The Value of a Christian Education

The most fundamental question of life is this: “Who are you?” 

Everything you do -- everything you believe -- depends on your answer.

There are two broad categories of thought as to the correct answer.  The predominant belief among the academic and cultural elite today is that we are essentially, and only, physical beings.  To quote Stephen Pinker, noted Harvard professor of psychology and a prolific and talented writer, “And when the brain dies, the person goes out of existence.”  He really means that.  And many very bright people agree with him.  The vast majority of professors teaching at the vast majority of universities and colleges are in this camp, many quite vocally so.

We disagree.

We believe that the Scriptures provide the foundation for understanding this question. 
For instance, in Psalm 8, David asks these questions – What is man that God takes thought of him?  Why should God remember us? Why should God care for us?

These are profound questions.  And happily, the psalmist answers quickly: “God has made us to be a little lower than God.  And He has crowned us with glory and majesty.” 

That is, we find our ultimate meaning and reality in God and His magnificient creation.   
We are created to be near God.  To use the language of Genesis, we are made in God’s Image, in His likeness. 

It is on this truth that we stake our claim that the best education is education that acknowledges this reality. 
We are God’s people, created in His image, horribly disfigured by sin, but completely and wonderfully redeemed by Christ’s saving work, and eagerly waiting for the day when God will wipe away every tear. Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation. 

We weave this fundamental truth through the entire Geneva educational experience. 
From Summer Preview -- where student and parents are introduced to life at Geneva -- through Commencement ceremonies -- where we celebrate the academic achievement of our students -- and all that lies in between those two events, we work at integrating a Christian understanding of life into every academic discipline, into every course, into every residence hall – indeed, into every heart.

All of our faculty and staff are committed Christians. 
All of our faculty are experts in their field of study.  An overwhelming percentage of our faculty have the highest degree possible in their field and many have considerable applied work experience. 

We have education faculty who have been teachers and principals, business faculty who have worked in large and small organizations, and English faculty who are published writers.  We have Bible faculty who have been pastors, a linguist who has worked with Wycliffe, and history faculty who have and are writing about important elements of history. 

We have a student development staff who work with students outside of the classroom in a variety of intentional ways to encourage their development as committed and thoughtful Christians.

Geneva’s theological perspective is reformed and presbyterian.  
One of the central tenets of reformed theology is that God is sovereign over all of life.  We believe that God is sovereign over accounting and engineering just as much as he is sovereign over Bible and ministry.   That God is interested in biology and education just as much as he is interested in missions.

Proverbs 25:2 reads “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”  Come join with us to search out the truth of God’s glorious creation.

May God bless you richly as you make this important decision.