The Sower

Life and works of the Scottish man of letters Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881). Ethan Alexander-Davey teaches political science at Campbell University. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Ciceronian Society. He is co-editor, with Richard Avramenko, of Aristocratic Souls in Democratic Times and Aristocratic Voices: Forgotten Arguments about Virtue, Authority and Inequality both published by Lexington/Bloomsbury. Scott Irving read modern history at Oxford University. He is author of "Vico and the Aristocratic Origin of Political Order” published in the edited volume Aristocratic Voices. Texts discussed in this podcast: The Norman and Charlotte Strouse Edition of the Writings of Thomas Carlyle https://www.ucpress.edu/series/the-norman-and-charlotte-strouse-edition-of-the-writings-of-thomas-carlyle Essays on Politics and Society https://www.ucpress.edu/books/essays-on-politics-and-society/hardcover Other works by Carlyle Carlyle’s Latter-Day Pamphlets, which awaits a modern critical edition: https://dn721807.ca.archive.org/0/items/latterdaypamphle00carlrich/latterdaypamphle00carlrich.pdf Other books referenced Charles Frederick Harrold, Carlyle and German Thought https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.01171/page/285/mode/2up Cicero, De re publica, De legibus https://archive.org/details/cicero-in-28-volumes.-vol.-16-loeb-213/mode/2up Gertrude Himmelfarb, The De-moralization of Society https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/80256/the-de-moralization-of-society-by-gertrude-himmelfarb/ To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Life and works of the Scottish man of letters Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881). Ethan Alexander-Davey teaches political science at Campbell University. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Ciceronian Society. He is co-editor, with Richard Avramenko, of Aristocratic Souls in Democratic Times and Aristocratic Voices: Forgotten Arguments about Virtue, Authority and Inequality, both published by Lexington/Bloomsbury. Scott Irving read modern history at Oxford University. He is author of "Vico and the Aristocratic Origin of Political Order” published in the edited volume Aristocratic Voices. Texts discussed in this podcast: The Norman and Charlotte Strouse Edition of the Writings of Thomas Carlyle https://www.ucpress.edu/series/the-norman-and-charlotte-strouse-edition-of-the-writings-of-thomas-carlyle Essays on Politics and Society https://www.ucpress.edu/books/essays-on-politics-and-society/hardcover Other works by Carlyle Carlyle’s Latter-Day Pamphlets, which awaits a modern critical edition: https://dn721807.ca.archive.org/0/items/latterdaypamphle00carlrich/latterdaypamphle00carlrich.pdf Other books referenced Charles Frederick Harrold, Carlyle and German Thought https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.01171/page/285/mode/2up Cicero, De re publica, De legibus https://archive.org/details/cicero-in-28-volumes.-vol.-16-loeb-213/mode/2up Gertrude Himmelfarb, The De-moralization of Society https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/80256/the-de-moralization-of-society-by-gertrude-himmelfarb/ To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Chris Anadale interviews Florida lawyer Jeff Bristol about his home in Plant City. Jeffrey Bristol is an independent scholar and a lawyer who has been a regular at Ciceronian Society conferences. His popular writings range from policy and military essays to cultural criticism, with a focus on general anthropological theory and legal and political philosophy as applied to American life. His degrees include an AA in Persian-Farsi from the Defense Language Institute; a BA in History/Anthropology/Languages from the now-defunct Marlboro College; an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago; a JD from the University of Michigan Law School and a PhD in Anthropology from Boston University. His website is https://www.jeffreybristol.com/ Christopher Anadale is podcast editor for the Ciceronian Society and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. His philosophy YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/christopheranadale ----- Mentioned in this Episode: Strawberry Festival. https://flstrawberryfestival.com/ Henry B. Plant. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_B._Plant Gio Fucarino. https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2023/03/24/who-is-gio-fucarino-or-john-ring-jr-tampa-player-with-hidden-past/ Ashley Moody. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Moody W. Lloyd Warner. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Lloyd_Warner See also: Baumgartner, M.P., The Moral Order of a Suburb. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. (especially this one) Gorer G., The American People: A Study in National Character, New York, Norton, 1948. Potter D., "Individuality and Conformity." in M. McGiffert, ed., The Character of Americans, Homewood: Dorsey Press, 1964. ----- To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Josh Bowman talks with John Wilsey about his new book, God and Country: Upholding Faith, History, and National Identity (B&H Academic Press, 2026). We discuss historiography, why history matters for Christians, the importance of virtue for historical thinking, and what it means to have a “rightly ordered patriotism.” John Wilsey is Professor of Church History and Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Church History and Historical Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. For a lengthier bio, visit: https://www.sbts.edu/faculty/john-d-wilsey/ View the book here: https://bhacademic.bhpublishinggroup.com/product/god-and-country-3/#flipbook-sampler/ To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Josh Bowman welcomes 2026 Herbert J. Storing Prize Nominee Dr. Brooke Barbier. Brooke is a public historian who received her PhD in American history from Boston College, researching Boston’s social and cultural life during and after the American Revolution. In 2013 she founded Ye Olde Tavern Tours, which offers tours of Boston’s historic sites and taverns (beer is included!). She is the author of King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father and Boston in the American Revolution: A Town Versus an Empire. Her newest book, Cocked and Boozy: An Intoxicating History of the American Revolution, will be released in June 2026 and is now available for pre-order. She is originally from San Diego, CA and has lived in Boston for many years. Herbert J. Storing Prize: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/storing-award/ Nominations for 2027 Prize due by September 1, 2026 Cocked and Boozy: An Intoxicating History of the American Revolution (pre-order): https://www.amazon.com/Cocked-Boozy-Intoxicating-American-Revolution/dp/1641606991 King Hancock: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674271777 Ye Olde Tavern Tours: https://www.yeoldetaverntours.com/ Brooke’s personal website: https://www.brooke-barbier.com/ ====== The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman welcomes Albert Norton back to the show. Bert is a practicing attorney and author of several books on the tension between religion and postmodernism. Today, we specifically consider how understanding this tension might inform the life of modern churches and intellectual discipleship. His most recent book is The Discovered Self, concerning what he regards as a dangerous inward turn to the therapeutic worldview. We previously discussed his 2023 book, The Mountain and the River: Genesis, Postmodernism, and the Machine, in Episode 40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXdva8y7ghs&list=PL1B7f66VCvfZnkwh_UjXjhXEg5P8dUq0q&index=32 Our conversation addresses themes of postmodernism, universals and particulars, ideology, totalitarianism, fascism, epistemology, Christian intellectuals in the church, and much more. Bert’s substack, “Sir Toast” - https://albertnorton.substack.com/ The Mountain and the River - https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-River-Genesis-Postmodernism-Machine/dp/1943003815?ref_=ast_author_dp The Discovered Self - https://www.amazon.com/Discovered-Self-Identity-Therapeutic-Age-ebook/dp/B0F1V4LL7B?ref_=ast_author_dp Check out Bert’s reflections on the 2025 Ciceronian Society conference here: https://albertnorton.substack.com/p/the-ciceronian-society ====== The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

