The Optimistic Curmudgeon

Annie Crawford and Ashley Lande join Josh Herring for a discussion of psychedelics, their stories, and what people actually long for when they turn to ecstatic experiences. The conversation begins with definitions - what is a psychedelic? What all counts? - and turns to embodiment, a symbolic reading of reality, and the way both guests found their desires met in Christ Jesus. It's a great conversation. Ashley Lande's book, The Thing that would Make Everything OK Forever: Transcendance, Psychdelics, and Jesus Christ - https://www.amazon.com/Thing-That-Would-Everything-Forever/dp/1683597605 Annie Crawford's autobiographical article in Salvo Mag, "A Trip to the Edge: From Psychedelic Wanderlust to Obedience ot Christ" - https://salvomag.com/article/salvo72/a-trip-to-the-edge And just in case you're interested in a book that has nothing to do with this conversation, Josh Herring's new book Sons of Adam, Daughters of Eve: C.S. Lewis's Images of Gender is now available from @Davenant Press! https://davenantinstitute.org/sons-of-adam-daughters-of-eve

Josh Bowman, Executive Director of the Ciceronian Society, explains the nature of the Ciceronian Society, and reflects on why the church needs Christian academics. He also reflects on why Christian academics need the church and a network of friends within which they conduct their scholarship. The conversation moves from Cicero to modernity, with a lot of points in between. The 2026 Ciceronian Society meeting is March 12-14, at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska - come join us! The Ciceronian Society is the "place where we take ideas seriously, and our selves not at all." We try to model that attitude in this episode - much laughter and joy in this conversation. https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-registration/ Josh Bowman's essay: "Intellectual Discipleship" - https://circeinstitute.org/blog/intellectual-discipleship/ Ciceronian Society podcast, The Sower - https://open.spotify.com/show/4AD2nBjpEscmBR86xemnPH?si=67d305d54f9f4fc9&nd=1&dlsi=28c8fa474f2543d8

Chase Spears, host of Finding Your Spine, joins Josh to discuss his essay "Only a Conservative Military can Defend America." They discuss Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the role of the military, what it would take to have a conservative military, and where they both find hope for a brighter future. Woke is not yet done in the US military, because "personnel is policy." We also discuss Harvard, and why the US military is ending its War College fellowship with Harvard. Finding Your Spine - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWhObhyW9BweItep_VZ-TmWcM4P_IW5WN Only a Conservative Military can Defend America." - https://www.realcleardefense.com/2026/02/05/only_a_conservative_military_is_capable_of_defending_the_united_states_1163008.html

Graham Dennis is a Dean of Academics for Veritas Academy and an elder in the CREC; he also holds a PhD in philosophy. In this wide ranging conversation, he introduces a particular way of reading culture through the lens of "procreative" and "decreative." From there, the conversation turns to C.S. Lewis, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength, gender, transgender, Phillip Rieff, Life among the Deathworks, Narnia, literary theory, Augustine's ordo amoris, and a host of other topics. Enjoy!

Nathan Gwinn of Freedom of Education tells his story as a teacher, a principal, and an author of the Franklin Standards, a new approach to reinvigorating science education. The way we teach science matters. In avoiding biological truth, all kinds of social problems emerge. One primary way to counteract bad ideas is to rediscover the wonder and beauty that lie at the root of good scientific exploration. With discussion of birth, death, and sex, this is a conversation to enjoy. Freedom in Education - https://freedomined.org/ Larissa Phillip's essay "Dreaming about Going Back to the Land? I did it" in ⁨@thefreepress⁩ - https://www.thefp.com/p/larissa-phillips-going-back-to-farm-from-brooklyn The Franklin Standards: Model K-12 State Science Standards - https://www.nas.org/storage/app/media/Reports/Franklin%20Standards/Franklin_Standards_9.25.pdf

Frank Clement of America's Christian Credit Union joins Josh for a discussion of classical education, Christian banking, and the role that financial institutions can play helping new organizations begin. Check out their work here: https://americaschristiancu.com/

