About New Aberdeen College

Statement of Faith | Classical Pedagogy | Governance | FAQ | Employment Application

Statement of Faith

New Aberdeen College is confessionally Reformed in its theology. We believe and confess the creeds of the Church (The Apostles’ Creed, The Nicene Creed, and the Definition of Chalcedon) as our foundational statements of faith, but are more specifically defined by the whole “family” of Reformed confessions and catechisms that include the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dordt, Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.

We believe in but one true and living God: without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and sustainer of all things. He is an incomposite spiritual being, self-existent, uncaused, fully actualized, and without limit in his perfections. Omniscient and benevolent, he governs all according to his sovereign will.

In unity of this Godhead there are three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These are consubstantial, co-equal, and co-eternal, working inseparably and distinguished only by relations of origin.

The Holy Scriptures are the Word of God written and contain all things necessary for salvation and godliness of life. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, they are inerrant and infallible, and the final authority for faith and practice.

The Canon of the Holy Scriptures is the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, wherein the New does not abolish the Old, but fulfills it. The Holy Scriptures are to be translated, read, preached, taught, and obeyed in their plain and canonical sense, respectful of the Church’s historic and consensual reading.

Through his Word and out of nothing, God spoke all things into existence in six normative days. On the seventh day God rested, prescribing a temporal order of work and rest for human flourishing. The doctrine of Creation establishes an absolute distinction between the Creator and His creatures.

Having declared all things good, God made man and woman in His image, declaring them very good. He established their union in marriage, commanding them to be fruitful, to multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, and take dominion. Any denial of the sexual difference between men and women, or alternate version of marriage, violates God’s order in creation.

The doctrine of Creation does not oppose the sciences; rather it establishes them, for a rational Creation is the foundation of all inquiry. Any science which denies the Creation departs from God and defeats itself.

God made man to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Of our own fault we sinned by disobeying God, whereby we incurred his judgment, were driven out of Eden, and now deserve his just condemnation. Corrupted and inclined to sin and evil, man is unable to repent or return to God of his own power. Nor can the works of sinful man earn him any favor before a holy and righteous God.

Though fallen, man retains the image of God, for which reason God prohibits murder and establishes a right to life. This right is in force for the entirety of human life, from conception to natural death. And God made in his image the people of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, promising through his people to bless all the nations of the world. Regardless of race or ethnicity, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all are called to repentance and redemption in Christ.

In His mercy and by His sovereign will, God has purposed the redemption of man in the Covenant of Grace, for those predestined and chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world.

Under the Old Covenant, He called a people to himself, revealing His righteous law, holy worship, and the necessity of sacrifice for sin. Under the New Covenant, God sent His eternal Son Jesus Christ, to be incarnate of the Virgin Mary and made the God-man. One person of two natures, fully human and fully divine, Jesus obeyed God’s law, fulfilled all righteousness, and became the final sacrifice for human sin on the cross. There Jesus made atonement for our sin in his blood, dying the death that we deserve, that we might be justified by grace through faith in Him.

Jesus resurrected bodily on the third day, appeared to His disciples, and sent them to proclaim forgiveness of sins in His name. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes for the saints and empowers them with His Holy Spirit.

The church is the body of Christ, His bride who submits to Him as her head. She is visible in the congregation of the faithful, where the pure gospel is preached and the sacraments duly administered according to the discipline of Christ. At present the church is militant, sent out to disciple the nations, to teach the commandments of Christ, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. In the end the church is triumphant, even over the gates of hell.

Christ will return bodily at the general resurrection to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.

We proclaim and submit to the unique and universal Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our only Savior from sin, judgment and hell, until He comes. In our studies and our service, our prayer and our work, He sanctifies us by his Holy Spirit to be his holy people, glorifying Him in the love of God and neighbor.

