The Optimistic Curmudgeon: Recent Episodes
OptimisticCurmudgeon2021
The Optimistic Curmudgeon is an interview podcast where Josh Herring interviews expert guests whose credentials and experience help listeners understand truth in a confusing world. We discuss issues under seven areas: economics, politics, education, philosophy, business, virtue, and leadership! May the best ideas win.
Josh Gibbs, Annie Crawford, Sean Hadley, Mark Perkins, and Josh Herring discuss the existence of the Alpha School and the challenges it presents to classical education. Is AI a tool to integrate into the classical classroom? Is AI a new, unique problem? Does the Alpha School exacerbate the many problems already existing in modern education? Across this wide-ranging conversation, the panelists develop a nuanced approach to the questions AI and education raise.
This episode was sponsored by Dr. Joshua Trevino. Joshua has a PhD in Political Theory from the University of Dallas, has taught in classical schools, and has nearly a decade of experience as a financial advisor. He especially enjoys working with professors, liberal artists and classical educators, helping them develop healthy financial habits that create the conditions for long-term wealth building. If you are curious about “financial advising and planning with the Aristotelian End in mind”, shoot him a text at 423-385-1480 or email at joshua.trevino AT nm.com…he would very much enjoy the new acquittance and conversation!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-trevino-phd-4aaa441b9/ Northwestern Mutual - https://www.northwesternmutual.com/financial/advisor/joshua-trevino/
This episode responds to this article from @thefreepress 's Maya Sulkin on 5/14/26 entitled "The School Trying to Rebuild Education for an AI World" - https://www.thefp.com/p/the-school-trying-to-rebuild-education
Panelist's Organizations:
Josh Gibbs - The Classical Teaching Institute: https://www.theclassicalteachinginstitute.org/ and Gibbs Classical: https://www.gibbsclassical.com/
Sean Hadley - Florida State University's Institute for Governance and Civics - https://igc.fsu.edu/about/our-team and The Logres Institute's Certificate in Great Books - https://www.logresinstitute.org/great-books
Mark Perkins - St. Dunstan's Academy - https://stdunstansacademy.org/ Annie Crawford - The Logres Institute's Certificate in C.S. Lewis Studies - https://www.logresinstitute.org/cs-lewis-studies
Josh Herring - The Logres Institute for Classical Liberal Studies - https://www.logresinstitute.org/
Dr. Matthew Mehan calls his new book, The American Book of Fables, as a "250th birthday present" for America. Releasing today (5/19/26), this volume is filled with rhymes and songs "for Littles," fables "for Middles," and a treasure trove of witty-wise sayings and primary sources "for Bigs." Dr. Mehan has written not just a book for children or adults, but a volume for the whole family to return to year over year.
We also discuss the moral imagination, Cicero, Dr. Mehan's upcoming Smith Lecture on Virtue at @thalescollege , teaching in DC, and the value of writing poetry as "Father Goose." It's a great conversation - enjoy!
Direct from the publisher (Sophia Institute Press): https://sophiainstitute.com/product/the-american-book-of-fables/
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/American-Book-Fables-Matthew-Mehan/dp/B0G1XYVC54/
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area - RSVP here to attend Dr. Mehan's Smith Lecture at Thales College: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIPSgAYX_6A4eMDVefWkJCW4vFgVzDBJLpXQK9j0UcPT6X4w/viewform
Josh interview Dr. Tracy Gardner about her work in psychometrics, its application to national testing design, and the science of reading. Dr. Gardner has worked for the @ClassicLearningTest , @Pearson , and is now the Vice-President for Workforce Assessment Solutions for the ACT. She is a proud @hillsdalecollege parent, and has been heavily influenced by the life and work of Charlie Kirk. We recorded this episode the day after Charlie's assassination, and Tracey shares some of the impact @turningpointusa has had on her. It's a great conversation! Enjoy!
Mandi Gerth draws from her book Thoroughness and Charm: Cultivating the Habits of the Classical Classroom to explain what teaching is, how teachers can draw on the wisdom of Machiavelli to understand their authority and wield it for the good of their students, and what it means to put on the Western tradition as both a mantle and a crown.
Along the way, Mandi shares wisdom from Donald and Louise Cowan, highlights the difficulty of the teaching task, and inspires teachers with a lofty vision of shaping the students' souls to perceive truth, beauty, and goodness.
