Take a moment to meditate on Mr. and Mrs. Zebedee.

Clearly, they had prepared their children —James and John— to provide for themselves, their families, and their community. The family business and boats were available to them as they developed their fishing skills on the Sea of Galilee. They were likely quite competent and confident. And yet, when Jesus asked them to leave their nets and become “fishers of men,” they were willing disciples! Somehow, Mr. and Mrs. Zebedee had also instilled in them a hunger for righteousness and an ability to see God when He showed up on the shore.

Mrs. Zebedee (Salome was her name) perhaps went too far in asking Jesus to seat her sons on either side when he reigned as King, but what a blessed vision. When Jesus acknowledged that she didn’t know what she was asking or what may be asked of them, she didn’t shrink from her vision. One son became the first disciple to die for love of Jesus and the other son lived the longest of all the disciples, writing the story of Jesus, the revelations of Jesus to the churches, and letters which urged Jesus’ followers, “Dear children, let us love one another.” Their parents had guided them towards capability and heroism.

Narthex Community of Learners is an opportunity for parents to encourage their children to develop their potential while leaving them free to follow their calling. Because of this, parents do not “send” children to Narthex. The choice to be a member is the choice of the student. Parents commit to spending one hour weekly in conversation with their child about what they are learning, how they are relating with other members of the community, and how they are growing in academic and spiritual disciplines. Parents are welcome to join in morning prayer and to engage in a variety of learning experiences both inside and outside of regular school hours. Parent volunteers will be vital to the success of extracurricular activities. 

Narthex Parents

What is our mission?

The mission of Narthex is to establish a diverse Christian community of self-educating high schoolers and their families. Through prayer together, the preparation and sharing of meals, Socratic dialogue, apprenticeships in the wider community, independent study, and collaborative problem-solving, students become self-educators, capable citizens, and good neighbors.

Things we love about the Narthex community…

  • Tuition-free for all low-income families

    AFFORDABILITY

  • Our community is 15–60 students max

    SMALL SIZE

  • Deep partnership between learners, families, and hosts

    REAL RELATIONSHIPS

  • Apprenticeship and service learning integrated into school life

    REAL LIFE

FAQs

  • Narthex combines Charlotte Mason's ideal of self-education with Socratic seminars. The seminars establish a community where acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly is a collaborative activity. Students will be developing the habits of initiative, reflection, and moral imagination through reading great books across time and world cultures, creating portfolios of scientific, mathematical, and artistic accomplishments, and assessing their own learning and contributions to the community of learners. 

  • 14-18 year olds are welcomed as the primary members of the Narthex Community of Learners. First-year members, regardless of age, will be part of the “Novitiate” where they learn the routines of daily life at Narthex, develop strategies for self-education, and explore faith communities and confirm their commitment to a particular church or denomination. Narthex will not be segregated by grade level but will allow students to support one another in mastering the objectives of the “Core 40” transcript. Expected year of graduation will determine how students are assigned to advisory groups where they will have weekly dialogue on their academic, social, and spiritual progress. 

  • Narthex can launch with a minimum of fifteen students. The community of learners will reach capacity at 60 students. If demand exceeds the capacity, Narthex will consider replication but not an expansion of an individual community since communities must be tight-knit in order to thrive. 

  • The commitment to be a member of this community is primarily the commitment of the high school learner. In order to enroll, a student must commit to taking responsibility for their own education, participating as a collaborative member of the community, and desiring to follow Jesus within a church of their choosing. Personal assent to the Nicene Creed or a similar statement of faith is also required.