New Church Philosophy of Education

1st and 2nd grade students writing in workbooks

 

"No one is ever instructed by means of truth, but by means of affections of truth."

        ~Secrets of Heaven 3066

New Church Education cultivates the

           heart (affections),           head (intelligence),         and hands (actions).

                   

All three must be involved in a good Christian life, as Jesus teaches:

 

"He who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the Word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." ~Matthew 13:23

"Love has service as its goal... love tends toward service... love brings about service through wisdom." ~Divine Love and Wisdom 297

 

 

"Charity is nothing without faith. Faith is nothing without charity. Charity and faith are nothing without good actions, but in the form of actions they become something." ~True Christian Religion 387[4]

How do we nurture all three?

Love

Children must know they are safe and loved. Their affections are developed through models of caring, innocence, excitement, and curiosity. This makes us want to know and do what is good. We lean into each child's affections to motivate their learning.

Small Class Environment
Wisdom

Memorizing the 10 Commandments, reading the Word, and learning about the Lord's creation through a spiritual lens builds a robust mind that can support spiritual growth. We meet each child where they are developmentally and academically to find the most effective path forward.

Academics
Use

"By their fruits you will know them." Students have daily chores to build habits of improving their community and develop their love of usefulness. They are encouraged in spontaneous efforts to help others. We enforce orderly behavior and guide children into greater self-awareness and self-discipline.

Project-Based Learning

"I can`t imagine a more nurturing environment for young minds." ~ Parent, 2025

"I like that people are real and attentive to what matters." ~ Parent, 2019

"I would not trade my child's time there for anything. He is more confident and prepared than ever before." ~ Parent, 2025



The Washington New Church School is a branch of the General Church school system, which supports a network of New Church schools and societies around the world. See our affiliated schools: