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Explore every episode of the podcast Magnus Podcast: Conversations from the Catacombs of Liberal Education

Dive into the complete episode list for Magnus Podcast: Conversations from the Catacombs of Liberal Education. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Ep. 104 - The Dignity of a Liberal Artist25 Nov 202400:58:33

Join John Johnson and Angel Adams Parham as they have a discussion about race befitting the dignity of a liberal artist. 

Angel Adams Parham is Associate Professor of Sociology, senior fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, and Associate Director for the major in Political and Social Thought at the University of Virginia. Through her research in historical sociology, she engages in inquiry that examines the past in order to better understand how to live well in the present and envision wisely for the future.

Learn more about the Albertus Magnus Institute!

Learn more about Father Owen Carroll

 

 

Ep. 103 - Relationship Without Remainder14 Nov 202400:51:02

Dr. Ryan Messmore of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education joins John to talk about the foundation of the Catholic Faith, the nature of God, and the doctrine of the Trinity. Listen and hear about the good work of ICLE, the pillars of the Catholic Faith, and Christ's relationship with His creation. 

 

Learn more about the Albertus Magnus Institute!

Learn more about Father Owen Carroll

Read Dr. Messmore's book

 

Ep. 094 - What is Man?08 Dec 202301:06:49

Enjoy the first half of the first lecture in Senior Fellow, Dr. Arias' course, "Philosophy of Man."

Building on Aristotle and St. Thomas's philosophical account of the human person, this class focused on St. Thomas's teachings on man's natural and supernatural ends and the means proportioned thereto.

Find out how you can learn more about the final cause of man AND access all archived courses- over 40 hours of exceptional classes with some of the top educators in liberal learning. 

Subscribe to our e-mail list today and stay up to date on all courses, articles, and podcasts!

 

Ep. 093 - The Light of Fidelity22 Nov 202300:53:46

Today, we are offering you another glimpse into the Magnus Fellowship; this time with Senior Fellow, Dr. Helen Freeh's course, "Friendship and Freedom in the Lord of the Rings."

This is the first half of the first class of the final 8- week course on The Lord of the Rings, offered over three rounds of 8- week courses. This Fall, Fellows have been finishing the seminar with The Return of the King. They have discussed closely how the power of friendship achieves the Ring’s destruction; they have looked at the extreme limitations of the individual acting alone against superior physical and spiritual force, the unseen hand of Providence coordinating the consequences of many characters’ choices, and the despair that results from the modernist claim to autonomy.

Find out how you can catch the rest of this course AND access all archived courses- over 40 hours of exceptional classes with some of the top educators in liberal learning. 

Subscribe to our e-mail list today and stay up to date on all courses, articles, and podcasts!

Ep. 092 - Freedom from the Shackle16 Nov 202300:33:47

Blessed Feast of St. Albert the Great!

On this special day, we spoke with Leigh Bortins of Classical Conversations who, like St. Albert the Great before us, shares our love for a liberating education.

Education is never free, and, like all good things, the higher the quality of education, the higher the cost. She joins John and Larissa to discuss how to give our students a high quality education that is a better kind of free-  free from the shackles and snares of our world. 

Learn more about Classical Conversations, educational independence  and Leigh Bortins

Educator, mother, grandmother, and daughter of the King, Leigh Bortins is best known for creating lifelong learners through her educational support program, Classical Conversations, which organizes classical academic communities for homeschooling families. Leigh founded Classical Conversations (or CC) in 1997 to know God and to make Him known through the power of community. After receiving a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan, Leigh went on to write her Doctor of Ministry thesis on church-based global education for Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. 

Join us as we attempt to make quality education accessible to all, despite the cost. 

Ep.091 - Rousseau and the Imagination20 Oct 202300:57:21

Once again, we are offering you a quick glimpse into the Magnus Fellowship; this time with Senior Fellow, Dr. Finley's class, “Rousseau and the Diabolical and Moral Imagination."

