Skip to content

Independent study program

About the program

Instruction only: no accounts, nothing to submit

What this is

This is a structured course of study in Scripture, theology, church history, philosophy and apologetics for Christians who learn on their own. It has five divisions and twenty-six courses, and it is written to be understood by an intelligent beginner while keeping the depth of a graduate-level reading program.

You do not need a home church, a denominational label or a membership card to take your Christian education seriously. Many of the people this program was written for belong to a congregation, and many do not. Both are welcome here. Nothing in the program pressures you to join a church or to avoid one.

  • It is instruction, not an online school. There are no accounts, no logins, no profiles, nothing to submit and nothing to grade.
  • It is not accredited. Finishing it gives you no degree, no university credit, no ordination and no formal theological qualification. It gives you knowledge, sources and practice.
  • It is not a collection of short articles or a devotional plan. It expects real reading and real writing, done by you, away from this website.

Who it is for

  • People who have no home church or no denomination.
  • People who have left a church but remain committed to Christianity.
  • People exploring the historic Christian traditions without committing to one.
  • People who prefer to study and practice on their own.
  • People with little access to a local Christian community.
  • People who want informed convictions before choosing a tradition, or who never plan to choose one.
  • People who want a serious Christian education without enrolling in an institution.

This program is not anti-church, anti-clergy or anti-denominational. It teaches Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions fairly, in their own words, so that you can understand them without having to join them. You can study Catholic theology without becoming Catholic, Orthodox theology without becoming Orthodox, and Protestant theology without adopting a Protestant confession.

It also does not claim that solitary Christians are better than those who worship in congregations, or that private practice replaces every form of communal or sacramental life. Course 20 looks honestly at what a solitary Christian can do alone and what the historic traditions say needs a church.

How it works

  1. Read. Each course gives you an overview, objectives, modules, lessons and a reading list. Read the lessons here and the assigned sources in your own books or from the links.
  2. Think. Each lesson ends with knowledge-check questions and questions to think through. Try them on your own before you look at the answers.
  3. Produce. Each course has an independent assignment with clear instructions and evaluation criteria. You write it in your own notebook or document. The website never collects it.
  4. Review. Return to important ideas after 1, 7, 30 and 90 days. The templates page shows how to make your own flashcards and notebook.