The Logres Institute for Classical Liberal Studies holds a series of convictions. Our goal is to establish a position from which we stand to study the great tradition of western knowledge. As circumstances develop, the Logres Institute may add to this page; for now, we hold to the following five convictions:

First—As a project of the Ciceronian Society, the Logres Institute stands in the tradition of mere Christian orthodoxy. We affirm the Nicene Creed, and hold to a traditional understanding of human nature as fallen and in need of redemption. Our fallen nature is what puts us in deep need of wisdom. 

This position results in our views on significant pre-political institutions (like marriage and the family). Men and women are made in the divine image, which means we reject transgender ideology. Marriage is between a man and woman united with procreation as a primary purpose, which means we reject homosexual relationships as a human good. We believe that God is most glorified when man is made fully alive, which means we reject both abortion and euthanasia as cultural goods. 

In short, the Logres Institute affirms traditional biblical Christianity with a generous attitude towards ecumenical conversations across Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic lines. 

Second—The Logres Institute for Classical Liberal Studies situates itself as an aid to the classical renewal movement; we are particularly interested in recovering the intellectual resources that enable a teacher to bring students into the classical Christian tradition. 

We look to Tertullian’s question, “What hath Athens to do with Jerusalem?” and we say, “Everything.” 

We agree with Milton’s articulation that education exists to “repair the ruins” sin has made of our originally good and glorious natures. 

We take as a wise framework Russell Kirk’s vision of Western Civilization as combining the truth-based insight of Athens, Rome, Jerusalem, London, and Philadelphia. 

We believe that classical educators must be liberal artists who embrace the truth that knowledge brings freedom, and ignorance enslaves; we study truth, beauty, and goodness not for gain, but because these transcendentals make life worth living. 

Our route to the perennial truths of human nature is through the humanities: history, literature, philosophy, languages are all preparatory for the encounter with Truth. In these subjects, we study what it means to be human and situate ourselves in the conversation between the dead, the living, and the yet to be born; it is through such study that we map our intellectual inheritance and curate it for the next generation. The humanities enable the development of the moral imagination. 

Third - The Logres Institute for Classical Liberal Studies believes education is fundamentally a human activity that occurs through relationships. When a course of study is complete, “the student will look like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). That was true in Jesus’s earthly ministry days; it remains true. 

Attempts to scale education generally do not succeed; rather than increasing the number of people who are genuinely educated, universal compulsory public education has watered down the education American children receive. Enabling universal access to collegiate education has watered down higher education. 

Education is fundamentally a dialogue between one who knows, and one who does not know. This dialogical, relational description of education is essential to the Logres Institute; it is why every class is limited in size to those who the instructor can lead in a conversation. 

Fourth - In keeping with the view of education outlined above, the Logres Institute contends that artificial intelligence does not have a role in the educational process. Education is not about the output; it is rather a process of formation. AI cannot do that formation; it instead is oriented towards allowing one to give the appearance of being educated. As such, Logres Institute courses will remain spaces without AI intrusion. 

Fifth - The Logres Institute holds that education is fundamentally political. Education is about conserving a particular way of life and transmitting the knowledge and skills necessary to live well from generation to generation. The Logres Institute is not a partisan organization, but in the process of teaching Aristotle, Homer, Plato, Dante, Aquinas, Milton, Lewis, and the rest it is inevitable that political conclusions flow from the study of the great texts of the Western Tradition. The discussion about what makes a just civilization, the possibilities of such a civilization on this side of eternity, and the place of individual teachers, is a deeply necessary conversation. It is invariably political, yet not partisan.