This course explores the moral dimensions of the imagination through an examination of literature and philosophy. The aim of the course is to define and understand the concept of “imagination” and to be able to assess its role—for good or ill—in thought, action, and politics. Eighteenth-century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a pioneer of the Romantic movement and helped to shape the heart and mind of the West, both politically and in more subtle, but no less profound, ways. This course seeks to uncover some of the ways in which Rousseau’s imagination serves as a touchstone for what has perhaps been the dominant moral sensibility in the West for the past two centuries.

Find out how you can catch the rest of this course AND access all archived courses- over 40 hours of exceptional classes with some of the top educators in liberal learning. 

Subscribe to our e-mail list today and stay up to date on all courses, articles, and podcasts!

Ep. 090 - Freeing Minds29 Sep 202301:01:41

Dr. Amir Sabzevary has spent the last thirty years teaching philosophy and religion. Today, he joins John to talk about the journey of both teaching and studying philosophy– how to trek through complicated lives as students and how to reach the unreachable students as teachers.

Discover ever so much more on his Youtube Channel.

Don't forget! Free Fall courses in the Magnus Fellowship start next week.

Ep. 089 - On Moral Conundrums22 Sep 202301:30:55

This week on the Magnus Podcast, John and Larissa talk moral theology with high school teacher, Rocky Brittain and attempt to answer difficult moral questions according to Catholic Theology and Thomas Aquinas, such as when is it permissible to kill? How should a priest respond when he hears a life changing confession? How should we respond when we disagree with authority?

 

Do you have thoughts that you’d like to share after listening to this discussion? Post your answers on twitter to @amifellowship

 

P.S. Enrollment is open for Fall courses in the Magnus Fellowship! Register today!

Ep. 088 - On How to Communicate Rhetorically17 Aug 202300:36:51

In this fast paced world full of echo chambers and outrage machines, we are fooled into believing a misguided view of justice and rhetoric. Dr. Joshua Phillips joins us to talk about how we can properly understand the connection between justice and humility and the distinction between thinking wonderfully and thinking critically.

 

Joshua Phillips received a Ph.D. in Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University in 2014. His academic focus is rhetoric and intercultural communication with particular interests in civil rights, free speech, media, and poverty. As a Ph.D. student, Dr. Phillips published 15 academic manuscripts, received 4 top paper awards from academic conferences, and presented over 50 keynotes at colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. His book, Homeless: Narratives from the Streets derives from his dissertation research and was published by McFarland in 2016. 

You can follow him on twitter @Joshphillipsphd

Ep. 087 - On The Idea of a University04 Aug 202301:09:06

AMI exists because we, like so many, see a problem with the current university system. What is the modern university providing to its students in comparison to what it ought to be providing?  What is the purpose of a university?

We just completed an 8 week summer course on John Henry Newman's, "The Idea of a University," to grapple with these questions and come to understand what a university ought to look like. 

As promised, here is a sneak peek into the first of 8 classes from this course. 

Become a fellow and learn how you can access the entire course and attend more for free!

Ep. 086 - On Plato’s Republic27 Jul 202300:51:25

"What is the best way of life for a human being?" The Republic is the most complete attempt by Plato to articulate and answer this question. It is characteristic of Plato that, in the Republic, questions about human happiness ultimately cannot be separated from questions of education, of the nature of the city, of the various forms of government, of the structure of the human soul, and of the character of the gods and being itself. . This week, we wrapped up an 8 week summer course on this very topic with Sr. Fellow Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos.  We now present you with the first lecture from this excellent course. 

Become a fellow and learn how you can watch the rest of the course and attend more for free!

 
Ep. 085 - On Music & Ratio20 Jul 202300:52:24

Musician and composer, Greg Wilbur of New College Franklin contemplates music within the quadrivium; he explains why music ought to be ordered rightly in education and how it rests in harmony with the other Liberal Arts. He even discusses a little bit of conspiracy theories. 

Gregory Wilbur is President and Dean of the College, permanent Trustee, and Senior Fellow at New College Franklin. Over the past years at New College, he has taught courses or sections of Music, Geometry, Cosmology, Moral Philosophy, Poetics, and numerous preceptorials such as The Art of Film, 20th-Century Literature, Hospitality and Cooking, and the Quadrivium. Mr. Wilbur has composed award-winning works for choir, orchestra, film, and corporate worship as well as various commissions. He recently released his fifth CD of congregational hymns called Praise Your Maker.