Martin Cothran, co-founder of @memoriapress , discusses his entry into classical education, the challenges facing classical education today, and the reason he and Cheryl Lowe founded Memoria Press. Cothran is the author of two logic books, many, many articles, and teaches for @MemoriaCollege . We also discuss Kentucky politics, and reflect on the future of the classical education renewal movement. The liberal arts are essential to forming the next generation, and classical education is the best way for students to learn the timeless truths that form human potential into actuality. Memoria Press: https://www.memoriapress.com/ Memoria College: https://memoriacollege.org/ Martin Cothran Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Martin-Cothran/author/B00J249LUA

Junius Johnson discusses Edmund Spenser's great poem, The Faerie Queene. With a great focus on allegory, symbolism, pageantry, and characters, this conversation is a great place to start if you want to get into Spenser. And if you've made the journey to Faerie, this conversation will be a great refresher on the best poem in 16th century England! Redcrosse Knight, Una, Duessa, Archimago, Britomart, Venus, Cupid, Athegall, Arthur, the Garden of Adonis, the Cantos of Mutabilities, and more! When is the right age to read The Faerie Queene? How should one approach it? We discuss these questions, and a lot more. Definitely check out Junius Johnson Academics - https://academics.juniusjohnson.com/ Here is Josh's preferred edition of The Faerie Queene - https://www.amazon.com/Spenser-Faerie-Queene-2nd-Edmund/dp/1405832819/

Josh interviews his students in Modern Communications as part of a bonus episode commemorating the Fifth of November. Guy Fawkes, traditions, integralism, constitutional order, "Jeeniors," and more. What happens when you have a good conversation with alert, well read students? Listen, and find out! And if you enjoy this one, be sure to check out Anya and Matthew's show, Broke but Balanced here: https://www.youtube.com/@BrokeButBalanced

Thaddeus Kozinski makes a compelling case for why every student should read Plato's Republic with an excellent teacher. Plato discourses on justice, reality, the human condition, and highlights the possibilities philosophy extends for comprehending our place in the cosmos. Kozinski explicates the Allegory of the Cave, and illustrates throughout the conversation the importance of classical education for recovering a healthy civilization. Dr. Kozinski's Books Modernity as Apocalypse: Sacred Nihilism and the Counterfeits of Logos - https://www.amazon.com/Modernity-Apocalypse-Sacred-Nihilism-Counterfeits/dp/1621384837/ Covid 19 and the War Against Reality - https://www.amazon.com/Covid-19-War-Against-Reality/dp/B0F131LDHS/ Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thaddeus-J.-Kozinski/author/B00448NFJC?ccs_id=504bf5ee-4d59-43a5-b58d-8807a3692ed2

Timothy Knotts of @Classical_Conversations explains the latest CC textbook: Reasoning Together Philosophy. He outlines the nature, tradition, and value of philosophy, highlighting the need for homeschool families to be well versed in philosophy. Along the way, he discusses the nature of classical education, the role classical ed plays in creating culture, and the need for increasing biblical literacy. With much discussion of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Rousseau, and a few others, this is a conversation not to miss! And be sure to check out Tim's other role as a founder of the New England Consortium of Classical Educators Conference! Links: Classical Conversations: https://classicalconversations.com/ The New England Consortium of Classical Educators: https://www.newenglandcce.com/ Buy the book here: https://tinyurl.com/5569uhcy

Larissa Phillips, columnist at @thefreepress , shares her journey into and out of feminism. Raised in a radical Leftist family, Larissa experienced first hand the limitations of her own physiology. Over the course of her adulthood, she found peace and joy with her husband, her children, and now her farm. This is a rambling conversation that concludes with a discussion of Larissa's work teaching adults essentials of literacy. Check out her work via links below. "How I Became a Wife" - https://www.thefp.com/p/larissa-phillips-becoming-a-wife-marriage Larissa's Free Press author page: https://www.thefp.com/w/larissa-phillips "Toward Ruin or Recovery" on @Quillette (Warning: paywalled) - https://quillette.com/2024/03/20/toward-ruin-or-recovery-celeste-marcus-liberties-journal-yascha-mounk-feminist-metoo/ The Volunteer Literacy Project - https://www.volunteerliteracyproject.org/