Mandi is the Administrative Director of Cowan Center at the @universityofdallas , an instructor in @thalescollege 's Certificate in Classical Education Philosophy, and a prolific writer on @substackinc .
You can find her at https://mrsgerthteaches.substack.com/
You can also order Thoroughness and Charm: Cultivating the Habits of the Classical Classroom here: https://circeinstitute.org/product/thoroughness-and-charm/
Dr. Brad Birzer of Hillsdale College analyzes the Stranger Things series finale. Birzer argues that Stranger Things is a mythology of the 1980s, and he thinks the finale episode wraps up the series well. The younger generations of kids, the older generation heading to college, small town life, the Upside Down, hatred of the military, music of the 1980s - we discuss it all! This is definitely a spoiler-ridden episode, so if you haven't watched the finale, do that first. We also get into the controversy around Will Byers 6-minute coming out scene. By the end of the conversation, both Birzer and Herring argue this is a show about friendship and coming-of-age in a certain era of American life mostly lost to the present.
Brad Birzer's Wall Street Journal article about Stranger Things (free on Substack): https://substack.com/@bradleyjbirzer/p-187969433
Josh Herring's book Sons of Adam, Daughters of Eve: C.S. Lewis's Images of Gender - https://davenantinstitute.org/sons-of-adam-daughters-of-eve
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:
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Islam and the West
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The Face of God
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Fighting Communists by teaching philosophy in Hungary
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Scrutopia
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CS Lewis, friendship, and The Four Loves
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Architecture and "Building Better, Building Beautiful"
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Wine, terroir, and place
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The origin story of the Roger Scruton Legacy
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The relationship between Sir Roger and practical politics
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Performing Sir Roger's opera!
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Scruton's ecology
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JD Vance's VP debate
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The impact of overturning CHEVRON on the EPA
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Jordan Peterson winning the Scruton Prize
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Is Jordan Peterson a conservative? Is he a Christian? Thoughts on He Who Wrestles with God?
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How do function and essence relate in the perception of beauty? - Protestants and beautiful churches
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Why have the Scruton lecture become the Oakeshott lectures?
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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:
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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
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The National Hybrid Schools Project - https://www.kennesaw.edu/coles/centers/education-economics-center/national-hybrid-schools-project/index.php
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Thales College's Certificate in Classical Education Philosophy - https://www.thalescollege.org/academics/classical-education/philosophy
Winston Brady explains the story behind his Inferno, the importance of sin, redemption, and divine grace for ultimate happiness, and several puzzles hidden within Evan Esko's journey across Hell. Featuring lust, gluttony, murder, an Ent, Mephistopheles, suicide, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Thomas Jefferson, LBJ, Ernest Hemingway., and more. Here is the link to order your copy: https://shorturl.at/wL2I8
John Wilsey discusses the nature of religious conservatism, its place in the American tradition, and why conservatives are the best disposed group in America today to defend everyone's religious liberty. He explains the nature of patriotism, defending the idea of being American, and roots his arguments in Burkean conservatism. With callbacks to episode 5x5 featuring Ben Cnreshaw, Dr. Wilsey explains his take on Christian Nationalism. What does Wilsey think about Stephen Wolfe's Case for Christian Nationalism? Listen and find out!
Joe Rigney discusses his new book, Leadership and Emotional Sabotage: Resisting the Anxiety That Will Wreck Your Family, Destroy Your Church, and Ruin the World, and the need for men in particular to rediscover their authority. Rigney argues that rightly used authority is a blessing to those under it and in the absence of that authority chaos reigns. He is concerned that those in leadership need to develop fortitude, enabling them to stay the course when storms arise. He also gives a beautiful response to President Biden’s proclaiming Easter Sunday as the Transgender Day of Visibility in 2024.
Andrew Zwerneman discusses the nature of history, how it should be taught, and its role in a classical education. History is a primary method of shaping the moral imagination, and Zwerneman describes the pivotal role of the classical educator in forming students to cultivate historical consciousness.
Find all of Andrew resources and more at Cana Academy - https://www.canaacademy.org/
Rob Thornett, a classical educator with Great Hearts Academies, explains how classical methods and approaches help students discover the good that education can give them. Rob is a global traveler, and has taught in various international settings. This conversational episode is based on Rob’s article in Quillette: https://quillette.com/2024/02/09/the-odyssey-of-classical-education/
Find more of Rob's resources at Robertthornett.com
Scott Yenor describes more than 20 woke pieces of legislation passed in California in recent years and the terrible effects they have on California education. Dr. Yenor explains what’s really going in some key educational buzzwords: culturally responsive teaching, social emotional learning, action civics, critical social justice, and restorative justice.
