Insights from Edmund Burke

Presented by Upper School, Grades 7-12

Edmund Burke was born on January 12, 1729. An 18th-century British statesman and philosopher, Burke believed that people grow through tradition, wisdom, and virtue—not by inventing everything on their own.

In Reflections on the Revolution in France, he warned that it is dangerous for individuals to rely only on their own ideas. He wrote, “We are afraid to put men to live and trade each on his own private stock of reason” (Burke 76). According to Burke, society depends on knowledge passed down from earlier generations—“the bank and capital of nations” gathered over time (Burke 76).

We strive to follow similar principles at Belmont. Students are not machines that merely absorb facts, but souls with infinite energy and potential. Rather than pretending that the world began yesterday, classical Christian education connects us with voices that have shaped civilization—Scripture, Augustine, Homer, Aquinas, Shakespeare, Euclid. These figures are not simply historical names; they function as mentors who teach us how to think, how to love the good, and how to live well.

Burke also believed that freedom must be linked to virtue. When writing of the French Revolution, Burke said, “What is liberty without virtue? It is madness, without restraint!” True freedom, in his view, requires character, discipline, and wisdom. It requires citizens who can use freedom wisely and responsibly.

Finally, Burke described society as a partnership “between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born” (Burke 96). In this perspective, each generation learns from those who came before and prepares the way for those who will follow. Similarly, Christianity embraces a vision in which believers are part of a story much larger than their own moment in time.

Through this lens, we can see our place in that larger story. It reminds us that we are part of a long conversation that began long before our birth and will continue long after our own lifetime.

by Mrs. Cortney Carman

Director of Curriculum

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This historical thought was delivered by our Upper School students at devotional on 1/15/2026. Each week one class leads the student body in prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, scripture recitation, a meditation, and an historical thought. Belmont family and friends are welcome, Thursdays 8:30-9:05 am.

Belmont is an independent K-12 school in the classical, Christian tradition. In partnership with parents, we invest in students — helping them acquire an education of the highest quality, find joy in life, and become influences for good in the world. If you are interested in receiving updates about Belmont, please subscribe to Exulto here by inserting your email.

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