This special episode is an excerpt from a panel at our 2025 annual conference in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The panel title was "Philip Rieff: Cultural Conflict, Religion and the Self." After a prayer and brief introduction, we hear the following speakers. First, Michael Harding of Montgomery College, with "Rieff’s Use of Nietzsche in Deathworks." Second, William Batchelder of Waynesburg University, on "The Impossibility of Charisma in the Modern Context." Third, Ethan Alexander-Davey of Campbell University, with "The Role of Elites in Formation and Deformation." Fourth, Albert Norton, independent scholar, on "Identity in the Therapeutic Age." Following the fourth speaker is a 13 minute question and answer period. Mr. Norton was interviewed in Episode 40 of The Sower, and Drs. Harding and Batchelder most recently appeared in Episode 69, an introduction to the work of Philip Rieff. Dr. Alexander-Davey is an occasional host of The Sower. Dr. Anadale's YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristopherAnadale If you enjoyed this episode, please consider attending our March 2026 annual conference, in Omaha, Nebraska. For details, go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/. 0:00 Episode Introduction (Anadale)2:17 Panel Introduction (Batchelder)5:38 Nietzsche (Harding)31:52 Charisma (Batchelder)50:34 Elites (Alexander-Davey)1:05:02 Identity (Norton)1:19:01 Q&A Chapters (00:00:00) - Episode Introduction (Anadale)(00:02:17) - Panel Introduction (Batchelder)(00:05:38) - Nietzsche (Harding)(00:31:52) - Charisma (Batchelder)(00:50:34) - Elites (Alexander-Davey)(01:05:02) - Identity (Norton)(01:19:01) - Q&A

Еthan Alexander-Davey and Glenn Cronin discuss the life and work of Lev Tikhomirov, who, in his mid thirties, abandoned revolutionary terrorism to become one of the most prominent defenders of the Russian Monarchy and Orthodox Christianity. The conversation focuses on Dr. Cronin’s recent book The Enduring Enigma of Lev Tikhomirov, which surveys the writer’s major works on revolutionary ideology, monarchical government, and the theological roots of the horrors of the 20th century. Books (in English) mentioned in the podcast: Works by Glenn Cronin The Enduring Enigma of Lev Tikhomirov, https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501783449/the-enduring-enigma-of-lev-tikhomirov/#bookTabs=1 Disenchanted Wanderer:The Apocalyptic Vision of Konstantin Leontiev, https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501760181/disenchanted-wanderer/ Works (in English translation) by Lev Tikhomirov Why I Ceased to be a Revolutionary | Beginnings and Ends, trans. by K. Benois, https://www.amazon.com/Why-Ceased-Revolutionary-Beginnings-Ends/dp/B08LNJKZ96/ That’s it so far. If anyone would like to pay Dr. Cronin or Dr. Alexander-Davey a lot of money to translate Tikhomirov’s major works on monarchy and history, please reach out. Other books mentioned: Fatal Purity: Robespierre and the French Revolution, https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781466805781/fatalpurity/ Thomas Hobbes, Behemoth: Or the Long Parliament, https://archive.org/details/cu31924028063893/page/n156/mode/2up Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon: A brief view and survey of the dangerous and pernicious errors to church and state, in Mr. Hobbes's book, entitled Leviathan, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A33236.0001.001/1:5?rgn=div1&view=fulltext History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, https://archive.org/details/historyofrebelli01clar/page/n19/mode/2up Herbert Spencer, Man versus the State, chapter 2, “The Coming Slavery”, https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/spencer-the-man-versus-the-state-1885-ed

Josh Bowman chats with Dr. Wayne Braudrick, lead pastor at Frisco Bible Church in Frisco, Texas and member of the Ciceronian Society. We discuss intellectual discipleship, the life of the mind among evangelical Christians, preaching, the importance of place for pastors and Bible study, and much more. Frisco Bible Church: https://friscobiblechurch.snappages.site/ Josh’s article on Intellectual Discipleship: https://circeinstitute.org/blog/intellectual-discipleship ====== Check out our new video podcast, reading through Cicero's On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3 The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