The Value of a Classical Christian Liberal Arts Degree

Our classical Christian studies degrees contribute to the moral and academic development of the student in a manner unique to modern colleges. This is the education of great men such as Marcus Aurelius, John Calvin, Isaac Newton, Franz Joseph Haydn, and Thomas Jefferson. These men, all champions of Western culture, exhibit the type of influence that persons trained to think liberally – literally, “freely,” able to think independently – can have on culture. In this tradition, New Aberdeen College cultivates virtue and wisdom to present our students mature in Christ (Col. 1:28).

This education’s contribution to one’s personal development comes first. When properly understood, a classical, liberal arts education develops the cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. When Christian scholarship elevates the liberal arts, that list expands to other virtues, namely faith, hope, and charity. This ethical component is unique among educational institutions in contemporary settings, but it is the highest expression of the classical mode of education. This ethical dimension undergirds the classical liberal arts education, producing virtuous students.

In addition to virtue, a liberal arts degree inculcates wisdom and contributes to the students’ professional development. We embolden young scholars with a remarkable breadth of knowledge, rhetorical, and analytical skills. This education equips them for a life of independent, adaptable productivity.

  • Mastery of rhetoric helps us communicate with one another either in large or intimate settings with the goal of persuading our audience. Speaking and writing well is of inestimable, timeless value – a key component of successful leadership. 
  • The strong emphasis in philosophy, which encompasses aesthetics, ethics, economics and political theory, enables professionals to think more critically, thus being able to solve complex problems more effectively. Training in philosophy also equips us to navigate the maze of contemporary thought trends shrewdly.
  • A strong view of history emboldens students to anticipate patterns of human behavior, discern the outcomes that may proceed from a given course of action, and act decisively in occasions of both hazard and opportunity. 
  • Studying great literature, fine arts, and classical music – those areas where beauty, truth, and goodness often most clearly reside – amplifies the study of humanity, produces empathy, and trains us  to pursue, enjoy, and emulate those transcendent qualities which are perfected in God, and which are his signature upon creation and the best works of man. 
  • Mathematics played a major role in the quadrivium for just cause. As the ancients discovered and modern science confirms, God built this world with mathematical principles from the atomic to the universal levels. The liberal arts graduate attains mathematical competency for both everyday life and the pursuit of many technical professions.
  • The study of language develops a more nuanced and sophisticated view of our world, and enhances our rhetorical capabilities. Reading the classics in their original languages opens their full wealth to student of liberal arts. 

When studied properly, these fields collectively prepare our students to think critically, analytically, and contextually; the liberal arts grant wisdom. This course of study is a rare gift among contemporary educational options.

An education in the liberal arts also cultivates resilient, transferable skills that employers desire. With the combined elements of transcendent virtues and academic knowledge, the student will outshine his competitors in the job market. Savvy businesses are advertising to hire graduates of liberal arts colleges who can be versatile, communicative, and quickly master the particular skills of the job.

While we are confident that our academic program will train students for nearly any vocation, we recognize the need to give them a path into the job market. New Aberdeen College’s vision includes three pillars, including “cultivating industriousness,” a term that encompasses the ability to accomplish meaningful work. We will equip students with interview skills, resume building, career counseling, and other valuable tools to facilitate their entry into the economy.

What Distinguishes New Aberdeen from other Christian Liberal Arts Colleges?

Many colleges that call themselves “liberal arts” are not, in fact, so.

Contemporary “liberal arts” degrees are typically less discreet in their course selection because the term has become an umbrella for any course that is not an expression of mechanical or fine arts (e.g. brick masonry, sculpture, painting, etc. ). Modern curricula are rarely rooted in classics and Great Books but focus instead on contemporary theories, most famously Critical Theory. Testing is content-oriented rather than dialogical in nature. The secular academy typically indoctrinates leftist ideologies rather than creating independent thinking scholars. Altogether, these trends have given the title “liberal arts” a negative reputation. New Aberdeen College, however, gladly embraces the rich academic tradition of the historic liberal arts, which is a valuable gift from our forefathers and the ancients, to the benefit of our students, our society, and future generations.