Here is the report this episode is based on: https://idahofreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/California-Report-23-09.pdf
Paul Krause, editor in chief of Voegelin View, joins Josh for this season's Great Books discussion on Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Krause situates Swift in his moment in time, and explains the depths of satirical insight Swift applies to questions of human nature. What do the Houyhnhnm, Yahoos, Brobdingnagians, Lilliputians, Laputans, and commentators on Aristotle show about human nature? Did Jonathan Swift hate humanity? Find out in this episode!
Ferenc Horcher discusses the life, scholarship, and humanity of Sir Roger Scruton. Author of Art and Politics in Roger Scruton’s Conservative Philosophy, Horcher explains the connections between Scruton's life and the development of his philosophy. Along the way, Horcher explains Scruton's aesthetic, conservatism, and cultivation of the finer things in life. The conversation concludes with considerations of Sir Roger's theological landing place and an appreciation for the relevance of Sir Roger's thought for the present.
Between Elon Musk's Neuralink, Amazon's Upload, and the promises of both AI programs like Chat GPT and Google Gemini and investments into virtual reality (Meta), the potential for exchanging the material world for some other kind of existence has never been more clear. But can an alternate reality lead to happiness? Dr. Peter Forrest, Dean of Humanities at Thales College, considers these questions in light of a thought experiment called "The Experience Machine." What kind of pleasure can AI give, and would people choose to live in virtual reality even if they could? Join us and find out!
AI #SpatialComputing #RayBradbury #Farenheit451 #Happiness #Philosophy
Katy Faust and Stacy Manning discuss the realities of raising conservative kids in a woke city. They offer realistic advice and solid analysis with a gentleness of spirit that will resonate with all parents. The book is Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City - get your copy today!
Josh delivered this talk at the 2023 Thales Press Classical Summit; it is a distillation of his dissertation which explores C.S. Lewis's theory of gender. Lewis believed that gender is a fundamental real relationship the governs reality; he wrote about this in both nonfiction and his fiction, and his theory prophetically solves the transgender malaise that has consumed modern culture. #gender #transgender #gratitude #Perelandra #RansomTrilogy #CSLewis
Karen Elliott, Executive Director of The Rafiki Foundation, shares about her organization's work in developing and practicing classical education in 10 different African countries. Karen shares about her background, why she loves classical education, and the unique possibility classical education offers to help African education leaders elevate their own communities. Check out the episode, and share it!
Dr. Nathan Orlando of Benedictine College discusses International Relations and the influence of Aristotle's Politics on contemporary diplomacy. (This episode was recorded in September of 2023, so please pardon the lack of reference to Israel and Hamas's current war).
Ben Crenshaw (PhD Cand., Hillsdale College) explains his view of Christian nationalism, the importance of Christian foundations for the American political order, and why this debate matters for accurate American historical scholarship. Ben is building on his paper presented at the 2023 ISI American Politics and Government. With shout outs to Stephen Wolfe's Case for Christian Nationalism and The American Reformer, Ben makes an articulate case for his position. Is Christian nationalism a viable alternative to woke ideology? Listen, and decide!
Dr. Clifford Humphrey discusses his article in The American Reformer, "The Ends of Mere Classical Education: Which Way Western Man?" He defines classical education, and articulates the importance of classical schools clearly defining their aims if they want to remain distinct from other educational options.
Keith Foskey, @YourCalvinist,tells the origin of his denominations videos. Along the way, he explains theological liberalism, Calvinism, and progressive ideas that are creeping into the church world. Foskey sees his comedy as a form of ministry, and explains his inspiration from Dennis "The Swan" Swanberg. Foskey concludes with considering how laughter is like a medicine for the soul, and what principles of prudence should govern public comedy. Share this episode with a friend!
Daniel Pitt discusses his years studying with the late Sir Roger Scruton. Daniel is a scholar focusing on traditionalist conservatism, and his interview shares insights into the life of Roger Scruton, Russell Kirk, and Richard Weaver. Daniel is a scholar at the University of Sheffield, and brings a deep love of conservatism to the questions of piety, politics, and obligations.
