Let Us Rise Up and Build: Introducing the Beza Institute for Reformed Classical Education

With the folly of our modern, western culture on full display, more and more people are pulling their children out of government schools and, instead, placing them in classical schools or choosing to homeschool their children classically. Indeed, many have sought to find old paths which would provide better alternatives than the secular, pagan, LGBT-infused educational models of our era. With hundreds of new, classical Christian schools launching all over the country, many are moving forward with a bold-optimism to reclaim the truth, goodness, and beauty of western Christian civilization. This is a reason to rejoice and to declare like the psalmist, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.” (Psalm 126:3)

Yet, with growth comes challenges. When a tent gets too broad, sometimes it is hard to miss the rips on the side in which every wind of doctrine begins to blow. It is no secret that the Classical Christian Education movement is at a crossroads. Many have recently chronicled the rise of wokeness in the movement. David Goodwin, the President of the Association of Classical Christian Schools, has provided a helpful map of the controversy here. Doug Wilson’s comments on the issue of wokeness in CCE here provide further helpful insight. Beyond the issue of wokeness (and all of its ideological accomplices), other issues have arisen. Many schools have begun to adopt the term “Classical Christian” while developing programs that look no different than the public school down the street apart from some uniforms, a weekly chapel service, and a few courses in Latin roots. We long for reform in these types of programs so that the Classical Christian designation doesn’t become a mere marketing tool. Furthermore, there are schools, classical education organizations, and individuals that have started to take a leading role in the movement, which emphasize the “Classical” and minimize or altogether remove the “Christian.” While I do believe classical education is undoubtedly the best (and truly time-tested) method of education, I also believe that virtue, truth, goodness, and beauty cannot be truly and fully taught from any worldview that does not presuppose that Jesus Christ is Lord. The best education is a Classical Christian Education. This cannot be forgotten, nor can it be downplayed. With all of this in mind, I’ve decided to launch the Beza Institute for Reformed Classical Education.

Theodore Beza, the successor to John Calvin & the first rector of the Academy of Geneva during the Protestant Reformation, was a brilliant teacher, author, pastor, school leader, and lover of the liberal arts. At the commencement of the Academy of Geneva in 1559, Beza said the following in his commencement address, “Indeed, you have not gathered in this place as many of the Greeks used to do, heading to their gymnasiums [schools] to engage in vain endeavors, but rather, imbued with the knowledge of the true religion and liberal arts, to be able to magnify the glory of God and to be a support to your families and an honor to your homeland.”

Here at the Beza Institute, we long to promote Beza’s vision for education within the classical Christian education movement. His educational vision was marked by the true religion and liberal arts with the purpose of glorifying God, providing for one’s family, and renewing the culture. Education is not neutral. Therefore — like Theodore Beza — we believe that classical education must be thoroughly biblical, confessional, and doxological in its approach, even as it makes use of the great resources of Western Civilization.

Our Mission is as follows:

The Beza Institute for Reformed Classical Education exists to promote Classical Christian Education from a distinctly confessional & reformed perspective for the glory of God and the good of His Kingdom. We seek to publish articles which promote a markedly reformed perspective on classical Christian education; to provide meaningful resources which equip reformed classical educators, schools, and families for the work of cultural reformation; and to uphold an uncompromisingly Biblical approach to classical education as the movement continues to grow and expand.

We are unashamed of our commitments to God’s Word, the glorious doctrines of the Protestant Reformation, and God’s design for sexuality & gender. We wholeheartedly reject any worldly philosophies & ideologies that do not presuppose God’s revelation as the foundation and source of truth.

You can read more about our mission, commitments, and doctrine here. I am hopeful as we begin to build this institute which – God-willing – shall serve as a center for articles, podcasts, online lectures, teacher training programs, curriculum development, and the promotion of Classical Christian Education.

I’m grateful to be joined by a team of faithful men who have graciously volunteered to join me in this work. You can find more information about them here. I am also grateful for the educators & cultural reformers who have accepted our invitation to be Fellows for the Institute. Our Fellows stand as model examples of the type of educators and cultural leaders we long to produce here at The Beza Institute. Our fellows will write for our blog, lecture for a variety of our events, and appear as distinguished guests on our podcasts from time to time. I’m hopeful to expand this group as time goes on.

If you are a classical Christian educator, parent, minister, or just passionate about cultural reformation through education, I invite you to sign up for our email list and to follow along with our work. We long for Christ to be exalted, God’s glory to be made known, and for the classical Christian education movement to flourish in the days to come. Join us.

Post Tenebras Lux,

Lucas E. Vieira | Founder & Executive Director

If you’re interested in writing for us, working with us, or contributing financially to the work we are doing, send us an email at bezainstitute@gmail.com.