Board and Advisory Council

Board of Directors | Presidential Advisory Council

Board of Directors

Mr. Matthew Browning
Board Member
Matthews, North Carolina
Matthew Browning has championed New Aberdeen College since its inception. He currently is the Global Commodities Manager at Forte Opening Solutions. He is a deacon at Redeemer Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Charlotte. He and his wife, Cassie, live in Matthews with their two children. Their children attend Greyfriar’s Academy.

Carter Ehnis, M.A.
Board Secretary
East Lansing, Michigan
Mr. Ehnis is a passionate educator and linguist. He has played a vital role in the pedagogical foundations of New Aberdeen. A Michigan native, he currently holds a one-year teaching position at New Saint Andrews College teaching Greek and Latin. He is a Latin & Ancient Greek Fellow at the Ancient Language Institute. He hopes to continue his studies with a Ph.D. in Linguistics. He is a member of Palouse Fellowship.

The Rev’d Dr. Peter Johnston
President of the Board
Layfayette, Louisiana
The Rev’d Dr. Peter Johnston is the founding Rector of Trinity Anglican Church in Lafayette, Louisiana. He also serves as Ministry President of Anglican Compass, a digital media ministry. A graduate of Yale College and Yale Divinity School, he holds a Ph.D. from the University of Louisiana with a dissertation on John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost. He lives in Broussard, Louisiana, with his wife Carla and their eight children.

Dr. Ryan F. Smith, D.M.A.
Board Member
Charlotte, North Carolina
Dr. Smith served as a professor and administrator at both secular and Christian liberal arts colleges prior to leading the team that founded New Aberdeen College. He is a trained concert pianist, and he has performed across the U.S. in collaborative and solo engagements. His articles on education, music, and theology have been published in a variety of journals. He has served as a church musician in various capacities for thirty years. He and his wife, Abigail, have four children. He is a member of Resurrection Presbyterian Church in Matthews, North Carolina.

Mr. Chris van Heerdan, J.D.
Board Member
Charlotte, North Carolina
Mr. van Heerden is the Director of Research at the law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham, Taft LLP,  where he has previously served as an attorney in the Finance Practice and overseen practice group operational management. Born in South Africa, he started his career as a technology sector research analyst at local bank in Taiwan, and subsequently spent fifteen years as a fixed income research analyst at a U.S. investment bank. He is a frequent author on financial markets and regulation. The van Heerden family—which includes his wife and five children ranging second grade to a college senior—are actively involved in classical Christian education in Charlotte, N.C. He is a member of St. Jude’s Anglican Church in Huntersville, N.C.

Dr. Marshall “Sonny” White
Board Member
Greensboro, North Carolina
Sonny is a passionate supporter of Christian higher education. He has thirty years of global leadership experience in the chemicals industry. He has also taught at many universities and served on boards at four colleges and universities. He additionally has more than fifteen years experience in leadership of Community and Technical Colleges. Sonny is President Emeritus of Midlands Technical College in Columbia, South Carolina. He is a native of York County, SC and has served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church for 44 years.He and his wife Jo Ellen have two children and two grandchildren and live in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he presently serves as an elder at Christ Covenant A.R.P. Church.

Dr. Bruce Willson
Board Member
Savannah, Georgia
Dr. Willson is an experienced leader possessing a unique combination of nonprofit management, educational leadership, and the pastoral experience to the Board of Trustees. He currently serves as the interim headmaster at Veritas Academy in Savannah. In addition to serving as pastor of John Knox Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Ruston, Louisiana, Dr. Willson was the President & C.E.O. of the United Way of Northwest Louisiana. He earned a D.Min. from Reformed Theological Seminary. Dr. Willson brings expertise in the realms of classical education, the Reformed faith, and extensive experience in fundraising to New Aberdeen. He and his wife have three grown children and three grandchildren. He is a member of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia.