C.R. Wiley of @TheTheologyPugcast explains who Tom Bombadil is. Wiley wrote In the House of Tom Bombadil with @CanonPress , and that book opens a wide ranging conversation about masculinity, femininity, dominion, domination, dating, Adam, and the work of the logos in Tolkien's Legendarium. It's a wonderful discussion mostly grounded in The Fellowship of the Ring. Enjoy! Links: In the House of Tom Bombadil - https://canonpress.com/products/in-the-house-of-tom-bombadil The Theology Pugcast - https://thetheologypugcast.com/ Touchstone Magazine - https://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/author.php?id=939

Joseph Holmes advances his theory of feminism in contemporary Hollywood: only women are allowed to be positive spiritual figures. Holmes argues that Hollywood has shifted from "men bad, women good" and the "religious or atheist" dichotomy to "men are religious, women are spiritual." As such, Holmes thinks it fits Greta Gerwig's pattern to cast a female voice (rumored to be Meryl Streep) for Aslan in Netflix's forthcoming adaptation of The Magician's Nephew. If you love Narnia, enjoy thinking about Christian filmmaking, or have opinions about the Kendrick brothers' films, don't miss this one! Topics of discussion include: Barbie, Little Women, House of David, and more. This episode was inspired by Holmes' essay, "Greta Gerwig’s Aslan And The Coming Faith-Based ‘Gender Culture War’" on Religion Unplugged - https://religionunplugged.com/news/2025/5/9/greta-gerwigs-aslan-and-the-coming-faith-based-gender-culture-war Also - Check out Joseph Holmes's podcast The Overthinkers here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-overthinkers/id1510271421 Joseph's website: https://www.josephholmesstudios.com/ Coming Soon - Jim vs. the Future - check out the IMBD listing here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33087557/

Dr. Josh Herring reflects on Season 8: The Re-Enchanting Inklings, drawing out connections between guests and suggesting what this season of The Optimistic Curmudgeon says about modernity, the Inklings, and our need to encounter reality. With shoutouts and callbacks to Annie Crawford, Andrew Lazo, Christiana Hale, Holly Ordway, Landon Loftin, Austin Freeman, Brent Weeks, Steve Beebe, Michael Ward, Sarah Waters, and Rhys Laverty. Many thanks to this season's sponsors: The C.S. Lewis Institute, and America's Christian Credit Union! https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/ https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/ We'll be back in the fall of 2025 with Season 9! Until next time, seek the good, live the true, and enjoy the beautiful.

