Our Philosophy
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)
We began developing our vision for Agia Sophia Academy by attempting to answer the question, "When is a person educated?" Was it when they obtained a high school or college degree, technical knowledge, wealth, or, social status? We learned that the Hellenic Fathers like Plato, Aristotle, Solon, and Socrates, agreed that the educated person has a good character, is thoughtful, kind and considerate, respectful, modest, unassuming, searching, and inquisitive. They spoke of the educated person as a person of self-control (sophron), justice (dikaios), goodness (agathos), and piety (eusebes aner). They believed that the ultimate purpose of education was to form or make what they referred to as "the good and beautiful person" (kalos k'agathos anthropos). Likewise, the Early Church Fathers like St. Basil, St. Gregory, and St. John Chrysostom, who themselves were students of the Classical Trivium, added that the purpose of education should be to develop the human being into a person possessing faith in a core of values and a persistent effort to apply them in everyday life until the icon of Christ is formed in him/her. Both the Hellenic and Early Church Fathers understood that it was only by contemplation of the beautiful and the good that a person could develop into a beautiful and good person. They also agreed that this contemplation and effort to apply it, not only educates the soul but it also shapes the inner person to the ideals of excellence. It was this philosophy, these educational ideals, which gave impetus to the manifold achievements of our ancient Greek culture, effected great social reforms during one of the most critical times in the history of the Western Civilization, and enabled Orthodox Christianity to be defended and spread.
We came to the conclusion that we too should strive to likewise keep before our eyes those things of beauty, goodness, and excellence, such as will inspire us to truth, wisdom, and love of God. We also concluded that we should educate our children in that same tradition of the Orthodox Christian Faith and Hellenic (Classical) wisdom.
At Agia Sophia Academy, we seek to provide contemporary schooling that gives knowledge of the will of the living God; gives understanding of how to live by faith and do good; gives answers to the basic questions of what is truth and how to live; and gives that which can be fashioned usefully by the soul, mind, and heart, not just the memory.
We welcome everyone to learn more about Agia Sophia Academy, an Orthodox Christian Classical school!
