Andrew Peterson and the Christian Imagination
In May of 2016 Covenant students enjoyed a visit from accomplished singer, songwriter, and author Andrew Peterson. While he is best known as a successful recording artist, Mr. Peterson has also won acclaim for his literary debut, a four-volume adventure epic called The Wingfeather Saga. (Click here for a great review of these books from Covenant’s former humanities teacher, Dr. Hunter). Peterson’s music and books bear evidence of a deeply Christian imagination reckoning with the world God made. He has also cultivated a community of storytellers and artists who come together at a place called The Rabbit Room to talk about and create art that is true and good and beautiful.
Mr. Peterson gave two excellent talks to our students during his visit. Covenant’s Head of School recently came across one of these recordings in his iTunes library. Remembering what excellent talks Peterson gave on the adventure of reading and on the formation of a Christian imagination, we thought parents and students would be blessed to hear them. So, here you go.
The Adventure of Reading (to Grammar School Students)
The Christian Imagination (to Upper School Students)
- The questions asked from the audience were unfortunately not picked up on the recordings. We have lightly edited the recordings to take out some of the longer gaps and pauses. The listener should understand that Andrew was responding to questions, not simply jumping from topic to topic.
Conversation with Greg Lowe
At Covenant we believe strongly in the the God-given authority and duty of parents to raise up their children in the Lord. We want to partner well with parents in this task, and we depend upon their wisdom and commitment in the education of their children.
In this conversation, Greg Lowe shares his thoughts reflecting upon his nearly two decades in the Covenant community. Greg and his wife Jennifer have raised four sons – all of whom went Kindergarten through graduation at Covenant. Greg has served in numerous ways at Covenant over the years, heading up the building committee that located and then helped to renovate our current campus, leading as a board member, and coaching varsity basketball.
In this conversation recorded at Classical Academic Press, Greg discusses various facets of Covenant, including their decision to come to Covenant initially, the importance of athletics in classical education, the skill of being able to learn new things, and the distinctive camaraderie they found in Covenant’s community. See the time stamps below to learn more about a specific topic.
- From Home School to Christian School | 0:00 – 0:51
- Athletics and Classical Education | 0:52 – 2:59
- Community and Faculty-Student Interaction | 3:00 – 4:14
- Cultivation of Thought and Creativity | 4:15 – 8:09
Convictions
A Reflection on Classical Christian Education
By John Hayward
Convictions, according to Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, are not beliefs that you hold but beliefs that hold you. Convictions give steady direction and governance to choices. They function like default settings for life. Being a disciple of Jesus and seeking to see his Lordship in all of life lead to certain convictions that must govern a life of faithfulness. Jesus’ life and teachings show us that a life of submission to these convictions is the true life of freedom. In a later article I will reflect specifically on how my education formed those ultimate convictions in me but here I want to point to convictions in two areas that have meaningfully shaped my life: authority and ideas.
Authority is not a popular concept and it’s not hard to understand why. Authority implies power and power can be and frequently is abused. It is however an inescapable reality. Parents, employers, pastors and government officials will be a part of each of our lives. My experience at a classical Christian school was a blessing because I was instructed by teaching and example in a Christian vision of authority. Essentially this consisted of two aspects which became my convictions. First, I was told and expected to respect authority because it has been put into my life by God. Second, I was taught and expected to keep authority accountable to God’s standards. This one-two combo punch of convictions about authority has humbled and protected me in my life.
In the first part of Anna Karrenina, Tolstoy introduces us to a character partly with this line, “he liked his newspaper, as he liked a cigar after dinner, for the slight haze it produced in his head.”[1] This captures the approach to ideas that is repugnant (like the smell of a bad cigar) to me because of the convictions my education gave me. Ideas matter. They lead to life or death. They glorify or profane the LORD. Therefore engaging in ideas (like gears engage a bicycle chain) personally is an act of Christian service. We need to promulgate good ideas that are good for people and fight bad ideas that are bad for people. Tinkering with ideas in detached pondering will tend to make us like Jude’s opponents “waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted.” (Jude 12, ESV) I was taught to have this conviction because I tasted the opposite. I tasted meaningful education through lessons that had, as C. S. Lewis would say, “Blood and sap in it. The trees of Knowledge and Life growing together.”
The culture in which we live insinuates, cajoles and finally screams that boundaries are inherently oppressive. Convictions require commitments and commitments lead to less freedom, the logic goes. The destructive floods of foolishness around us point to the contrary. Everyone prefers the Susquehanna keeps to its boundaries. Fire is only productive, fun and a blessing when it is under tight control. The boundary lines of my life have been laid in pleasant places thanks to the convictions formed in me through my education.
“Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!”
Psalm 34:3 (ESV)
[1] Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina trans. Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky
Graduation 2017
About one month ago, the Covenant Class of 2017 celebrated the education they received at Covenant during their graduation. It was a joyful time looking back on all the wonderful memories they created here at Covenant. Although this chapter is closing, we are excited to see what God has in store for them on their new journeys. As Peter Greer, CEO of Hope International, addressed the class, it was evident that these students are prepared to face the challenges of this world and will do so with the grace and love of our Lord. As they move on from Covenant, our prayer is that they are life long learners seeking what is good, beautiful and true. We are excited to see how God will use them in the future whether they are studying to be a nurse, a medical professional, or an artist.
Breakfast Express
Imagine a school where students don’t just learn to pass tests, but are taught to truly LOVE to learn. Imagine a school where teachers love Jesus and seek to lead their students in the hope of the gospel. Imagine a school where the pursuit of goodness, truth, and beauty isn’t an exception but is interwoven in the very structure of each day. Imagine a classical Christian education!
Come enjoy a quick breakfast, coffee, and tour of the school with Covenant’s Headmaster to learn more about this special path of classical Christian education. Sessions at 8:00 and 9:45 am. Please RSVP HERE.
Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols
Our annual Festival of Lessons and Carols was a wonderful event again this year. We were blessed to have the event at the magnificent Parmer Hall on the campus of Messiah College (one silver lining to having our gym out of commission this year!) Our music teacher, Mr. Maurer, does such an amazing job working with our students – from 1st grade to seniors – to bring the very best out of them so that this event is a true blessing to our school, and indeed, the community. 
Covenant Christian Academy
1982 Locust Lane
Harrisburg, PA 17109
Office Phone: 717-540-9885
Office Fax: 717-540-7176
