1964 Interviews with Maritain, Gilson, and Dawson
Some very nice United Nations’s interviews with Jacques Maritain, Etienne Gilson, and Christopher Dawson. Enjoy. (My apologies for my marginalia). un-interviews-jm-eg-cd-gkc
The Counter Reformation (FULL LECTURE)
Ok, getting toward the end of the semester. For your pleasure (or pain), here is the third from last lecture, The Counter Reformation–a part of our drive-by Western Heritage tour! We’re back to a *good* pope, Paul III…. Read More
The Counter Reformation
Response in the Western Latin (now what one would call “Roman Catholic”) Church: Significant revival in mysticism (what we would call charismatic today) and piety (following Erasmus’s notions: WWJD?); for the average person Clean up of corruption within… Read More
Understanding St. Peter’s Betrayal
Again, from Arnold Lunn, NOW I SEE (1945): St. Mark is supposed to have written at St. Peter’s dictation. He tells the story of the denial without wasting a word. The chapter ends with a verse as simple… Read More
Catholicism within Western Civilization
From Arnold Lunn’s autobiography, NOW I SEE (1945): Many forces have combined to produce the modern world. Palestine, Rome, Greece, and Communist Russia have all helped to form that strange complex which, in our more sanguine moods, we… Read More
The Historical Foundations of Protestantism (FULL LECTURE)
Western Heritage Lecture–what historical events “allowed” Protestantism to arise as it did.
A Reading from Martian Chronicles
One of my favorite scenes from Ray Bradbury’s magisterial MARTIAN CHRONICLES.
Machiavelli vs. Socrates (Full Lecture)
A rather in-depth look at how Machiavelli inverted the western Socratic project. Please note two things: 1) I’m terribly biased in this lecture; and 2) I tell a beautiful (at least to me) but personal story of my… Read More
Support Your Local Comic Book Store TODAY!
Today is Local Comic Book Store Day. Most comic shops have limited markets and can always use much bigger ones. For what it’s worth, my kids would not be the kids they are without comic books inspiring… Read More
Petrarch (Full Lecture)
An attempt to looks at three iconic figures in the Renaissance: Petrarch; Pico; and Machiavelli. This lecture mostly considers Petrarch, the ultimate Renaissance Christian Humanist.
Republican Cycles: Birth, Corruption, Death, Rebirth?
In nearly every class I teach–whether it’s about western civilization, the American founding, or Christian Humanism–I talk about the natural (supposedly) cycles of life, the seasons, and republics. If you’re interested, here are my favorite quotes and art… Read More
End of the Medieval World (Full Lecture)
Full Lecture The End of Christendom, 1350-1492 The Plague, killing anywhere from 33-50% of Europe. In terms of population, Europe not recover until mid-seventeenth century. Especially hit the good clergy, as they were first to rush… Read More
Stormfields 