Annie Crawford explains Dr. Michael ward's theory of "donegality," and shows how reading The Silver Chair as C.S. Lewis's lunar novel helps explain the difference between Aslan's Country and the muddled world below. This conversation is largely based on an article Annie wrote for An Unexpected Journal entitled "Finding Faith in Fairy Tales: Answers for Modern Skeptics from C.S. Lewis's The Silver Chair" and Annie explains the nature of modern skepticism and how Lewis works in philosophical responses in the Green Lady's temptation and then Puddleglum's response. Pascal's Wager, the Ontological Argument, Plato's Cave, Freud, Marx, Feurbach, and more---all nestled within The Silver Chair. Link to Annie's article: https://anunexpectedjournal.com/finding-faith-in-fairy-tales-answers-for-modern-skeptics-from-c-s-lewiss-the-silver-chair/ Sponsor link - America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Fr. Andrew Lazo offers his interpretation of C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces as Lewis's "best book." Lazo reads the novel through The Four Loves, and contends that Lewis's entire project, as it develops across a lifetime of spiritual writing, culminates in this final novel. This conversation also features discussion of the Mere Christians conference, differing views on definitions of love, and lots of Lewisian details. With shoutouts to Michael Ward, @PintsWithJack , @C.S.LewisUndiscovered , and many friends, this is an episode to savor. Link to Mere Christians: Inspiring Stories of Encounters with C.S. Lewis - https://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christians-Inspiring-Stories-Encounters/dp/1946708321 Sponsor Link: America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Christiana Hale, author of Deeper Heaven: A Reader's Guide to C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy, discusses her essay on pleasure and contemplation in Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. Medieval cosmology, Perelandra, closing out the teaching season, the Un-Man's temptations of the Green Lady, right and wrong femininity, and more feature in this wide-ranging conversation. With shoutouts to Canon Press, New Saint Andrews College, Thales College, and the Undiscovered Lewis Conference, this conversation ties together a variety of institutions. Link to Deeper Heaven: https://www.amazon.com/Deeper-Heaven-Readers-Lewiss-Trilogy/dp/1944482563/ Link to Life on the Silent Planet: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Silent-Planet-Christian-Trilogy/dp/1949716252/ Sponsor Link: https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Dr. Holly Ordway discusses her essay "Arthur in Edgestow" in Life on the Silent Planet: Lessons in Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. She explain Lewis's love of Arthurian legends, the choices Lewis makes in incorporating, adapting, and tweaking elements of the Arthurian legendarium in That Hideous Strength. With discussion of Charles Williams, Roger Lancelyn Green, and Merlin, this is a delightful interview with one of the foremost Inklings scholars. Enjoy! Dr. Ordway's website - https://hollyordway.com/ Books discussed in the interview Link to Life on the Silent Planet: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Silent-Planet-Christian-Trilogy/dp/1949716252/ Link to The Inklings and King Arthur: https://www.amazon.com/Inklings-King-Arthur-Williams-Barfield/dp/1944769897/ Link to Taliessin through Logres: https://www.amazon.com/Taliessin-through-Logres-Region-Arthurian/dp/0802815782/ Sponsor link: America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Landon Loftin, author of What Barfield Thought: An Introduction to the Work of Owen Barfield with Max Leyf, discusses Barfield's role in the Inklings, focus on language, and friendship with Lewis. The conversation draws mostly from Barfield's History in English Words. Loftin goes into specific detail about Barfield's pro-life work, and the connection between humans as rational, linguistic beings and protecting them from abortion. Lewis dedicated The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to Lucy Barfield, Owen Barfield's daughter (and Lewis's goddaughter); their friendship was rich, and Barfield's theory of language and human consciousness sits behind much of what Tolkien and Lewis wrote. Where is meaning? What is language? How does human consciousness relate to words? For these questions, Dr. Loftin is our best guide into Barfield. Link to What Barfield Thought: https://www.amazon.com/What-Barfield-Thought-Introduction-Work/dp/1666736767 Link to The Rediscovery of Meaning - https://www.owenbarfield.org/selected-books/the-rediscovery-of-meaning/ Sponsor Link: https://americaschristiancu.com/personal

Dr. Austin Freeman discusses his book, Tolkien Dogmatics. Doctrines of creation, eschatology, angels, demons, and Christian living all receive major consideration. Along the way, we discuss Kevin Vanhoozer, reflect on the 2024 election (we recorded on November 5, 2024), "Leaf by Niggle," what's happening theologically in the act of creating a story, and more. Austin tells us his view of Amazon's Rings of Power, and we discuss the nature and role of imaginative apologetics. Austin takes on woke Tolkien, and explains just how significant Tolkien's faith was for the legendarium. Books referenced in the show: Tolkien Dogmatics - https://www.amazon.com/Tolkien-Dogmatics-Theology-Mythology-Middle-earth/dp/1683596676/ Apologetics and the Christian Imagination - https://www.amazon.com/Apologetics-Christian-Imagination-Integrated-Defending/dp/1945125381 The Drama of Doctrine - https://www.amazon.com/Drama-Doctrine-Canonical-Linguistic-Christian/dp/0664223273/ Theology, Fantasy, and the Imagination - https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Fantasy-Imagination-Religion-Culture/dp/1978712189/ Sponsor link: America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal Don't forget the book giveaway contest - details are in the show introduction!

