WHO WE ARE
Caritas Academy is dedicated to the idea that true education requires more than imparting knowledge, or training skills, or even teaching students to think (though all of these are involved). We are cultivating in students what the ancient Greeks and Christians called paideia. Paideia can be understood as the set of assumptions (worldview) that a student has, and the rightly ordered affections (virtues) that drive what he or she is passionate about. Paideia motivates the decisions a person makes, and it turns faith into a powerful cultural force rather than just a personal experience.
A person’s paideia is the core ingredient in building a community that loves and honors God, and K-12 education is a foundational ingredient in forming paideia in a student. In Ephesians 6, God calls fathers to raise their children in the “paideia of the Lord.” Historically, Christian paideia has been cultivated through a unique form of education that was designed for this purpose: Christian Classical Education.
Caritas Academy aspires to glorify God by graduating young men and women who will possess the virtues, wisdom, knowledge, and skills necessary to transform our culture. Our goal is to equip students to discern truth from folly, to communicate clearly and persuasively, and to actively and influentially serve Christ in their communities.
Caritas Academy strives to partner with parents by providing a Christ-centered education in the classical tradition that trains students to know, love, and practice that which is true, good, and beautiful. We endeavor to equip our students to live purposefully and intelligently in service of God and neighbor.
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We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The Apostles’ Creed (AD 2nd Century)
We believe the Bible to be the only inerrant, authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16).
We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:26, Acts 7:54-60, John 1:1).
We believe God made the heavens, the earth, and man as related in the account of creation in the first two chapters of Genesis.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary (Titus 3:5).
We believe salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 11:5-6).
We believe faith without works is dead (Philippians 2:12, Ephesians 2:10, James 2:14-26).
We believe the indwelling Holy Spirit enables the Christian to live a godly life (Romans 8:9, Galatians 5:22-25).
We believe in the resurrection of the saved to eternal life and the lost to eternal damnation (Matthew 25:31-46).
We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (John 17, 1 Corinthians 12 and 14).
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The Value of Man
Because we are created in the image of God, we believe that all human life is sacred and created by God. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Caritas Christian Classical Academy.
God’s Design of Man
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen. 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
God’s Design of Marriage
We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4.) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10.)
God’s Mercy and Forgiveness
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11.)
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Caritas Christian Classical Academy as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the Caritas Academy members and the community, it is necessary that all parents read this statement and agree that this reflects their personal beliefs. We want parents to understand that the tenets contained within these statements will be actively taught, discussed, and woven throughout instruction.
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As a member of the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS), Caritas Academy also subscribes to the ACCS Statement of Faith.