First Things

Our people write about classical Christian education.

What are First Things?

Every school has a set of foundational beliefs and principles that governs its content and practices. What are the spoken and unspoken assumptions and principles that govern all that we do at Capstone? In First Things, our teachers, staff, and leadership write about the foundational principles of classical and Christian education.

Feb 16, 2026

Classical Christian Education Defined: Desiring Christ and His Kingdom

This article explores the core philosophy of Capstone Classical Academy, emphasizing that a truly classical Christian education moves beyond academic excellence to the formation of a student's heart and desires. Drawing on the wisdom of thinkers like St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, it argues that education is never neutral and must aim to align a child’s affections with the love of Christ. Ultimately, the piece portrays the school as a partner to parents in "enchanting" students with the beauty of the Kingdom, ensuring they not only know what is true but delight in what is good.

Paul Fisher

Headmaster

Feb 2, 2026

Classical Christian Education Defined: Informed Self-Rule

In the classical Christian school, we submit the content and methods of education to Christ so that our students come under the spiritual influence of Goodness, Truth, and Beauty as a matter of the typical course of each day. To educate is not merely to transmit information but to form whole persons—minds alive to truth, hearts inclined toward the Good, wills disciplined in virtue, and souls oriented toward the Source of all wisdom. We distinctively, rigorously, and with joyful conviction seek not just to inform but to form well-informed, self-ruling human beings, graduating citizens prepared to steward their responsibilities within the polity of America and, above all, to serve as faithful citizens of the Kingdom of God.

Paul Fisher

Headmaster

Jan 19, 2026

Classical Christian Education Defined: The Quadrivium

This article explores the Quadrivium—arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy—and its central role in classical Christian education as a path to wonder, wisdom, and worship. It explains how these mathematical arts form the mind and soul, grounding modern science in a theological vision of a rational, ordered creation held together by Christ. Through the Quadrivium, students learn not merely to calculate, but to perceive truth, beauty, and meaning in God’s world.

Paul Fisher

Headmaster

Jan 5, 2026

Classical Christian Education Defined: The Trivium

This article introduces the Trivium—grammar, logic, and rhetoric—as the foundational language arts of classical Christian education and explains how each cultivates the uniquely human capacities for understanding, reasoning, and persuasive expression. It also illustrates how these arts are intentionally formed at Capstone from the earliest grades through upper school to prepare students for wise, virtuous, and faithful engagement with the world.

Paul Fisher

Headmaster

Nov 17, 2025

Classical Christian Education Defined: Rich Liberal Arts Studies

Classical Christian education is shaped not only by its community habits but by a rich, ordered curriculum rooted in the liberal arts. Unlike modern progressive models, this tradition emphasizes time-tested content and the “art of learning” itself, forming students who can think deeply, communicate clearly, and integrate knowledge across subjects. By grounding all studies in the Trivium and Quadrivium, Capstone aims to cultivate wisdom, virtue, and lifelong adaptability in an ever-changing world.

Paul Fisher

Headmaster