heart-level virtue formation, you get head-level academic formation thrown in.