An introduction to the life and work of Philip Rieff (1922-2006), with Bill Batchelder, Michael Harding, and Chris Anadale, contributors to the 2005 volume The Philosophy of Phillip Rieff (Bloomsbury Academic). Dr. William Batchelder is professor of history and honors program director at Waynesburg University, in southwest Pennsylvania. Dr. Michael Harding is professor of philosophy and chair of humanities at Montgomery College, in Maryland. Dr. Christopher Anadale is associate professor of philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University, in Maryland. The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Links: Freud: The Mind of the Moralist - Philip Rieff, Third Edition with Epilogue "One Step Further" https://www.amazon.com/Freud-Mind-Moralist-Philip-Rieff/dp/0226716392?s=books Susan Sontag Was Not the Sole Author of Freud: The Mind of the Moralist, by Kevin Slack and William Batchelder https://voegelinview.com/susan-sontag-was-not-the-sole-author-of-freud-the-mind-of-the-moralist/ The Triumph of the Therapeutic - Philip Rieff, with an introduction by Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Therapeutic-Background-Essential-Conservative/dp/1932236805?s=books The Feeling Intellect - Philip Rieff, Edited and with an Introduction by Jonathan Imber https://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Intellect-Selected-Writings/dp/0226716422?s=books My Life Among the Deathworks - Philip Rieff, Edited and with an Introduction by James Davison Hunter https://www.amazon.com/Life-Among-Deathworks-Illustrations-Aesthetics/dp/0813925169?s=books Crisis of the Officer Class - Philip Rieff, Edited by with an Introduction by Alan Woolfolk https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Order-Social-Officer-Sensibility/dp/0813926769/134-9327847-2012820 Charisma: The Gift of Grace and How It Has Been Taken from Us - Philip Rieff, with a Forward by Daniel Frank and Aaron Manson https://www.amazon.com/Charisma-Gift-Grace-Been-Taken/dp/0375424520?s=books Ars Vitae - Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn https://www.amazon.com/Ars-Vitae-Inwardness-Return-Ancient/dp/0268108900?s=books Sociology and the Sacred - Ton Zondervan https://www.amazon.com/Sociology-Sacred-Introduction-Philip-Culture/dp/0802080189?s=books The Anthem Companion to Philip Rieff - Edited by Jonathan Imber https://www.amazon.com/Anthem-Companion-Phillip-Companions-Sociology/dp/178308152X?s=books The Philosophy of Philip Rieff - Edited by Michael Harding and William Batchelder https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/philosophy-of-philip-rieff-9781350424586...

This special episode is an excerpt from a plenary panel at our 2025 annual conference in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The panel title was "Jesus the Tekton: Restoring Common Arts Education," and two of the four speakers' remarks are included here. The first speaker is Fr. Mark Perkins of St. Dunstan's Academy. After an opening prayer and introductory remarks, he presents his paper, "Timber Framing and Poetic Knowledge." He is followed by Thomas Fickley, also of St. Dunstan's Academy, presenting on "A Place for Young Men: Resurrecting Apprenticeship." Both men were interviewed in Episode 27 of The Sower, which you can listen to for details about St. Dunstan's. https://stdunstansacademy.org/ https://youtu.be/1YoLbDSz71Q?si=c6yiKXex2pVRcJI5 If you enjoyed this episode, please consider attending our March 2026 annual conference, in Omaha, Nebraska. For details, go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/. 0:00 Episode Introduction (Anadale)2:03 Panel Introduction (Perkins)10:57 Timber Framing and Poetic Knowledge (Perkins)28:15 A Place for Young Men: Resurrecting Apprenticeship (Fickley)44:49 Closing Remarks (Bowman) Chapters (00:00:00) - Episode Introduction(00:02:03) - Panel Introduction (Perkins)(00:10:57) - Timber Framing and Poetic Knowledge (Perkins)(00:28:15) - A Place for Young Men: Resurrecting Apprenticeship (Fickley)(00:44:49) - Closing Remarks (Bowman)

Chris Anadale interviews Caleb Galloway, an Anglican woodworker and stained glass artist in Marietta, Georgia. We discuss how he got started, prospects for GenZ young men, and his upcoming project building roadside shrines. To follow Caleb: https://x.com/Gallo_Woodworks Orthodox Masonry: https://x.com/orthodoxmason To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, sign up for our newsletter, or make your tax-deductible donation, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman chats with Commander William Spears, who serves as a submarine warfare officer in the U.S. Navy. He is also a scholar, writing on topics of leadership and military ethics. He is the author of the recently released book, Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy (Casemate, 2025), which examines the morality of war and military service through the lens of Stoic philosophy. And that book is our topic today! We discuss the importance of the stoics, virtue, Cicero, Seneca, and more. Link to the book: https://www.casematepublishers.com/9781636246239/stoicism-as-a-warrior-philosophy/ https://williamcspears.com/ ====== The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and TO make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman chats with Rev. Michael Langer, founder and president of Faithful Presence. As explained on its website, “Faithful Presence is a ministry in our nation's capital, equipping servants and leaders to flourish as they participate in Christ’s mission of making all things new through offering intentional spiritual, emotional, relational, vocational, ideological, cultural, and evangelical discipleship.” We discuss the nature of whole-life discipleship, its importance for Christians in the “public square,” and much more. To learn more, visit: https://faithful-presence.org/about The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman chats with Paul Gutacker, Executive Director of Brazos Fellows, based in Waco, Texas. Brazos Fellows is an annual program that welcomes a small cohort of emerging adults to commit to a common Rule of Life, embrace a rhythm of prayer, study, work, Sabbath, and community, all rooted in the life and worship of a local parish, Christ Church Waco (ACNA). To learn more and apply to be a fellow, visit: https://www.brazosfellows.com/ The standard application deadline is March 1. Applications open on October 1, and the early consideration deadline is December 1. ====== The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman chats with Dr. Alex Fogleman, Associate Dean for Special Programs and Assistant Professor of Theology at Trinity Anglican Seminary, where he oversees the Robert E. Webber Center and the Doctor of Ministry program. He also directs the Catechesis Task Force for the Anglican Church of North America. He is the author of Knowledge, Faith, and Early Christian Initiation (Cambridge University Press, 2023), and the subject of this episode, Making Disciples: Catechesis in History, Theology, and Practice (Eerdmans, 2025), which received awards of merit from The Gospel Coalition and Christianity Today. We dive into church history, Christian formation, discipleship, catechesis, place, friendship, and much more. Buy the book here: https://www.eerdmans.com/9781467467759/making-disciples/ Robert E. Webber Centerhttps://tas.edu/webber/ The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman is joined by John D. Wilsey, James Patterson, Claire Baker, and Annie Crawford for an entertaining reflection on the seasons of Advent and Christmas. We discuss holiday favorites and how the Ciceronian themes of Tradition, Place, and ‘Things Divine’ come alive this time of year. If you enjoy conversations like this, please consider registering for our upcoming conference, March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-registration/ Merry Christmas!