Advisory Council

Dr. James Anderson
PAC Member
Charlotte, North Carolina
Dr. James Anderson Carl W. McMurray Professor of Theology and Philosophy and the Academic Dean at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. Dr. Anderson came to Reformed Theological Seminary from Edinburgh, Scotland, and specializes in philosophical theology, religious epistemology, and Christian apologetics. Dr. Anderson has a long-standing concern to bring the Reformed theological tradition into greater dialogue with contemporary analytic philosophy. Before studying philosophy, Dr. Anderson also earned a Ph.D. in Computer Simulation from the University of Edinburgh. He is a member of the Society of Christian Philosophers, the British Society for the Philosophy of Religion, and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Prior to joining R.T.S. Charlotte, Dr. Anderson served as an assistant pastor at the historic Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh where he engaged in regular preaching, teaching, and pastoral ministry. He is an ordained minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Dr. Anderson and his wife, Catriona, have three children.

Mr. Christopher Blackwell
PAC Member
Columbia, South Carolina
Mr. Blackwell operates and teaches at the Omnibus Classroom in Cayce, South Carolina. Mr. Blackwell and his wife Jessica have six children, and Mr. Blackwell has taught classes for homeschoolers for nine years. Mr. Blackwell received his Bachelor of Arts from Taylor University where he majored in Biblical Studies and minored in Philosophy. He received his Masters of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The Blackwells are members at First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina.

The Rev’d Dr. Robert Cathcart
PAC Member
Laurens, South Carolina
Dr. Cathcart is a minister at Friendship Presbyterian Church in Laurens, South Carolina. In addition to pastoring, he is a musician and he studied in the prestigious Institute for Reformed Worship at Erskine Seminary scholar Dr. Hughes Oliphant Old. He currently serves on the PCA Committee on Discipleship Ministries, is an adjunct professor of Christian Education at Greenville Presbyterian Seminary, and is the author of the upcoming book, Shorter Catechism Devotions: Timeless Truths for Today (Christian Focus Publications).

Mrs. Amy Harrill
PAC Member
Troutman, North Carolina
Mrs. Harrill is the consultant with Ascend1Team, an algoritm-based consultant firm with over two hundred clients nationwide. She is the former Executive Director of the United Way, Director of Development at the Boys and Girls Club of America, and the former manager at St. John in New York City. She is a board member of the Shepherds College in Wisconsin, the nation’s leading post-secondary school created with the learning needs of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in mind. Mrs. Harrill is the Director of Classical Conversations, Kannapolis, and a regional director with Classical Conversations. She and her husband, Jason, are passionate advocates for school choice and classical education. They have two young daughters.

Rev. Eugene Oldham
PAC Member
Harrisburg, North Carolina
Rev. Oldham is a strong advocate for New Aberdeen College. He is the Associate Pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church, the college’s host church. Eugene leads music and oversees the Christian education ministries. He earned his M.Div. at Reformed Theological Seminary and has been on the staff of Grace Church since 2005. He and his wife, Laura, are homeschool parents. Eugene and his wife, Laura, have eight children.

Dr. Nick Lantinga
PAC Member
South Haven, Michigan
After a distinguished career in academia, Dr. Lantinga is now the President and Director of Sales for Dune Restoration Services.  In addition to teaching and administration at all levels of Christian education, Dr. Lantinga is an internationally published author and speaker on Christian higher education.  For nine years, Dr. Lantinga served as Executive Director of the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education (IAPCHE). He has served on the editorial boards of Christian Higher Education and Faith and Scholarship.

Mr. Rick Vogel
PAC Member
Greensboro, North Carolina
Mr. Vogel recently retired as a Vice President from IBM and Kyndryl. He was recently appointed as Helmwise Fellow, and he is actively involved in promoting and supporting classical Christian education in the Triad area of N.C.  He currently works as the Director of Business Operations and Development at Bradford Academy of Mebane. He is an elder at Christ Covenant A.R.P. Church in Greensboro.

FAQs

A group of Christian educators, parents, and pastors, committed to classical Christian higher education, founded New Aberdeen College. They belong to several different Reformed denominations, but they are deeply united in their vision to establish a faithful classical Christian college.