Dr. Jenna Robinson discusses the Martin Center for Academic Renewal's recent articles about the connection between accreditation and DEI at UNC Chapel HIll. She explains the history of accreditations, and the way positive sounding language is used to mask a new expectation of orthodoxy. Dr. Robinson closes with specific suggestions for how UNC Chapel HIll could change its current trajectory, and in doing so set a model for American higher education. https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2023/... https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2023/...
I read my article "Top Down Education is Crumbling" about the #schoolchoice movement and the way school choice functions as an application of #federalism. This essay was published on @StatePolicy 's new website, @American_Habits on June 26, 2023.
I read my review of Abigail Favale's Genesis of Gender, published with the Acton Institute on May 2, 2023. Here is the link: https://rlo.acton.org/archives/124445-the-genesis-paradigm-vs-the-gender-paradigm.html
gender #transgender #pronouns #Christianity #love #feminism #bible #scholarship
Be sure to follow Abigail Favale on X at @Favaleabs
In this episode, I welcome back Bob Luddy to give us an update on the current state of the economy. We discuss inflation, Bob's most recent article in The American Spectator, the National Debt, the impact of debt on both an individual's finances and a government's ability to act, and the looming threat of China. Bob does not see the national debt as a partisan issue; both the GOP and DNC are equally unable to reign in fiscal spending. By the conclusion, Bob gives an update on the growth of Thales Academy and Thales College.
Optimistic Curmudgeons - this is the final episode of Season 4. We'll be back in September with more great interviews! Thank you for your support of this show! I look forward to bringing you more sound analysis to make sense of a confusing world. Bob's article on the Debt Ceiling: https://spectator.org/the-real-cost-of-the-debt-ceiling-deal/ Thales Academy: https://www.thalesacademy.org/ Thales College: https://www.thalescollege.org/
Abigail Favale argues in her new book The Genesis of Gender that gender ideology corrodes humanity's ability to live well. She proposes instead that a "Genesis Paradigm" that perceives creation as God's good gift enables human flourishing. Favale argues that we've gotten sex wrong as a culture by separating biological purpose from pleasure. She answers Matt Walsh's question, "What is a woman?" with attention to gamete production and an awareness of the history of modern biological study. She also discusses the nature of intersex conditions, and provides a thorough explanation of how Christians ought to respond to gender dysphoric persons with love. It's a great episode! Join us, and share it with a friend! Time Markers: 2:34 - Why do we need a Christian theory of gender?
6:44 - “Woman” as a social construct / “femaleness”, the seed of gender theory
14:50 - Abigal’s personal journey in religion / feminist thought
21:14 - The right way of thinking about sex
25:03 - Where gamete production applies to womanhood
37:15 - Ideals of sexual ambiguity
38:55 - Butler’s idea to denaturalize heterosexuality
41:35 - The body as a sacred concept
47:10 - Idolatry of the body
48:00 - C.S Lewis idea of the spiritual / physical linking in the Sacrament
54:00 - Masculinity and people that display a masculine image (Andrew Tate.. etc)
In this episode, I welcome back Bob Luddy to give us an update on the current state of the economy. We discuss inflation, Bob's most recent article in The American Spectator, the National Debt, the impact of debt on both an individual's finances and a government's ability to act, and the looming threat of China. Bob does not see the national debt as a partisan issue; both the GOP and DNC are equally unable to reign in fiscal spending. By the conclusion, Bob gives an update on the growth of Thales Academy and Thales College.
Optimistic Curmudgeons - this is the final episode of Season 4. We'll be back in September with more great interviews! Thank you for your support of this show! I look forward to bringing you more sound analysis to make sense of a confusing world. Bob's article on the Debt Ceiling: https://spectator.org/the-real-cost-of-the-debt-ceiling-deal/ Thales Academy: https://www.thalesacademy.org/ Thales College: https://www.thalescollege.org/
Abigail Favale argues in her new book The Genesis of Gender that gender ideology corrodes humanity's ability to live well. She proposes instead that a "Genesis Paradigm" that perceives creation as God's good gift enables human flourishing. Favale argues that we've gotten sex wrong as a culture by separating biological purpose from pleasure. She answers Matt Walsh's question, "What is a woman?" with attention to gamete production and an awareness of the history of modern biological study. She also discusses the nature of intersex conditions, and provides a thorough explanation of how Christians ought to respond to gender dysphoric persons with love. It's a great episode! Join us, and share it with a friend!