Bestselling author Brent Weeks explains how he got into writing, from where he draws inspiration, how he builds characters, and details hidden in the Night Angel trilogy, the Lightbringer series, and the Kylar Chronicles. Brent comments on issues in modern publishing, Brandan Sanderson, and in general welcomes viewers into his world as an author. Brent is one of the best living fantasy authors; he is deeply shaped by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and his years at Hillsdale College. How do you write strong female characters with authentic femininity? What advantages are there to writing male characters for reading men? Where does Dante come in? As a sincere, convictional Christian, Brent writes excellent mainstream epic fantasy. Don't miss his story about publisher responses to Kip the Brave being fat! Links to Brent's Books: Night Angel - https://shorturl.at/N8QCN Lightbrigner - https://shorturl.at/qU92o Kylar Chronicles - https://shorturl.at/KYqtq Brent's website - https://www.brentweeks.com/ Sponsor Links: America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Dr. Steve Beebe, author a variety of communication textbooks and discoverer of a Lewis project co-written with Tolkien about language, discusses C.S. Lewis's methods of communicating in both written and verbal communication. Beebe argues that Lewis followed five habits that helped him be a powerful communicator. We too can learn to communicate like C.S. Lewis. Here is Dr. Beebe's book, C.S. Lewis and the Craft of Communication - https://www.amazon.com/C-S-Lewis-Craft-Communication/dp/1433172348 Sponsor Links America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Dr. Michael Ward discusses his essay in Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. The conversation focuses on themes of marriage, contraception, and Lewis's cosmological mythology. Lewis predicted so many of our modern ills, and Dr. Ward's research helps us reckon with the woes of modernity. Dr. Ward walks us through the history of contraception within Protestant theological consideration, and then traces Lewis's engagement with those ideas in Abolition of Man and That Hideous Strength. Link to Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis - https://www.amazon.com/Planet-Narnia-... Link to After Humanity: A Guide to C.S. Lewis's Abolition of Man - https://www.amazon.com/After-Humanity... Link to Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Silent-Pl... Sponsor Link Many thanks to the C.S. Lewis Institute for sponsoring this episode! Check out their Fellowship here: https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/fell... The C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows Program offers a year of intensive discipleship that leads to significant life-change. Unlike many discipleship programs, the Fellows program focuses on discipleship of both heart and mind. It involves Bible Study, classic readings, lectures, group processing, personal spiritual mentoring and accountability – all in the context of a small group of like-minded believers. This year-long program is designed for those who want to live as fully committed disciples of Jesus Christ and make an impact for Him in the world.

Dr. Sarah Waters explains Lewis's love for Shakespeare, and the conversation focuses on King Lear as an inspiring source source text. She traces Lewis's use of Hamlet and King Lear, with an eye towards the theme of love in Lewis's thought. Waters proves that the better we know Shakespeare, the more easily we see what Lewis is doing. Follow Dr. Waters on X at @srawaters Resource mentioned in the show: "Lewis, Lear, and The Four Loves" in An Unexpected Journal (Dec. 14, 2022): https://anunexpectedjournal.com/lewis-lear-and-the-four-loves/ Sponsor Links America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Rhys Laverty, Senior at Ad Fontes, Senior Managing Editor at Davenant Press, and Director of Communications at the Davenant Institute, describes his work on Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. Rhys explains the need for a volume of literary essays on Lewis's Ransom Trilogy, his experience beginning to read Lewis seriously, and then explains three approaches to pleasure highlighted in Perelandra. The Ransom Trilogy, Rhys argues, has direct bearing on helping Christians follow Christ more closely. Mentions in episode: Life on the Silent Planet Amazon purchase link: https://shorturl.at/QM68d Davenant Institute: https://davenantinstitute.org/ Follow Rhys on X here - https://x.com/RDLaverty Sponsor Links America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Josh Herring introduces Season 8 of The Optimistic Curmudgeon as a themed season around the idea of re-enchantment as modeled by the Inklings. He argues that the most important move Conservatives can make in this moment, when the Right is ascendant, is to rediscover how to tell excellent stories. C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Owen Barfield remind us that through stories we rediscover the complexity of reality. Sponsor Links America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/

