Text reading 'Wisdom and Eloquence' on a black background.

“Wisdom without Eloquence does little good for the instruction of the masses; eloquence without wisdom is frequently of great harm.”

-St. Augustine (De Doctrina Christiana IV.5)

How Classical Christian Education Can Transform Your Children, Your Family, and the World

Silhouette of a boy sitting against a tree and reading a book during sunset.

With the third decade of the twenty-first century solidly upon us, perhaps the great question for our day is "Where are the shepherds?" Have the skills, knowledge, virtues, and wisdom that once produced men and women of character worth trusting - cultural, political, and spiritual leaders worth following been lost forever? Have we as a society forgotten how to build these qualities into developing shepherd boys and girls?

Dr. Robert Littlejohn and Charles T. Evans draw from the foundational principles outlined in their seminal 2006 work, Wisdom and Eloquence: A Christian Paradigm for Classical Education to answer these questions with a resounding "no!"
Together with family and parenting counselor Keith A. McCurdy, the authors present updated selections from the original text and new content written specifically for parents, providing a compelling case for classical Christian education as the surest path to forming wise and eloquent servant-leaders who are equipped to shepherd their generation as lifelong learners, rational thinkers, creative problem solvers, and faithful Christians.
The image features the phrase 'Wisdom and Eloquence' in large, elegant white and beige lettering on a black background.

“ A Clear and Convincing Guide for Parents ”

“I found the original Wisdom and Eloquence to be an excellent and deeply thoughtful presentation of the classical Christian approach to education — far more substantive and insightful than many other works on the topic. The new edition, Wisdom and Eloquence for Parents, refines and distills those foundational ideas in a more accessible form, written specifically for parents. It effectively communicates the tremendous value of committing to classical Christian education, especially for parents who may not yet fully understand what it aims to achieve or how it works in practice. For those who simply know that they want their children in a “Christian school,” but aren’t sure what that should look like beyond good intentions, this book offers clear, persuasive arguments for why a classical model yields meaningful, long-term formation of mind, character, and faith. To quote the authors and summarize this book, "classical Christian education provides our learners with the skills, knowledge, experiences, and virtues needed to become lifelong learners, creative problem solvers, and effective writers and public speakers - not only to succeed but also to lead in their generation."

-Penny (Amazon Review)

Text that reads 'Wisdom and Eloquence' in large, elegant font, with a black background.

Wisdom and Eloquence

Buy Now

Wisdom and Eloquence

for Parents

Buy Now

Endorsements for Wisdom and Eloquence

  • Littlejohn and Evans Answer Several Important Questions

    "Classical schooling is now the fastest growing private-school model in America. In Wisdom and Eloquence for Parents, Littlejohn and Evans answer several important questions parents everywhere are asking: In what ways is classical school different from public schools and other types of private schools? What difference would attending a classical school make for my child? Given the life-shaping power of a child’s schooling, finding answers to these questions may be one of the most valuable investments of time parents can make. I highly recommend this book."

    —Tom Stoner, EdD, Head of School at Covenant Classical School, Naperville, Illinois, and author of The Idea of a Christian School: And Why It Matters for Your Child

  • Helps Christian Parents Elevate Their Vision

    “Refreshing, insightful, compelling, and winsome. In this condensed, updated edition of the original, Evans and Littlejohn do more than just make the contemporary case for classical education. Wisdom and Eloquence for Parents helps Christian fathers and mothers elevate their vision for what’s possible in raising ready, willing, and able children.”

    —Andy Lynch, President & CEO of Tassel

  • Defense of the Time-tested Educational Model

    “Today’s parents are bombarded with competing messages about one of their most critical decisions—choosing the best educational path for their children. This revised, parent-friendly edition of Wisdom and Eloquence cuts through the noise with a clear, compelling case for why classical Christian education provides the best foundation for all students. Approachable, yet deeply insightful, this book offers a practical defense of the time-tested educational model that virtually everyone in the West received up until 100 years ago. It’s a must-read for anyone committed to equipping the next generation with the wisdom to truly flourish.”

    —Dr. W. Davies Owens, Host of BaseCamp Live,
    CEO of ZipCast Inc.

  • A Compelling Apologia

    “So many parents—and even family members without children—desire to know what this thing called ‘classical education’ is and why it matters. Evans and Littlejohn have written a compelling apologia for this way of life, one which I would happily buy for all those who want to understand the neo-classical education movement.”

    —Jessica Hooten Wilson, Fletcher Jones chair of Great Books at Pepperdine and author of The Scandal of Holiness

  • A Careful and Nuanced Account

    “Wisdom and Eloquence for Parents provides a readable yet profound introduction to and apologetic for classical Christian education. It succinctly and insightfully traces the 20th-century decline of American education and shows how contemporary classical Christian education is responding by drawing on the history and philosophy of 2,500 years of classical tradition. This book ranges from conceptual to practical as Littlejohn and Evans utilize both research data and personal anecdotes from their decades of experience working in actual schools in order to build their case. Their careful and nuanced account is broad in its scope yet focused on what matters most for parents thinking about the education of their children. This book is a must-read, not only for parents but in fact for anyone who cares about the education of the next generation.”

    —David Diener, PhD,
    Assistant Professor of Education, Hillsdale College

Meet the Authors

Portrait of an older man with white hair, wearing a suit and tie, standing outdoors with blurred foliage in the background. 
Dr. Littlejohn has served as head of school for The Covenant School of Dallas, Trinity Academy of Raleigh, and New Covenant Schools in central Virginia, in addition to holding faculty and administration positions at both public and private higher education institutions. He was founding director for the Society for Classical Learning and a founding board member for the American School of Lyon, France.

Robert Littlejohn, PhD

A smiling older man with glasses, a goatee, and a mustache, wearing a dark shirt, standing in front of a brick wall. 
Chuck Evans has served as head of school for the Regents School of Austin and Faith Christian School, Roanoke, Virginia, and as interim head of ten other schools in four states. His consulting group, BetterSchools LLC, has provided training and advice to dozens of classical schools for faculty and program development across the United States.

Charles T. (Chuck) Evans

A smiling middle-aged man in a suit jacket and dress shirt standing outdoors with trees and a pathway in the background. 
Keith A. McCurdy is a licensed professional counselor and consultant specializing in family systems and parenting who brings a unique perspective on how classical Christian education can strengthen family life and foster the development of resilient, virtuous children.

Keith A. McCurdy, MA, EdS

Let’s Work Together

A lecture hall with a large projection screen at the front showing a presentation. People are seated in curved rows of seats, listening to a speaker standing on stage. The room has high ceilings with white walls and sound panels.