Time Markers:
2:34 - Why do we need a Christian theory of gender? 6:44 - “Woman” as a social construct / “femaleness”, the seed of gender theory 14:50 - Abigal’s personal journey in religion / feminist thought 21:14 - The right way of thinking about sex 25:03 - Where gamete production applies to womanhood 37:15 - Ideals of sexual ambiguity 38:55 - Butler’s idea to denaturalize heterosexuality 41:35 - The body as a sacred concept 47:10 - Idolatry of the body 48:00 - C.S Lewis idea of the spiritual / physical linking in the Sacrament 54:00 - Masculinity and people that display a masculine image (Andrew Tate.. etc)
Jeremy Adams, Auguste Meyrat, and Shane Trotter join Josh for a rousing discussion of school choice. All four are teacher-writers, and between the four they represent charter, public, and private education in Texas, California, and North Carolina. Their conversation was sparked by Daniel Buck's essay in Law and LIberty (https://lawliberty.org/forum/the-perils-of-school-choice/).
Share this episode with a friend!
Josh Herring reads his essay "What is the Future of Classical Education?" published in Law and Liberty on May 3. https://lawliberty.org/what-is-the-future-of-classical-education/
Spencer Klavan, podcastor with The Daily Wire and associate editor at The Claremont Review of Books, discusses his new book How to Save the West. He describes various crises plaguing the West, applies ancient wisdom to solve modern problems, and cracks amazing jokes in this episode. If you're worried about the Metaverse, transgenderism, or our current regime crisis, check this episode out!
Ivana Greco defines and describes family policy, explains her own journey from lawyer to stay at home mom, and makes a case why family policy is one of the most significant policy issues in play today. Greco argues that businesses and policy should recognize that women's careers often follow a different path than men's, and should financial policies should structure to encourage them to have children without financial penalty. She goes over specific changes in Social Security and Medicare that could benefit mothers who leave the workforce to care for their children. Join us, and share the episode with a friend! This episode is based on this paper published by National Affairs: Reframing Family Policy.
Phillip Johnson, Professor of Engineering at Thales College, discusses the intersection of science, philosophy, and engineering. Dr. Johnson argues that engineers should know how their techniques developed, and are sharpened by a strong understanding of Greek philosophy. Check out this unique approach to training engineers!
philosophy #classicaleducation #thalescollege #thalesacademy #engineering
Rusty Reno discusses his book, Return of the Strong Gods, and argues that nationalism provides strong cures for the ailments of modernity. As editor of First Things magazine, Reno brings strong analysis and acerbic wit to his discussion of post-WWII New World Order, the problems of globalism, and why we need to rebuild barriers in society. Join the conversation, and share it with a friend!
Jonathan Yonan is an educational consultant with a specific focus on classical education. He has served as the headmaster of St. David's School in Raleigh, NC, and joins Josh for a discussion about classical education, teaching virtue, and the place Thales Academy plays in the classical renewal movement. Dr. Yonan spoke at Thales Press' 2022 Classical Education Summit, and this episode gives him a chance to expand the ideas he introduced there. For those who are following the growth of classical education, this episode is dynamite! Leave a five star review, and share with a friend!
Scott Yenor explains his recent report for the Claremont Institute on woke ideology being taught at schools on American military bases. Scott describes teacher training that uses the language of Social Emotional Learning and Trauma Informed Practices to foster revolution in the hearts of America's youth. Gender theory, white-shame, and seeing parents as the enemy are just three areas Scott discusses. Check out the episode, and share with a friend!
Christopher Rouchhio, bestselling author of the Sun-Eater series, joins Josh to discuss C.S. Lewis's book The Abolition of Man. Roucchio structures his Kingdoms of Death around Lewis's different anthropological categories, and that beginning sets up a conversation about science fiction, human nature, knowledge, and the benefits of limits for human nature. Along the way, they discuss Lewis's Innovators, conditioners, and argument about transhumanism.
Alex Kaschuta joins Josh to tell her story, and discuss contemporary politics. They discuss the Dissident Right, and consider the following questions: What is post-liberalism? Where does the concept of autonomy shape our politics? How does liberalism infantilize adults? Does the liberal order work with nature? Or against it? What do falling birth rates, the tragedy of the commons, and online dating have in common? If every regime is a theocracy, what religious values govern the liberal order? Listen to the episode to find out!
