Classes for 2025-2026 School Year

Ancient History (Creation through the rise of the Greek Empire)

This course will begin with Creation as a literal, historical event. It will trace history through the Flood and the earliest Mesopotamian civilizations, focus on Ancient Egypt in its various periods of strength and weakness, then trace the rise of Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece.

Using historical records and archaeological discoveries, it will corroborate key Old Testament events, showing how the stories of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, and Daniel (among others) fit precisely into a proper interpretation of extra-biblical historic documents. Through the course, students will see how the Bible is a more sure foundation for modern culture than any of these empires or their belief systems.

New Testament Survey (The Gospels)

This course will cover the four Gospels and the first 12 chapters of Acts. The goals of this class are to:

a. To familiarize students with the basic narratives (stories) found in these books;

b. To enable the students to understand the approximate historic timeline and geography of the ministry of Jesus;

c. To show the students how the Old Testament, especially many specific prophecies, points clearly Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah;

d. To look in detail at the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only possible foundation for the Christian faith, and to help the students become more certain in their personal faith.

This course will touch on aspects of apologetics (especially when examining Genesis), theology, and world view, although those will be the focus of other courses in the Applied Bible track. It will also by necessity develop an understanding of the Roman Empire during the First Century.

Apologetics 

The first half of the year will be dedicated to showing the historical validity of the Old and New Testament texts, and to examining how the English Bible was developed. Much time will be spent discussing major points of opposition to the Bible and using both the text itself and external evidence to establish the validity of the Bible (both Old and New Testaments) as an accurate, historical document.

The second half of the year will focus in the issues connected to the Origin of the Universe, the Origin of Life, and the history of mankind. Subjects such as the “Big Bang” and the hypothesis of “Macro-Evolution” will be discussed. While Scripture will often be referenced, the purpose of this section of the course is to show the students that accurate science, properly interpreted, supports a traditional and conservative interpretation of the Bible itself.

Christian Literature and Composition

Students will examine great works literature, written by authors who professed faith in Jesus Christ wrote according to a Biblical worldview. Among the authors we will study are John Donne, John Bunyan, William Bradford, G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Students will be encouraged to examine themes of redemption, salvation, and forgiveness, among others. There will be at least one major composition assignment connected to this class.

Modern Christian Living & Missions

This course varies from year to year, depending on what the students need most to develop academically and spiritually. This year, early on, it will focus on the study skills needed for high school work and for many aspects of adult living (including college). Later in the year, the class will look at some of the issues and challenges of modern missions. There may be time spent on developing personal spiritual disciplines, such as consistent Bible reading/study and prayer.

Four-year Scope and Sequence

Briar Hill Academy gives every student who attends for four years a complete cycle of learning in history, literature, Bible survey, and applied Bible classes. At the same time, every course stands alone, providing a student attending for as little as one year a strong foundation in the courses being taught that year.

Each year courses are offered in history, literature, Bible survey, and applied Bible. Each year there is also a “Modern Christian Living & Missions” course, which varies from year to year. Here are the offerings for the next three years:

2026-27

History — Rome and Beyond (Ancient History 2)

Bible Survey — New Testament Writings

Applied Bible — Progress of Redemption

Literature — 20th Century Literature

2027-28

History — American History

Bible Survey — Old Testament 1 (Creation through Solomon)

Applied Bible — Theology

Literature — American Literature

2028-29

History — European and British History

Bible Survey — Old Testament 2 (Divided Kingdom through Malachi)

Applied Bible — Hermeneutics

Literature — British Literature