Sophia Forum 101
Teacher: Matt Hinton
(404)758-1786 or (404)918-4914
www.sophiaforum.com
A humanities/ liberal arts program for 9th- 12th grade
students which incorporates various disciplines in a
discussion- oriented format. The name comes from 1.)
the Greek word meaning “wisdom,” (sophia) and 2.)
“forum” suggests the discussion- oriented nature of
the course.
We will treat the various disciplines as inseparably
linked to one another and each discipline as necessary
to investigate aspects of another. (For example, “The
Philosophical and Theological implications of
Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.”) In other words, we
will not consider these disciplines on their own, in
vacua (nor will we consider the plural of “vacuum”
independently of its Latin heritage, no matter what
nonsense the spell-check bids us!)
Students will be consistently encouraged to look at
the “big picture.” (e.g. “How does the subject at hand
impact our understanding of Faith, Ethics, Culture,
etc.”?)
The Sophia Forum is an ideal college preparation in
two significant ways: 1.)The via academiae (the
academic way): Students will learn how best to write
the kinds of essays expected of them in college, they
will learn to think more deeply about a wide range of
subjects, and through daily Latin and Greek vocabulary
work, they will be able to express more clearly these
deep things they have been thinking about. 2.) The via
fidei (the way of faith): The Sophia Forum is an ideal
environment for students to establish a firm
foundation of faith in preparation for an often faith
–shaking college experience. We perhaps ask our
children for a lot when we shelter them from the world
and then send them to college with little to
intellectually and spiritually defend themselves. It
is no wonder that the “preacher’s kid/ party animal”
has become rather a cliché. Instead of forcing kids
to encounter competing world views in college where the
chips are frankly stacked against a fair hearing of
Christianity, The Sophia Forum will address these
world views in an intellectually honest way. We will
work on the assumption that all truth is God’s Truth
and that there is therefore nothing to be afraid of in
an honest assessment of conflicting world views.
The Sophia Forum will be a “safe” environment for
students to ask questions/ address issues of a large
scope. (The instructor is young enough to not appear
“parental” in the eyes of most students.)
The Sophia Forum comes in three sizes!
Sophia Forum 101 is appropriate for ‘first-timers,’ and Sophia
Forum 201 is, a continuation of 101, with more
detailed readings, primarily fiction. In addition,
Matt is now offering World Religions with a geography
component. It has never been more vital to understand
the various faiths of the world than it is in our
current social climate.
Matt Hinton
matthinton@yahoo. com