Josh Bowman reflects on where the Ciceronian Society has been in 2025 and where we’re going in 2026. He also offers some commentary on where we as Christians find ourselves socially and culturally, and what that means for institutions like ours. If you’re grateful for this Podcast and for the work of the Ciceronian Society, please prayerfully consider a year-end gift. There are several ways to give, with more information found here: https://ciceroniansociety.org/donate/ To learn more about the upcoming conference and to register, visit https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/ Link to From Christendom to Apostolic Mission, published by the Univ. of Mary: https://bookstore.umary.edu/MerchDetail?MerchID=1638495&num=0&start=9&end=12&type=1&CategoryName=Books&CatID=29630&Name=Books#.YPb7oRNKhTZ

Chris Anadale and Bill Batchelder interview Madeleine Austin, winner of the 2025 Batchelder Award for the Study of Place. Her winning paper was titled "An Everyman's Environmentalism: Love of Place as a Virtue." Madeleine lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina with her husband, Joshua. She is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, where she completed her MA in Political Theory in 2024. Chris is podcast editor for the Ciceronian Society and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Bill is chairman of the Ciceronian Society and Professor of History at Waynesburg University. The Batchelder Award was established in memory of Bill’s father. More about the Batchelder Award: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/batchelder-award/ Recent essay by Madeleine: https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2025/08/the-way-from-st-martins-on-the-virtue-of-paths/ 0:00 Introduction 1:45 About the Batchelder Award 7:21 Conversation The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:01:45) - About the Batchelder Award(00:07:21) - Conversation

Josh Bowman chats with the Acton Institute’s Dylan Pahman about his new book, The Kingdom of God and the Common Good: Orthodox Christian Social Thought (Ancient Faith Press). We discuss the history of, and possibilities for, Orthodox Christianity in its engagement with questions of social and economic thought. Buy the book here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/the-kingdom-of-god-and-the-common-good-orthodox-christian-social-thought/ St. Nicholas Cabasilas Institute: https://cabasilasinstitute.org/ The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

This special episode is a recording from our 2025 Conference in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The panel is "Inspirations for Classical Education," and the speakers are: Stephen McGinley (Mount St. Mary's University & Good Soil Farm) - "Festivity, Education, and Farming" Gerald Boersma (Ave Maria University) - "A Pagan Paideia and the Contested Ressourcement of the Fathers" Mary Clare Young (University of Virginia) - "The Virtuous Classroom: Lessons from a Roman Educator" Mandi Gerth (University of Dallas) - "The Poetic Discipline: Lousie Cowan and the Necessity of Literature in Liberal Education" If you like this panel, please consider attending our next conference, March 12-14, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska. For details, go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-registration/ 0:00 Episode Introduction 1:56 Panel Introduction 3:28 McGinley 28:25 Boersma 49:38 Young 1:09:41 Gerth Chapters (00:00:00) - Episode Introduction(00:01:56) - Panel Introduction(00:03:28) - McGinley(00:28:25) - Boersma(00:49:38) - Gerth(01:09:41) - Young

Josh Bowman chats with Winston Brady of Thales Press and Thales Academy about his evocative and moving novel, The Inferno (Fidelis Press, 2023). We discuss the nature of sin and repentance, as well as themes of vice, evil, greed, American History, suicide, depression, and Hell. Winston’s story, creatively described in his novel, is a testimony of God’s redeeming love and forgiveness. ** This episode discusses suicide and may contain content that is disturbing to some. Listener discretion is advised. Also, if you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek immediate help from a professional or from emergency services. For example, dial 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. ** Buy the book here: https://www.fidelispublishing.com/authors/winston-brady The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

This special episode is a recording from our 2025 Conference in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The panel is "Theological Perspectives on the Market," and the speakers are: John Robinson (James Madison University) - "Scarcity, Isolation, and Dependence: Economic Insight in CS Lewis's The Great Divorce" Erik Matson (Mercatus Center) - "Economics and Evil" Paul Radich (Catholic University of America) - "From the Invisible Hand to the Inexorable Hammer: Cosmological Affinity between Adam Smith and Karl Marx" Dylan Pahman (Acton Institute) - "The Fourth Face of Power: Toward a Pure Theory of Friendship" If you like this panel, please consider attending our next conference, March 12-14, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska. For details, go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-registration/ 0:00 Episode Introduction 1:56 Panel Introduction 4:15 Robinson 15:30 Matson 32:47 Radich 47:28 Pahman 1:07:31 Q & A To find out more about our activities, sign up for our newsletter, or make your tax-deductible gift, please visit https://ciceroniansociety.org/ Chapters (00:00:00) - Episode Introduction(00:01:56) - Panel Introduction(00:04:15) - Robinson(00:15:30) - Matson(00:32:47) - Radich(00:47:28) - Pahman(01:07:31) - Q & A