The College is ideally located in Charlotte, NC, the heart of the classical Christian school movement in America. The I-85 corridor has the largest concentration of classical Christian schools in the country. Classical Conversations, Inc., is also based in North Carolina. Until now, however, the Carolinas have had no classically oriented, evangelical college. We are changing that. The Greater Charlotte region’s strong economy, vibrant Christian schools and learning communities, and faithful, conservative churches make it an excellent location for New Aberdeen College and for its students to thrive.

The College is governed by a Board of Directors committed to the Reformed faith and to Classical Christian Education. New Aberdeen College is not affiliated with any other institutions, nor is it sponsored by any individual denomination. The Directors are active members in good standing of their churches. The Board represents multiple Reformed denominations. The current directory is located on our Governance page.

The College plans to offer a Bachelor of Arts and an Associate’s degree. The B.A. is a four-year program with optional specializations in literature, classical languages, history, mathematics, philosophy, theology, or other fields. The A.A., a two-year program, provides students with a foundation in core subjects and the Christian worldview, while preparing them to transfer to other schools or succeed in vocations beyond the academy.

Classical learning includes both course content and how those courses are taught. The Socratic method, or guided questioning and student interaction, is key to our approach. This ancient teaching method can apply to any discipline. Merely listening to lectures, taking notes, reading books, and sitting for exams is not good pedagogy. We teach our students how to summarize, explain, evaluate, criticize, synthesize, improve, defend, and apply the ideas and skills they encounter. We believe competence is far more important than grades or credentials. That’s why the College’s courses devote at least one third of their instructional time to recitations or discussions, engaging students with the Socratic method and stimulating deeper student thought and expression.

A quality education needs face-to-face student-teacher interaction. After all, as Jesus said, students, when mature, will be like their teachers. Learning is never just a “data download.” At the same time, quality student-teacher interaction can happen either in-person or online. We offer in-residence learning and may supplement some of our courses and electives with online sessions when face-to-face is not feasible. Some of our finest faculty members may only be available to teach online from remote locations.

E radicibus altis boni fructus means, “From deep roots [come] good fruits.” The motto is consonant with the College’s mission of forming mature disciples by means of the classical tradition and the Reformed faith. The motto reflects the ancient wisdom refined and sharpened over millennia by the Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, and early Church. Western civilization’s deep Christian roots have produced good fruit over generations of men and women who have immersed themselves in the classical Christian tradition.

New Aberdeen students secure their own housing, but we assist them and their families so every student can find a supportive community with fellow students and good accountability. The College’s goal to form mature disciples in and out of the classroom is advanced by independent students living in the wider community. With working neighbors, the students must show personal responsibility, manage their own budgets wisely, demonstrate biblical love of their neighbors, and act with godly integrity before the watching world. By preparing their own meals, paying their own bills, and cleaning up after themselves, they become better equipped to assume their places in and contribute to the wider community before they graduate. Independent living also allows them to find space and to eat on a budget that they can afford, rather than the fees set by the college-as-landlord.

No. The College will not participate in state or federal student financial aid. Being dependent on other peoples’ money (through forcible state and federal taxation) is not a path to independence or faithfulness. Refusing to take the “government’s money” frees us from government entanglements and insulates us from secular political agendas that now threaten the integrity of many Christian colleges. Fiscal responsibility rests clearly on the College and its constituents—where it biblically belongs. At the same time, we invite the generosity of God’s people to assist the College in keeping tuition affordable for all qualified students.

We invite applications for the College’s inaugural 2025-26 academic year. Click on the Admissions link above, and submit your application materials online. An admissions counselor will walk you through the process. Interested students and families may contact us at newaberdeencollege@gmail.com for more information on how to become a member of the founding class of New Aberdeen College!

The College welcomes the financial generosity of individuals, churches, and corporations that support the College’s mission. Tax-deductible donations may designated toward monthly operational costs, long-term infrastructure needs, or to scholarship funds that will directly benefit students by keeping their costs low. We welcome one-time or recurring gifts (tax deductible) online or with checks mailed to our mailing address, 4007 Coleman Drive; Charlotte, NC 28215. We accept Donor Advised Funds from most banks, and securities may be transferred directly to our account.