Logic, Rhetoric, and Writing

2009 Senior Theology Theses

Words are a powerful asset.  Whether you’re pastoring a church, promoting a project to a business team, arguing a case in court, or convincing people of your idea, your impact in this world is likely to depend on your ability to communicate.  Classical Christian education was originally designed to train leaders how to persuade others.  Rhetoric, as it is called in classical education, is the art of written and oral persuasion. 

• We begin in grammar school training students in grammar and excellence in writing.
• We continue as all grammar school students participate in Speech Meet and drama.
• We build powerful vocabularies through our study of Latin and Greek, recitation of great poetry, singing of songs and hymns, and  emphasis on great literature.
• In 7th and 8th grade, students study logic.  This prepares students to make good arguments.
• In 9th through 12th grade, students have a sequence beginning with A Writer’s Rhetoric in 9th grade, Classical Rhetoric in 10th grade, and two classes in 11th and 12th grade where students defend a 20-30 page thesis. 
• To graduate, students defend a theology thesis before an examination board.