Ethan Delves interviews Josh Herring about the third season of the Optimistic Curmudgeon. They discuss favorite episodes, the voice the show is acquiring, and the rise of conservative media companies. Join in, and be on the lookout for the first episode of Season 4!
Dr. Cornilis Schilt of the Free University in Brussels joins Josh for a conversation about science, scientism, Sir Isaac Newton, and the many ways science has been corrupted by politics and ideology. Dr. Schilt is the Lecturer and Researcher in the Center for Logic and Philosophy of Science at the Free University in Brussels, and author of Isaac Newton and the Study of Chronology: Prophecy, History, and Method. Be sure to make it to the end--Dr. Schilt takes on the false science of gender ideology and gender mutilating surgery.
Key words: #ScienceJournalists, #ScienceCommunication, #Epistemology, #God, #Nature, #Science, #Philosophy, #Religion, #17thCentury, #NaturalPhilosophers, #magic, #manipulation #Alchemy, #Chemistry, #Mathematics, #Kepler, #Bacon, #Descartes, #Copernicus, #Newton #PowerDynamics, #Progress, #Modernism, #Individualism, #RichardDawkins, #StephenWeinberg, #ClimateChange, #DoomMongering, #marketing
Katy Faust, author of Them Before Us: Why We Need a Global Children's Rights Movement, joins Josh to discuss her National Conservatism Speech "What is a Child?" - Katy shares fascinating insights from social science research about the necessary connections between children, their biological parents, maternal and paternal love, and long flourishing. Katy argues that adults have a responsibility to prioritize the needs of children over their own desires. To learn more, check out Katy's non-profit, Them Before Us, here: https://thembeforeus.com/?utm=semalt.com
Dr. Suzanne Hartl joins Josh to discuss her work in business and as a business professor. They discuss workplace realities for women, the role of management in corporate structure, what it takes to be successful in business, several famous business stories, and the role of virtue in modern business. Dr. Hartl closes with advice for those wanting to launch their own entrepreneurial ventures - check it out, and share this episode with a friend!
podcast #leadership #management
Mark Bauerlein comes on the show to discuss his book The Dumbest Generation Grows Up, classical education, and literature. Dr. Bauerlein is convinced that technology has a clear cost in terms of attention span, distraction, and the likelihood the students will actually read books. Mark Bauerlein is the host of The First Things Podcast, author of The Dumbest Generation and The Dumbest Generation Grows Up. Check out this episode for a great conversation about #education, #civilization, and #hope for the future!
Ryan Ryckman comes on the show to discuss real estate, property values, sales, and what makes for strong customer relations! Ryan is an award winning real estate agent with The Real Estate Group - join him and Josh as they talk about property, why land and life patterns matter, and what makes for a strong property investment!
podcast #realestate #housingmarket
Dr. Mike Young of Faulkner University joins Josh to discuss Hans Georg Gadamer. Gadamer wrote Truth and Method, and remains one of the most influential scholars in the fields of philosophy and hermeneutics. A student of Heidegger's, Gadamer argues that hermeneutics, the science of interpretation, applies to all forms of human communication. Dr. Young shares about Gadamer's life, studies, theory, and influence. Check it out - and share this episode with a philosophically inclined friend!
George Leef discusses his latest book, The Awakening of Jennnifer Van Arsdale. The protagonist is a woke journalist who is "mugged by reality" and comes to terms with the failures of progressive governance. One part fable, another part near future dystopia, and a third part political philosophy, the novel works portrays universal basic income, the removal of statues, a national gun buyback program, runaway inflation, and the propensity of woke individuals to join riot mobs. Leef introduces the Austrian school of economics alongside major libertarian concerns like eminent domain and unintended consequences. Listen, and then order your copy here:
https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Jennifer-Van-Arsdale-Political/dp/1637583567/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+awakening+of+jennifer+van+arsdale&qid=1664787594&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjc4IiwicXNhIjoiMC44MyIsInFzcCI6IjAuOTMifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=awakening+jennifer%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-1
Dr. Matt Slaboch joins Josh for a discussion of his book, A Road to Nowhere: The Idea of Progress and Its Critics. The conversation opens with a discussion of Dr. Slaboch's experience in the modern academy hunting for a job post-PhD. They discuss the nature of progress, and trace both the idea of progress and the criticisms of progress from the Enlightenment to the present day. With shoutouts to Hegel, Tolstoy, and many others, Dr. Slaboch takes listeners on an intellectual tour de force, highlighting the way governments can use the idea of progress to lean totalitarian. They discuss the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court Case, and whether correcting a political course counts as progress, and then consider the idea of progress within both the Trump and Biden administrations. Enjoy the conversation!