Dr. James Orr discusses his friendship with Sir Roger Scruton, his work with the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation, philosophy, and theology. It's a marvelous conversation that covers a breadth of topics. Enjoy! Topics of conversation include: - Islam and the West - The Face of God - Fighting Communists by teaching philosophy in Hungary - Scrutopia - CS Lewis, friendship, and The Four Loves - Architecture and "Building Better, Building Beautiful" - Wine, terroir, and place - The origin story of the Roger Scruton Legacy - The relationship between Sir Roger and practical politics - Performing Sir Roger's opera! - Scruton's ecology - JD Vance's VP debate - The impact of overturning CHEVRON on the EPA - Jordan Peterson winning the Scruton Prize - Is Jordan Peterson a conservative? Is he a Christian? Thoughts on He Who Wrestles with God? - How do function and essence relate in the perception of beauty? - Protestants and beautiful churches - Why have the Scruton lecture become the Oakeshott lectures? - Just how many books did Sir Roger write? Find James Orr on X at @jtworr . Check out the work of the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation here: https://www.scruton.org/ Thank you to America's Christian Credit Union for sponsoring this episode! Be sure to check out their website here: https://americaschristiancu.com/every/

Spencer Klavan of @YoungHereticsShow discusses his newest book, Light of the Mind, Light of the World. Does science actually support the idea of a godless universe? What happens to the universe when an intelligent mind is present? Why is a classicist writing a book about science? We get into all these questions, and a fun digression on theology, hermeneutics, and #evolution. Great conversation! Link to buy the book: https://shorturl.at/d7bNF

Dr. Catherine Pakaluk tells the story behind her book Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth. The birth rate decline is not a result of policy changes, and cannot be fixed by policy. Dr. Pakaluk conducted a qualitative studying to discover why women choose to have large families. She describes her findings, and tells some of the stories from her research. There is a clear cost of having children, and the turning point for mothers came in seeing each child as a gift and being open to the gift of another child. This was a great conversation! This episode is sponsored by the Acton Institute and their podcast, Acton Line. Acton Line is a weekly interview podcast from the Acton Institute featuring a wide variety of guests whose work and expertise help to move us toward a free and virtuous society. From theology and philosophy to economics and law, church and state to business and culture. Acton Line brings the Acton Institute’s unique synthesis of piety and technique to every sphere of life. For engaging and illuminating conversations that connect good intentions with sound economics subscribe to Acton Line on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify or anywhere else you listen to fine podcasts. Links: Hannah's Children: https://shorturl.at/RfSKH The Acton Institute: https://www.acton.org/ Acton Line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_ufxTLt-Fs&list=PL2YhagjmWvB8HoOCzJ-tY-Y1CVqdC8wgn

Emmet Penney discusses America's failing electrical power grid, the possibilities of a nationwide network of nuclear power plants, and the way those power plants would restore dignity to the American workforce. Penney has opinions on which nuclear model should be template - listen to find out! We also briefly discuss his journey out of the Democratic Party, and hopes for what a Trump administration can do. We recorded this well before the 2024 election. #nuclear #energy #politics #crisis #Electricity #TrumpAdministration This episode is sponsored by America's Christian Credit Union - check them out here: https://americaschristiancu.com/every/ Emmet's Substack: https://nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/ Follow Emmet on X here: https://x.com/nukebarbarian

Bob Luddy, founder of Captiveaire, St. Thomas More Academy, Franklin Academy, Thales Academy, and Thales College, defines and discusses the "educational entrepreneur." He explains the role eduction plays in changing culture, the significance of finding the right people for leadership roles, and the value of persistence in building an organization. At the close of the episode, Bob explains why he wanted to found a college. Making entrepreneurs is in one sense impossible, but the conditions for entrepreneurship involve immersion in liberal education and vast experience in business. That's what Bob wants Thales College to be. #entrepreneur #reader #liberalarts #Business #college #highereducation #wisdom #virtue Links: https://www.thalescollege.org/ https://captiveaire.com/ Bob's autobiography, An Entrepreneurial Life - https://tinyurl.com/ywmyx3zz Bob's latest book, The Thales Way - https://tinyurl.com/mtnvbfhd

