Profile of the Graduate
Matt Lorentz on a Christ-centered education & a Gospel-driven life
Matthew Lorentz graduated from Coram Deo Academy in 2010. He and his wife Sarah recently bought their first house in downtown Noblesville and are enjoying both the atmosphere and the benefits of homeownership.
A few weeks ago, we sat down with Matt and asked him some questions about his time at Coram Deo Academy and how it has shaped his life. During our conversation, Matt emphasized the eye-opening nature of classical education and how his studies showed him his need for the Gospel.
When did you realize how much influence education had on your life?
When I transitioned to college, and similarly to my first job, it was clear that my classical education had uniquely shaped me. It helped me approach my educational, social, and spiritual life from a Christ-centered perspective that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
How did the classical Christian education offered at Coram Deo Academy help you feel prepared to be a lifelong scholar and disciple?
Coram Deo equipped me with the skills to be a lifelong learner. When I need to learn a new technology for my job, dig into a passage of Scripture, or change the brakes on my car, I probably don’t have the answers, but I have a lot of tools to find them.
As a disciple, obviously studying the Bible directly, reading from church fathers, and taking classes like Systematic Theology built a great foundation of Christian knowledge. I also really appreciate CDA’s focus on the humanities, as the time spent studying so many historians, philosophers, artists, and theologians has given me a comprehensive picture of the human condition & my own deep need for Christ. But equally valuable are the excellent set of role models I found in my teachers and some older classmates.
What did Coram Deo Academy teach you? What’s your big takeaway?
Coram Deo taught me about humanity in every class. The Bible tragically yet beautifully paints the picture of man’s position before God. Every year of science, art, and history deepened my understanding of that story and my identity as a sinner in need of grace.
What was your favorite aspect of the school?
Definitely my teachers. So many could have chosen other paths, but instead, they decided to invest in my fellow students and me. Many of them had a passion for their subject that still inspires me today. Their personalities and their sacrifices took the idea of classical education and made it real, colorful, and impactful.
“Classical education helped me approach my educational, social, & spiritual life from a Christ-centered perspective.”
What stands out about the relationships you developed at Coram Deo? Do you still have connections at the school?
I am still friends with many of my classmates and teachers from CDA. The relationships I have from Coram Deo stand out as edifying ones. There are so many wise and full-of- the-Spirit people in the Coram Deo community – I praise God that I am a part of it!
In your experience, what has been the biggest pitfall of your educational background? Biggest advantage?
I think being well educated allows me to spend less time on the less essential things in life. On the other hand, because my education stands head and shoulders above others, it is easy for me to believe that I also stand head and shoulders above others.
What legacy do you hope to leave with your life?
I hope I can bear fruit “a hundredfold” and leave my neighbors with a taste of God’s love and a witness of his kindness towards sinners. God saves broken sinful people, and he deserves all our love and worship.
What’s next for you?
I just started a new job at a company called Roadtrippers. I’m excited about the start of new relationships & the opportunity to build something great.