Reverend Justin Hare
Head of School
Justin is a native of Charleston, SC who was raised on James Island and attended Porter-Gaud School. He was a member of the Duke Men’s Golf Team and graduated from Duke University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. After returning to Charleston, he met his wife, Molly, and they married in 2010. Justin served as the Youth Minister at St. Michael’s Church before heading to Westminster Theological Seminary (mDiv, Pastoral Ministry) in Philadelphia, PA. After graduating in 2017, he served as a college minister at Clemson University in partnership with the Coalition for Christian Outreach and Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church. In 2020, Justin returned to Charleston and joined the staff at St. Philip’s Church as the Assistant for College and Youth Adult Ministry. In 2023 after helping launch a diocesan campus ministry at the College of Charleston, his role shifted to Assistant for Young Adult and Family Ministry, focusing more on the families in children and youth ministries, as well as the St. Philip’s Preschool. Justin and Molly have three children (Graceanna, 11; Lawrence 'Law', 9; Eleanor, 3). Justin is passionate about seeing the gospel of Jesus Christ take root in people’s hearts so that they might love and follow Him in every area of their lives, which is what drew him to the mission of St. Philip’s Academy.
In his words...
"What really drew me to Classical Christian education is how it is focused on cultivating the whole person - heart, mind, body and soul. It is not just a rigorous education that learns how God's world works in a robust manner. It is also one that cultivates the virtues of justice, temperance, fortitude, wisdom, faith, hope and love in the life of the student. The late Timothy Keller once said Western civilization is in dire straits because 'we are producing a culture of consumers instead of self-sacrificers.' I love that Classical Christian education seeks to make life-long learners in the old ways of piety and duty, training them to give of themselves greatly in the service of God and neighbor for a better society."
- Justin Hare