Josh Bowman leads a discussion on the recently republished 1973 book The Social Philosophers: Community and Conflict in Western Thought (American Philosophical Society Press, 2025) by the American sociologist Robert Nisbet (1913-1996). Joining him are Luke Sheahan of Duquesne University, author of the foreword to this edition, and Paul Mueller of the American Institute for Economic Research. Nisbet’s book focuses on the historical development of communities that he categorizes as military, political, religious, revolutionary, ecological, and plural. Which community is dominant today? What are communities even for? To check out the book itself, go to: https://www.amphilsoc.org/publications/social-philosophers-community-and-conflict-western-thought The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

This special episode is a recording of a panel at the June 2025 meeting of the Academy of Philosophy and Letters in College Park, Maryland. We are grateful to the APL for their permission to publish this recording. The panel is titled "Book Roundtable – Aristocratic Voices: Forgotten Arguments about Virtue, Authority, and Inequality" and the panelists are: Ethan Alexander-Davey, Campbell University, “Aristocracy and the Forms That Fit” Matthew T. Cantirino, The University of Dallas, “Henry Adams: Aristocracy in an American?” Luke C. Sheahan, Duquesne University, “Authority, Hierarchy, and the Social Bond in the Aristocratic Thought of Robert Nisbet” Michael Federici, Middle Tennessee State University, “Irving Babbitt on Democracy and Leadership” Michael Harding, Montgomery College, “Against the Tarantulas: Nietzsche on Aristocracy” To find out more about our activities, sign up for our newsletter, or make your tax-deductible gift, please visit https://ciceroniansociety.org/ To learn more about the APL and their programs, visit https://philosophyandletters.org/ The APL 2025 Conference schedule is here: https://philosophyandletters.org/2025/02/14/2025-conference-schedule/ 0:00 Introduction 7:51 Ethan Alexander-Davey, Panel Introduction 20:52 Matthew Cantirino on Henry Adams 37:13 Luke Sheahan on Robert Nisbet 49:35 Michael Federici on Irving Babbit 1:01:09 Michael Harding on Nietzsche's Tarantulas Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:07:51) - Alexander-Davey(00:20:52) - Cantirino(00:37:13) - Sheahan(00:49:35) - Federici(01:01:09) - Harding

Josh Bowman talks with Kevin DeJuan Lewis Jr., the state of Michigan’s director for an organization called TakeCharge. “TakeCharge is committed to supporting the notion that the promise of America is available to everyone regardless of race or social station.” The organization focuses primarily on renewing families, marriages, and faith among Black Americans. To learn more, visit https://takechargeus.com/ The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

This special episode is a recording from our 2025 Conference in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The panel is "The Gifts of Christian Humanism," and the speakers are: Chris Armstrong (Anselm House) - "Twentieth Century Christian Humanism and the Retrieval of the Premodern Real" Darrell Falconburg (Russell Kirk Center) - "Christian Humanism and the Renewal of Education" Jason Jewell (State University System of Florida) - "Irving Babbitt and the Natural Law" If you like this panel, please consider attending our next conference, March 12-14, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska. For details, go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-registration/ 0:00 Introduction1:34 Biographies & Prayer4:43 Armstrong24:52 Falconburg44:09 Jewell1:02:52 Q & A Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:01:34) - Biographies & Prayer(00:04:43) - Armstrong(00:24:52) - Falconburg(00:44:09) - Jewell(01:02:52) - Q & A

Josh Bowman speaks with Joy Moore, a Nebraska native, mother, and writer now living in South Dakota. She is also an adjunct law professor at the Univ. of South Dakota. This episode focuses on her newest project concerning the topic of friendship. The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. We hope you’ll join us! Register here: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-registration/ To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman interviews Nate Roberts, founder of the Michigan Academy of Folk Music (MAFM). (This 2025 episode combines 2 episodes previously published in 2023.) In the first half of this episode, we talk through Nate and MAFM’s approach to music education and its overlap with classical education, homeschooling, and more. In the second half, we talk about the role of music in discipleship and moral and spiritual formation generally. https://www.mifolkmusic.com/ Listeners may be interested to hear some of Nate’s recordings. Search for the following albums where you listen to music: Unadorned and Commonplace by Hayes Griffin & Nate Roberts Structures by Nate Roberts and Doug Scheuerell Dendrophilia by Nate Roberts Trio The Meaning of a Tree by the Field Hymnal If you enjoy learning and writing about any of the topics discussed in this Podcast, we encourage you to visit our website to sign-up for our newsletter and to register for our upcoming conference. https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Ethan Alexander-Davey and Glenn Cronin discuss the penetrating insights of the 19th century Russian Orthodox writer Konstantin Leontiev, an aristocratic voice who has become an important figure in Russian intellectual and political life since 1991, but remains unknown in the West. The conversation focuses on Dr. Cronin’s recent book, Disenchanted Wanderer: The Apocalyptic Vision of Konstantin Leontiev. Leontiev’s political philosophy combines a Nietzschean aestheticism with Orthodox Christian culture, which he called “Byzantinism.” Works by Glenn Cronin Disenchanted Wanderer: The Apocalyptic Vision of Konstantin Leontiev https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501760181/disenchanted-wanderer/ The Enduring Enigma of Lev Tikhomirov https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501783456/the-enduring-enigma-of-lev-tikhomirov/#bookTabs=1 Works by Ethan Alexander-Davey Aristocratic Souls in Democratic Times https://www.amazon.com/Aristocratic-Souls-Democratic-Political-Theory/dp/1498553265/ Aristocracy and the Καλλίπολις: Konstantin Leontiev and the Politics of ‘Flourishing Complexity' https://www.academia.edu/44382561/Aristocracy_and_the_%CE%9A%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%AF%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B9%CF%82_Konstantin_Leontiev_and_the_Politics_of_Flourishing_Complexity Konstantin Leontiev in English Byzantinism and Slavdom https://www.amazon.com/Byzantinism-Slavdom-Konstantin-Leontiev/dp/B08LNLCLCL/ Lev Tikhomirov in English Why I Ceased to be a Revolutionary https://www.amazon.com/Why-Ceased-Revolutionary-Beginnings-Ends/dp/B08LNJKZ96/ The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. To lea... Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:02:09) - Who is Konstantin Leontiev?(00:06:48) - Why Read Leontiev?(00:11:26) - Two Stories About Leontiev(00:17:57) - Aestheticism(00:24:48) - Orthodoxy(00:31:01) - Theory of Civilizational Development(00:36:49) - Nationalism but not Ethnic Nationalism(00:41:25) - Criticism of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy(00:48:45) - Influence of Augustine(00:54:04) - Preview of Next Book

