The Veritas Approach - English Electives

Made in the image of the Creator, every person has unique talents and gifts. Throughout history, many of the most gifted have preserved and shaped cultures with their creations—giving us the great books, the philosophical essays, the scientific discoveries, and the visual masterpieces we admire and study today. At Veritas, we delight in the opportunity to give students the chance to explore what it means to be made in the image of God by learning and developing principles and practices of various art forms. As students explore how they can glorify God as creators themselves, they also develop an increased appreciation for the image of God in the great works they study.

Starting with the study of the masters and the fundamental elements in each discipline, students learn to appreciate and analyze great writing even as they begin to develop their own skills. As they learn the building blocks of poetry, fiction, journalism, and other writing specialties, seeing these elements function both universally and specifically, students naturally educate their personal tastes and begin to become mature critics of their own work.

During the Rhetoric stage, students are learning how to craft, develop, discern, and present their knowledge and worldview. Our elective English courses give them specific ways to do just that. While continuing to add to the understanding of basic disciplines and strengthen the logical analysis of artistic expressions, these students are ready to engage in exploring the nuances of producing beautiful work. This will naturally look and sound different than the work of the Middle Ages or the Renaissance, but it will reflect the universal truths students are continuing to weave into every aspect of their lives. Borrowing the words of Francis Schaeffer, our goal is to guide students into making art that is “embodying something of the nature of the world as seen from a Christian standpoint.” As students interact with trends from ancient to contemporary, they will be better equipped to create classic, original, and meaningful writings that can both preserve and shape their culture as well.

In keeping with our mission to restore culture to Christ through training the hearts and minds of our students, we view art as a powerful means for expressing truth, beauty, and goodness to our students and to our culture. Artistic excellence can winsomely present our worldview of redemption through Christ to this current culture. How can we enter the Great Conversation? One of the ways is through developing the writers among us, the story crafters of the next generation.