Tyler O'Neil discusses his forthcoming book The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government. Covid policy, education, budget funding, the LGBTQ+ agenda, and teachers' unions that have broken American education - Tyler explains the many ways the deep state has corrupted the constitutional governance of America. Tracing the money forms quite the map, and is the key to seeing influence. #administrativeState #conservatism #DeepState #Education #LGBTQ+ #draintheswamp #Project2025 Pre-Order here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFVK74TZ/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk This episode is sponsored by America's Christian Credit Union - check them out here: https://americaschristiancu.com/every/

Emily Jashinsky of Unherd discusses the unique challenges pornography and big tech pose to our culture; she suggests that the loneliness epidemic is directly connected to these problems. Transhumanism as a rejection of the natural goodness of the body fits directly into our cultural malaise. Join Emily and Josh for a great conversation about the problems facing the 21st century and the hope that remains! Emily hosts Undercurrents, which can be found here: https://unherd.com/undercurrents/

Dr. Sean Hadley discusses the effects the key texts of literature have on the moral imagination: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Vergil's Aeneid, Dante's Divine Comedy, Spenser's Faerie Queene, Milton's Paradise Lose, Sophocles' Oedipus Cycle, The Song of Roland (Anon). Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, Shakespeare's The Tempest, and Lewis's Till We Have Faces. Enjoy this discussion of the formative power great books have on the imagination! Sean's Substack - A Southern Knickerbocker - https://hadleyonfire.substack.com/ This episode is based on the following two Substack articles: https://hadleyonfire.substack.com/p/10-books-for-the-classical-imagination https://hadleyonfire.substack.com/p/10-books-for-the-classical-imagination-b4c We are grateful for the sponsorship for this episode provided by the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. Check out their website here: https://www.jamesgmartin.center/ The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal educates citizens and decision-makers to improve higher education. The Martin Center is dedicated to promoting knowledge over credentials, restoring genuine liberal learning, and ensuring that public investment in higher education provides value to students, taxpayers, and society. A recent report from the Martin Center explores Great Books programs across the country. This report is designed for students who desire a deep and broad understanding of the Great Works of Western civilization. It will direct them to almost 50 colleges and universities that offer a substantive education in “the best which has been thought and said.” These programs invite students to become participants in a centuries-long conversation that begins with Plato, Aristotle, and Homer and extends to Dante, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen. The report can be downloaded from the Martin Center’s website at go.jamesgmartin.center/GREATBOOKS or here: https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2023/04/preserving-the-canon-great-books-programs-at-americas-colleges-and-universities/

Ministry in the negative world is often difficult. Pastor Urie Brito explains his story of getting into ministry, why he loves the CREC (Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches), and details the argument of his latest book, The War of the Priesthood: An Exposition of the Armor of God. Towards the end of the episode, Uri explains why he is willing to go into overtly political spaces, and what role he sees pastors playing in shepherding their flocks through political seasons. With shoutouts to Meg Basham's Shepherds for Sale, National Conservatism, and New Saint Andrews College, this is a conversation you don't want to miss! Links: https://kuyperian.com/ https://drbrito.substack.com/ https://www.amazon.com/War-Priesthood-Exposition-Armor-God/dp/1956611053/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2F1G8L1GG6A9Q&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TWyZnRucm4iTkcGaxE49DeDJe-nzptqCL2b1bhAACeA.tX2QE5DsVTG0FuCVCHs8HC3F-0Rg5jHqHJB9ZZvnMr0&dib_tag=se&keywords=war+of+the+priesthood+uri+brito&qid=1728404845&sprefix=the+war+of+the+priesthood+%2Caps%2C204&sr=8-1 https://crechurches.org/

Dr. Michael Young discuss beauty, Roger Scruton, and aesthetics as a natural desire of the human soul. Our longing for beauty signifies our desire for something higher, something more meaningful to the human condition, than mere utility. We were made for more! This conversation was inspired by Roger Scruton's book Beauty: A Very Short Introduction. #beauty #aesthetics #philosophy #thegoodlife #moralimagination #rogerscruton #scruton

At this SECCE breakout talk, Kristen Rudd argues that classical schools do their students a disservice when they only teach The Inferno. To really grasp Dante, students need to ascend through Purgatorio into Paradiso.