Josh Bowman talks with his longtime friend and former professor, Paul R. Dehart on his new book, The Social Contract in the Ruins: Natural Law and Government by Consent (Univ. of Missouri, 2024). DeHart is Professor of Political Science at Texas State University. DeHart argues that modern attempts to root political obligation and morality in contractarian thought on voluntarist terms are self-referentially incoherent as well as a normative failure. What implications might this have for the American Founding and Constitutional thought? Can the classical natural law tradition get along with social contract theory? Is social contract theory worth saving? Does the “consent of the governed” even matter? We discuss this and much more, giving attention to thinkers such as Aristotle, Cicero, Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Althuisus, Richard Hooker, and many others. Dr. DeHart’s profile at Texas State University https://faculty.txst.edu/profile/1922208 His Books: The Social Contract in the Ruins: Natural Law and Government by Consent (Univ. of Missouri, 2024) https://upress.missouri.edu/9780826223050/the-social-contract-in-the-ruins/ Uncovering the Constitution's Moral Design (Univ. of Missouri, 2017) https://upress.missouri.edu/9780826221308/uncovering-the-constitutions-moral-design/ Also mentioned: The Foundations of Modern Political Thought, Vol. 2: The Age of Reformation, by Quentin Skinner And works by Francis Oakeley, J. Budziszewski, A. John Simmons, Brian Tierney, and others. The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Introduction3:38 Social Contract Theory14:30 SCT vs Natural Law Tradition24:23 Why It Fails38:01 American Founding52:24 Covenantal Realism1:12:19 How to Handle Disagreements1:23:18 First Principles1:26:57 Paucity of Consent Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:03:38) - Social Contract Theory(00:14:30) - SCT vs Natural Law Tradition(00:24:23) - Why It Fails(00:38:01) - American Founding(00:52:24) - Covenantal Realism(01:12:19) - How to Handle Disagreements(01:23:18) - First Principles(01:26:57) - Paucity of Consent

Josh Bowman leads a discussion of Aristocratic Voices: Forgotten Arguments about Virtue, Authority, and Inequality (Lexington Books, 2025) co-edited by Richard Avramenko and Ethan Alexander-Davey. Ethan joins us for the talk along with two chapter authors, Luke Sheahan and Michael Harding. Our conversation covers a lot of ground, considering the thought of W.H. Riehl, Robert Nisbet, and Nietzsche, as well as some discussion of Hegel, Cicero, Tocqueville, Burke, Philip Rieff, the French Revolution and much more. https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/aristocratic-voices-9781666933147/ The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Introduction3:37 Three Implications of Inequality13:41 Nisbet's Diagnosis19:42 Bureaucracy as New Elite?23:07 Nietzsche36:37 Wilhelm Heinrich Riehl47:27 Lack of Courage53:22 Tarantulas, Eternal Recurrence59:52 Nisbet & Civic Associations1:08:08 Next Research Steps Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:03:37) - Three Implications of Inequality(00:13:41) - Nisbet's Diagnosis(00:19:42) - Bureaucracy as New Elite?(00:23:07) - Nietzsche(00:36:37) - Wilhelm Heinrich Riehl(00:47:27) - Lack of Courage(00:53:22) - Tarantulas, Eternal Recurrence(00:59:52) - Nisbet & Civic Associations(01:08:08) - Next Research Steps

This special episode is a recording from our 2025 Conference in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The round table title is "Building Places of Intellectual Community," and the speakers are: Paul Mueller (American Institute for Economic Research) Jeff Nelson (The Russell Kirk Center) Zach Howard (Bethlehem College) After Q&A, there are remarks by Josh Bowman, Bill Batchelder, and James Patterson (Ciceronian Society). If you like this panel, please consider attending our next conference, March 12-14, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska. For details, go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-registration/ 0:00 Episode Introduction 2:30 Panel Introduction 7:06 Mueller 17:30 Nelson 35:48 Howard 53:35 Q & A 1:22:41 Bowman 1:32:07 Batchelder 1:41:05 Patterson 1:53:07 Song Links: https://aier.org/ https://aier.org/people/paul-mueller/ https://bcsmn.edu/ https://bcsmn.edu/profile/zach-howard/ https://kirkcenter.org/ https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/batchelder-award/ https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/lawler/ Chapters (00:00:00) - Episode Introduction(00:02:30) - Roundtable Introduction(00:07:06) - Mueller(00:17:30) - Nelson(00:35:48) - Howard(00:53:35) - Q & A(01:22:41) - Bowman(01:32:07) - Batchelder(01:41:05) - Patterson(01:53:07) - Song

