If, as I have argued, following Lewis, MacIntyre, and the Christian and classical traditions, what our children read and how is just as important as our global standing as a nation; and if it is true that we have been debunking our children/selves for generations, the inevitable question must be confronted: What should our children […]
Then What Should Elementary Students Read? Read More »
Several weeks ago, someone on Twitter asked people to name a book they know they should have read but are ashamed to admit they haven’t. Answers ranged from To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, and A Tale of Two Cities (I salute this last person) to whole genres in general. Russian literature got a huge
What Shall We Then Read? Read More »
I am sometimes asked by my extended family members or friends, “so why are you doing this?” referring to the Apprenticeship program through the CiRCE Institute. As I approach my graduation from the three-year program, I thought I’d put down why I did join the Apprenticeship program, and what I have gained from it. When
A Reflection on the CiRCE Apprenticeship Read More »
I want a classical education, desperately. Together, my wife and I have given one to our three children, all of whom have continued in it to one degree or another. They all have seemed to thrive in it, too. I did not get a classical education. I have, to some extent, recovered one over the
Getting the Classical Education I Never Got Read More »
The “must-read” list, like the making of books, never ends. The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius hardly stands as a newcomer to that list, yet its place has been often overlooked. The Meditations is a classic work of wisdom literature, providing inspiration and endless fodder for reflection and conversation. Marcus offered more than his own wisdom,
The Wisdom of Marcus Aurelius Read More »
In the introduction to a forthcoming series on Saint Augustine’s “Confessions,” Fr. Jon Jordan explains why every experience with a Great Book is fresh and meaningful in a new way.
A New Series on Augustine’s “Confessions” Read More »
Over the summer my eleven-year-old daughter read a contemporary piece of young adult “literature.” This is not a genre I enjoy, but I read the work with her so that we could discuss it together. “Was it a good book?” I asked. “Yes!” she answered. “Why?” I followed up. “Because I liked it.” As I
Aesthetic and Moral Beauty Read More »
Many people claim that literary analysis ruins reading – but that perspective reveals a misunderstanding of the term “analysis”
Does “Analysis” Destroy the Love of Reading? Read More »
Many of us tend to regard mathematics as mechanistic and mundane, ignoring the fact that the ultimate conclusions of mathematics lead us to ideas in physics which are as wonderfully bewildering as the deepest questions of philosophy and theology.
Can Mathematics Be Parables? Read More »
When we idolize the glories of civilizations past, we often mistake flowers for seeds, and put our hope in something which has already withered and fallen
Do Not Mistake Flowers for Seeds Read More »
Neither Beowulf nor Hrothgar is the correct exemplar in Beowulf, for the poem offers no exemplar. Instead, it offers a chance for readers to identify with the plight of all mankind.
Beowulf the Ambiguous Read More »
On honest literature and genuine creation (and Raskolnikov)
Murder, Meaning, and the Crime of Clichés Read More »