Join Josh as he interviews Dr. Jenna Robinson, President of the Martin Center for Academic Renewal as they discuss the purposes of higher education (liberal, illiberal, and professional), the state of higher education generally, and recommendations for colleges that do student formation well, and a critique of UNC Chapel Hill's new core curriculum approach. Along the way, they discuss New College Franklin, Zaytuna College, Thales College, Hillsdale College, Grove City College, and a variety of other institutions that form students into individuals prepared to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty for a lifetime.
podcast #education
In this episode, Josh interviews Scott Yenor, political science professor at Boise State University, about his latest book The Recovery Family Life. Yenor explains Aristotle's concept of a regime, and how that influences his views on public policy. They then discuss the current regime, how it has been shaped by radical feminist thought, and the current crisis of a society which fails to cultivate the virtues necessary for marriage.
"Feminism is the desire to separate our bodies from our identity; so that our bodies will not have any enduring effects on who we become as people.” - Scott Yenor
Follow Dr. Yenor at @ScottYenor, and click here to buy his book on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08K97YQNV/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
Ethan Delves interviews Josh Herring about Season 2 of the Optimistic Curmudgeon. They revisit major guests and episodes, get an update on numbers, and explore what's coming up on Season 3! Josh shares exciting news about the show moving under the umbrella of Thales Press, and Ethan gets really excited about a book list Josh may one day put together. Enjoy!
Nathanael Blake of the Ethics and Public Policy Center discusses the Florida and North Carolina Parental Rights in Education bills; he explains why "groomers" is an appropriate term to use for progressive educators who protest such bills. Along the way, he discusses parent's perspectives on their right to educate their children. He and Josh also discuss his response to Michelle Goldberg's review of Christine Emba's Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, and the evident failures of both radical feminism and the Sexual Revolution. The conversation is not explicit or graphic, but this is a mature content episode. Follow Nathanael's work here, or on Twitter @NBlakeEPPC. If you like this episode, please share with a friend!
Josh interviews Dr. Allen Mendenhall about Richard Weaver and his views about what made southern culture both unique and worth preserving. They then shift to the south today, discussing in what way "The South" is a discernible region in light of demographic shift. Along the way there are jokes, bow ties, and a great conversation! If you like the episode, please share it with a friend! Also, click here to find Dr. Mendenhall's latest book.
Bob Luddy, founder of Captivaire, Thales Academy, and Thales College, joins Josh for a conversation about inflation, the federal reserve, the economic mistakes of both the Trump and Biden administrations, the problems created through market interventions, and moves individuals can make to shield value from inflationary pressures. Bob recommends some resources at the conclusion of the episode for further study. Enjoy!
Dr. Mike Munger of Duke University's Economics department joins Josh for a conversation about public choice economics, running for governor of North Carolina, incentive structures, and the necessity of moral virtue for a free market to work properly. They also discuss Adam Smith, David Hume, and Dr. Munger's connection with professional wrestling. Enjoy! Be sure to follow @Mungowitz, and leave us a good review!
Shane Trotter shares insights from his book, Setting the Bar, arguing that an excessive on the lowest performing students harms high performing students. He and Josh discuss how IEPs, 504s, and accommodations fail to achieve the goals of education, and the ways schools and students respond to incentives. They also discuss classroom management, student discipline, and equipping students for a lifetime of success. Public education can be done well, and Shane outlines steps schools should take in order to flourish.
Daniel Garner joins Josh to discuss Hannah Arendt's On The Origins of Totalitarianism. Recorded well before Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, this episode covers the nature of totalitarian government, Arendt's description of anti-semitism in European culture, and the responsibility Western governments have for encouraging self-governing citizens and resisting the temptation towards totalitarian action.
Carissa Mulder, co-author of a chapter in A Dubious Expediency: How Race Based Admissions Damage Higher Education and Special Counsel to Commissioner Peter Kirsanow of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, joins Josh to discuss the history, present reality, and harms of race based admission in elite universities. She traces the case history, and provides analysis of the ways affirmative action in admissions creates an unfair university admissions system. Carissa is a an author for the The Federalist Society, and National Review. You can read her work here and here.