Josh Bowman talks with Michael Maibach about his former teacher, Herbert J. Storing, and the book prize now offered in honor of professor Storing. We also discuss Michael’s work overall, and his particular interest in the electoral college. Mr. Maibach is a native of Illinois where, in 1972, he became the first American elected to public office under 21-years of age in US history while a college student. His 40-year career in international business included working for the Intel Corporation and later as President & CEO of the European-American Business Council. Today he serves on several non-profit Boards, including as an advisor to the Ciceronian Society and as a Trustee and Managing Director of the James Wilson Institute. In addition, he travels around the U.S. giving talks about the Founders’ Constitution and its Electoral College design to students and civic groups for Save Our States. https://saveourstates.com/ To learn more about the Storing Prize and to nominate a recent book on the American Founding Era, go to: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/storing-award/ The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-cfp/ To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman shares some information on the upcoming 2026 conference in Omaha, NE before turning to the Menard Family Center for Economic Inquiry at Creighton University. He’s joined by economic scholars Dr. Colin O’Reilly and Dr. Michael D. Thomas. The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. Click here to propose a paper and learn more: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/2026-conference-cfp/ Nominate a book for the Herbert J. Storing Prize by September 1, 2025: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/storing-award/ Menard Family Center for Economic Inquiry: https://www.creighton.edu/menard-center-for-economic-inquiry To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 About the Ciceronian Society8:00 The Menard Family Center11:21 Vocation of a Catholic Economist15:10 Different Views of Poverty20:49 Omaha30:15 Economists at CS36:11 How to Learn More about MFC & Creighton University Chapters (00:00:00) - About the Ciceronian Society(00:08:00) - The Menard Family Center(00:11:21) - Vocation of a Catholic Economist(00:15:10) - Different Views of Poverty(00:20:49) - Omaha(00:30:15) - Economists at CS(00:36:11) - How to Learn More about MFC & Creighton University

Josh Bowman chats with Winston Brady of Thales Press and Thales Academy, along with Josh Herring of Thales College in North Carolina. We discuss the definition, style, future, purpose, and beauty of classical education, along with its relationship to place and the Ciceronian Society generally. Thales Academy: https://www.thalesacademy.org/Thales Press: https://www.thalespress.org/Thales College: https://www.thalescollege.org/ The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Introduction1:59 Why Thales7:27 Founding10:35 What is Classical Education18:01 Curriculum & Press26:22 College & Certificate33:34 Out of Higher Ed44:43 Place55:56 Looking Ahead1:09:24 Ciceronian Crossover1:16:59 To Learn More about Thales Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:01:59) - Why Thales(00:07:27) - Founding(00:10:35) - What is Classical Education(00:18:01) - Curriculum & Press(00:26:22) - College & Certificate(00:33:34) - Out of Higher Ed(00:44:43) - Place(00:55:56) - Looking Ahead(01:09:24) - Ciceronian Crossover(01:16:59) - To Learn More about Thales

Josh Bowman talks with David Michael Phelps, president of Harmel Academy. (This 2025 episode combines 2 episodes previously published in 2023.) Harmel Academy is a post-secondary Catholic trade school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, pioneering an exciting new strategy for the formation and education of men. To learn more, go to https://www.harmelacademy.org/ Select books mentioned: A. G. Sertillanges, The Intellectual Life https://www.cuapress.org/9780813206462/the-intellectual-life/ Matthew Crawford, Shop Class as Soulcraft https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/301618/shop-class-as-soulcraft-by-matthew-b-crawford/ Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum.html Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the World https://svspress.com/for-the-life-of-the-world-new-edition/ To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, visit https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Josh Bowman talks with Dr. Carl Richard, Professor of History at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. Dr. Richard has spent decades recovering the impact of the ancient Greeks and Romans on the American Founders and on American history generally. He has also turned to the influence of the Bible and Christianity on America’s founding, and now to the history of the Presidency. We begin by talking about the classics, including Cicero, before turning to his more recent books on the Bible’s impact, including his newest volume, So Help Us God: American Presidents and the Bible (Rowman & Littlefield, 2025). https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/so-help-us-god-9798881806330/ Carl’s Books: The Founders and the Classics: Greece, Rome, and the American Enlightenment (Harvard, 1994)Twelve Greeks and Romans Who Changed the World (Rowman & Littlefield, 2003)The Battle for the American Mind: A Brief History of a Nation's Thought (Rowman & Littlefield, 2004)Greeks and Romans Bearing Gifts: How the Ancients Inspired the Founding Fathers (Rowman & Littlefield, 2008)The Golden Age of the Classics in America: Greece, Rome, and the Antebellum United States (Harvard, 2009)Why We're All Romans: The Roman Contribution to the Western World (Rowman & Littlefield, 2010)When the United States Invaded Russia: Woodrow Wilson's Siberian Disaster (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013)The Founders and the Bible (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) He has also contributed a host of essays to edited volumes, including two books published by Oxford University Press. The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Introduction2:30 Inspiration4:13 Golden Age7:47 Arguments For and Against the Classics20:04 Familiarity and Peculiarity25:53 Cicero32:06 The Founders and the Bible44:11 Prayer49:59 The Future56:26 Opportunities Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:02:30) - Inspiration(00:04:13) - Golden Age(00:07:47) - Arguments For and Against the Classics(00:20:04) - Familiarity and Peculiarity(00:25:53) - Cicero(00:32:06) - The Founders and the Bible(00:44:11) - Prayer(00:49:59) - The Future(00:56:26) - Opportunities