At this SECCE breakout talk, Marc Fusco argues that Shakespeare is the best guide to understanding human nature. Classical schools ought to teach, read, and perform Shakespeare to help students understand the complexity of what it means to be human.

In this SECCE breakout session, Jim Ranieri argues that the world stands in need of re-enchantment after the ravages of modernity. Tolkien's The Lord the Rings, read as a distinctly Catholic novel by Catholic teachers, has the potential to rightly re-enchant our minds and help us perceive the sacramental nature of reality.

In this plenary address at the inaugural SE Consortium of Classical Educators conference at Thales College, Jason Jewell argues that our modern culture is marked by a rootlessness; the literary canon pushes against that rootlessness, encouraging us to find home through the pursuit of tradition, place, and things divine.

In this plenary address at the inaugural SE Consortium of Classical Educators conference at Thales College, Sean Hadley builds a metaphorical view of the canon as a forest. The forest requires tending, and appreciation. Sean draws from Lewis's Experiment in Criticism to distinguish how classical educators bring their students into the forest to foster a certain kind of reading.

In this plenary address at the inaugural SE Consortium of Classical Educators conference at Thales College, Robert Woods draws on Neil Postman's Technopoly to argue for a certain attitude that classical educators ought to adopt as they engage in the fight for what is good, true, and beautiful.

In this opening plenary address at the inaugural SE Consortium of Classical Educators conference at Thales College, Josh Herring draws from C.S Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, David Hicks, Russell Kirk, and Robert Hutchins to describe the kind of book worth requiring in a K-12 educational context. This talk was delivered on 8/3/2024.

Katherine Bradshaw of the Ancient Language Institute joins Josh Herring for a discussion of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. They summarize the play, discuss interpretive difficulties, read several passages, and generally have a delightful time laughing at one of Shakespeare's best (and most controversial) comedies. If you are interested in knowing more about the gender wars, let Shakespeare be your guide! Petruchio, Katherine, Bianca, Grumio and the rest shed light on some of today's most pressing questions. Links to the things mentioned in the podcast: The Ancient Language Institute - https://ancientlanguage.com/about/ New Humanists podcast from ALI: Katherine Bradshaw been a guest on this podcast a few times to talk about Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, and Antony and Cleopatra, as well as to interview Eric Adler about Irving Babbitt - https://newhumanists.buzzsprout.com/1791279 Article for the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal about alternative paths open to the academically inclined - https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2023/07/diary-of-a-freelance-language-scholar/

Eric Wearne, director of the National Hybrid Schools Project, discusses his edited volume New Pathways in Teacher Preparation and Certification. There is a functional monopoly on training teachers, and Wearne argues that a school choice friendly America needs new approaches to training teachers and school leaders. With specific shoutouts to the CiRCE Institute's Apprenticeship program, Thales College's Certificate in Classical Education Philosophy, and several new options on the horizon, this episode presents solutions to the problem it diagnoses. Dr. Wearne also provides a brief survey of the history of teacher formation in America. Enjoy: Links: 1. The Book - https://www.amazon.com/New-Pathways-Teacher-Preparation-Certification/dp/1032335661/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JHeitO9YIhKqAUAHotAH7Pp9tTRbnErTYZyTJs7tbFLGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.8jtnCbsG_gmEx0h8CvOKHEZZr5aUktA9011US0mmefs&dib_tag=se&keywords=eric+wearne&qid=1718644623&sr=8-2 2. The National Hybrid Schools Project - https://www.kennesaw.edu/coles/centers/education-economics-center/national-hybrid-schools-project/index.php 3. Thales College's Certificate in Classical Education Philosophy - https://www.thalescollege.org/academics/classical-education/philosophy