Dr. Nick Higgins of North Greenville University explores command, consent, and natural theories of law to situate a consideration of the moral obligation citizens have to obey laws, regulations, policies, and executive orders. Along the way, Dr. Higgins provides a clear explanation of the growth of Administrative State, including a fascinating story of presidential assignation (not JFK), and the distinctions connoted by different legal vocabulary. (This episode was recorded in September of 2021, so references to current Covid-19 responses should be heard with that idea in mind). What exactly do citizens owe their authorities? Listen to find out!
Josh interviews Dr. Kevin D Roberts about his career path, and his work with the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Since this episode was recorded, Dr. Roberts has moved from CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation to President of the Heritage Foundation. Their conversation centers on the significance of removing an American presence from Afghanistan, the poor way that removal was handled, and the many ways the Administrative State harms the American constitutional order. This conversation was inspired by Dr. Roberts' article published 8/30/21 (linked here) about the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Enjoy!
Ethan Delves hosts this conversation with Josh Herring; they discuss how The Optimistic Curmudgeon got started, what its goals are, how it differs from a previous podcasting adventure, and more. This is the last episode of Season 1 - we'll be back in mid-January with Season 2!
Dr. Will Begley (PhD, UNC Chapel Hill), Latin Instructor at Thales Academy Rolesville, joins Josh for a discussion of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. We explore the proper balance of justice and mercy, themes of fornication and adultery, the ways civilizations try to navigate the universal human drive for sexual interactions, and a novel reading of the play! Why is Measure for Measure the play of its genre? Listen to find out!
Dr. Ben Voth, professor at Southern Methodist University and author of Debate As Global Pedagogy: Rwanda Rising, joins Josh to discuss a variety of topics he has researched and written about over the years. The episode begins with the ways race relations have improved in the United States since the Civil Rights era. Dr. Voth explains Afropessimism and Afroidealism as two competing paradigms in contemporary Communication studies. The second half of the episode focuses on Dr. Voth's work with teaching debate in Rwanda, and Voth's conviction that debate reduces the possibility of genocide.
Dr. Donald J. Devine discusses his time in the Reagan administration, the current failures of the administrative state, and his most recent book, The Enduring Tension: Capitalism and the Moral Order. Devine argues that centralizing power is the flaw in our current governance, but that decentralizing power is the genius of western civilization.
Dr. Paul Mueller of The King's College (Manhattan) discusses Modern Monetary Theory, its origins, and contemporary application of MMT in the movements of the Biden administration. Along the way, he and Josh discuss the housing market, inflation, and the connections between economic theory and reality. Check it out!
John Henry Crosby of the Von Hildebrand Project comes on The Optimistic Curmudgeon for a ranging conversation about personalist philosophy. Josh and John Henry discuss Personalism, its position as a philosophical anthropology, the ways in which personalism elevates the view of the body and of human dignity, and the implications for applying personalism in both work place and transgender considerations.
Bob Luddy, CEO of CaptiveAire Systems and founder of Thales Academy, and Emily Launer, head of Human Resources for CaptiveAire and the Luddy Schools, share the keys to business success: Grit, perseverance, alertness, character, lifelong learning, and ignoring distractions. Join Josh, Bob, and Emily as they discuss the way living excellently leads to longterm happiness and success.
Dr. Jason Jewell discusses the unique graduate studies program in the humanities he runs at Faulkner University, his scholarship on Russell Kirk, and his views on where the conservative movement is today.
Dr. Sam Gregg comes on The Optimistic Curmudgeon to share about the many ways in which realism grounds human thought and action. He and Josh have a wide ranging conversation about different application of moral ideas, and the way reality grounds economics.
Josh interview Dr. Bob Luebke of the John Locke Foundation about the differences between the appearance and the reality of teacher salary changes in the state of North Carolina over 201-2019. Along the way, they also discuss the school choice movement, policy changes for improving public education, and the effect teachers' unions have on North Carolina education.
Josh Herring interview Robert Pondiscio about his experiences as an educator, educational policy expert, and the ways in which anti-racism harms the very students it attempts to help.
Dr. Richard Vedder (Ohio University, Forbes, Independant Institute) discusses the economic, political, and social forces resulting in skyrocketing prices in college tuition.