Josh Bowman talks with legal scholar Jack Ferguson about his recent article exploring Cicero’s impact on the American Founders. We discuss natural law, republicanism, executive power, and more. Jack’s article is “The Ciceronian Origins of American Law and Constitutionalism” from The Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, which can be found here: https://journals.law.harvard.edu/jlpp/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2025/03/Ferguson-Ciceronian-Origins.pdf The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Why Care About Cicero?10:00 Part 1 - Cicero's Influence16:21 Part 2 - Law of Nature & Law of Nations19:47 Common Law23:09 Judicial Review27:45 Part 3 - Republicanism32:58 Personal Character36:42 Part 4- Executive Authority42:57 Cicero's Authority with the Founders Chapters (00:00:00) - Why Care About Cicero?(00:10:00) - Part 1 - Cicero's Influence(00:16:21) - Part 2 - Law of Nature & Law of Nations(00:19:47) - Common Law(00:23:09) - Judicial Review(00:27:45) - Part 3- Republicanism(00:32:58) - Personal Character(00:36:42) - Part 4 - Executive Authority(00:42:57) - Cicero's Authority with the Founders

This episode concludes a series interviewing our first ever cohort of conference fellows. Josh Bowman talks with Matthew Chambers, a Nisbet Fellow, who teaches humanities at ECPI University in Virginia Beach and who is also entering his dissertation phase as a PhD Candidate in Humanities at Faulkner University. We discuss the relationship between the teachings of the early church and that of the Ancient Greeks, especially Plato and the idea of an immortal soul. Visit our website to learn more about our conference fellowship program, and come back in Fall 2025 to learn how to apply for our 2026 cohort of conference fellows. https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/conference-fellowships/ To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Introduction2:38 Plato and Immortality12:01 Incarnation19:15 Imago Dei30:25 Stakes41:02 Unique Cuisine Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:02:38) - Plato and Immortality(00:12:01) - Incarnation(00:19:15) - Imago Dei(00:30:25) - Stakes(00:41:02) - Unique Cuisine

James Patterson joins Dr. Glenn Moots for a conversation on Christian Nationalism. (This 2025 episode combines 2 episodes previously published in 2023.) Glenn Moots is a prolific writer and teacher from Northwood University in Michigan. Learn more about Glenn Moots here: https://www.northwood.edu/directory/faculty/glenn-moots/ Glenn’s adapted talk from the National Conservative conference, which he references, can be found here: https://lawliberty.org/american-separationism/

Josh Bowman talks with Albert Norton, a practicing attorney and author of several books on the tension between religion and postmodernism. His most recent book is The Discovered Self, just released, concerning what he regards as a dangerous inward turn to the therapeutic worldview. Our main topic is his 2023 book The Mountain and the River: Genesis, Postmodernism, and the Machine. Our conversation addresses themes of postmodernism, universals and particulars, ideology, totalitarianism, fascism, epistemology, Christian intellectuals in the church, and much more. Bert’s substack, “Sir Toast” - https://albertnorton.substack.com/ The Mountain and the River - https://www.amazon.com/Mountain-River-Genesis-Postmodernism-Machine/dp/1943003815?ref_=ast_author_dp The Discovered Self - https://www.amazon.com/Discovered-Self-Identity-Therapeutic-Age-ebook/dp/B0F1V4LL7B?ref_=ast_author_dp Check out Bert’s reflections on the recent Ciceronian Society conference here: https://albertnorton.substack.com/p/the-ciceronian-society Mentioned in this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Glass_Bees The 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Introduction4:00 Postmodernism9:30 Moralistic Therapeutic Deism14:02 The Mountain and the River19:52 Differentiation24:08 Balance 33:04 The Machine40:11 Fascism44:03 Church & Zeitgeist49:05 Tragic Sense54:27 Discovered Self58:13 Emotions1:02:19 Need for Community Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:04:00) - Postmodernism(00:09:30) - Moralistic Therapeutic Deism(00:14:02) - The Mountain and the River(00:19:52) - Differentiation(00:24:08) - Balance(00:33:04) - The Machine(00:40:11) - Fascism(00:44:03) - Church & Zeitgeist(00:49:05) - Tragic Sense(00:54:27) - Discovered Self(00:58:13) - Emotions(01:02:19) - Need for Community

This episode continues a series interviewing our first ever cohort of conference fellows. Here, Josh talks with Sean Sirks, a graduate student at Virginia Tech and one of this year’s Nisbet Fellows. We discuss the philosophy of mathematics, numbers, metaphysics, and Shakespeare’s King Lear. Visit our website to learn more about our conference fellowship program, and come back in Fall 2025 to learn how to apply for our 2026 cohort of conference fellows. (https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference/conference-fellowships/) To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Introduction 2:36 Philosophy of Math 7:51 The One and the Many 11:00 Cosmology 14:32 King Lear 17:25 Nominalism vs Realism 25:51 Reflections on the Conference Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:02:36) - Philosophy of Math(00:07:51) - The One and the Many(00:11:00) - Cosmology(00:14:32) - King Lear(00:17:25) - Nominalism vs Realism(00:25:51) - Reflections on the Conference

Josh Bowman talks with Jenna Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. We specifically address the Martin Center’s advocacy for reforming teacher education through public policy at the state level, and especially as it pertains to reading. We also hit on the philosophy of education, indoctrination, pedagogy, and the notion of “place” in the development of teachers. To read more from the Martin Center, visit: https://jamesgmartin.center/ As noted, the 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference will be held March 12-14 at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Panel and paper proposals are due September 1, 2025. To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/ 0:00 Introduction 1:59 What the Martin Center Is 3:04 Blueprint for Reading 7:27 What Rousseau Gets Wrong 14:25 Philosophy of Education 23:18 Scientism, Contextual Knowledge 28:47 Purpose of Education 36:38 Indoctrination vs Education 44:25 Place and Teacher Education 49:45 Next Steps