 

Ep. 102 - From Tragedies to Comedies: The Journey of a Hero20 Sep 202400:57:13

Dr. Tiffany Schubert of Wyoming Catholic College joins Larissa to discuss the idea of the hero. From Virgil’s company of heroes and heroines to Jane Austen’s many female heroines, Dr. Schubert guides us to understand them in light of tragedies and comedies, fate and providence, and epics and novels. 

Join the Magnus Fellowship today!

Check out Dr. Schubert's book Jane Austen's Romantic Medievalism: Courtly Love and Happy Endings

Ep. 084 - Opening the Eyes to See27 Jun 202300:54:42

“Take courage daughter, the world is not as strong as it seems.”  From the diary of Maria Faustina

Brian Fink has returned to the Magnus Podcast to discuss what it means to see reality as it is: to see oneself in order to better understand the enemy, to see the hope in the midst of losing, to see the truth in a poisoned culture, and, ultimately, how to actualize a vision for oneself that is more clear than the illusions of the world.

Find Brian on Twitter @b_fink Find Brian on Substack @ bfink.substack.com

Ep. 083 - A Prudent Education16 Jun 202301:05:30

This conversation with Dr. Gary Hartenburg looks at education from a bird’s-eye view before zooming into talk about virtue, specifically the virtue of prudence, according to Aristotle, and ends with little bit of theology. 

Dr. Gary Hartenburg is the Director of the Honors College and an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Houston Christian University. His primary research interests are in ancient philosophy, especially Plato and his student, Aristotle. He enjoys thinking about the history and philosophy of education and recently completed a book on Aristotle’s philosophy of education, Aristotle: Education for Virtue and Leisure. 

Check out the Honor's College at Houston Christian University. 

Ep. 082 - A Magnus Webinar: The Nun’s Priest’s Tale of Chanticleer and the Fox06 Jun 202301:24:23

Earlier this spring, we hosted a lovely webinar on one of the most playful of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, The Nun's Priest's Tale of Chanticleer and the Fox. Now we're releasing it as a podcast so you too can enjoy it!

Listen as Dr. Shannon Valenzuela of UD guides us through this delightful introduction to the poet's quirky (and sometimes shocking) combination of the modes of "ernest and game." Combining barnyard antics with a serious exploration of the purpose of storytelling and approaches to reading, this animal fable is a perfect springtime medley of high spirits and seriousness.

Shannon K. Valenzuela, Ph.D., is an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Humanities and English at the University of Dallas. She received her B.A. in English and Classics from the University of Dallas, and her Ph.D. in literature from the University of Notre Dame, where she specialized in the medieval period. She is also an award-winning screenwriter and a novelist, and she is the writer, director, and narrator of the limited television series The Quest, which is produced by the University of Dallas and distributed by EWTN. 

Ep.081 - How Does One Know?26 May 202301:07:13

How does man know? What are the roles of signs in knowing? What does “meaning” mean? What does man want to know? What are the objects to knowing?

In this episode, Dr. Brian Kemple of the Lyceum Institute discusses these questions and opens the door to many, many more. Come join us down this rabbit hole of discovery.

Dr. Brian Kemple holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of St. Thomas, in Houston TX.  He has written two scholarly books (Ens Primum Cognitum in Thomas Aquinas and the Tradition and The Intersection of Semiotics and Phenomenology: Peirce and Heidegger in Dialogue), two public-oriented books (an Introduction to Philosophical Principles and Linguistic Signification: A Classical and Semiotic Course in Grammar & Composition), a number of scholarly articles and a few public-oriented ones, as well.

Check out the Lyceum Institute. 

Join the Fellowship today!

Ep. 080 - Humanizing Humans19 May 202300:44:35

“We can’t teach the humanities unless the students have been humanized."

In this episode, Dr. Jared Staudt discusses the text, Newman’s Idea of A University, and begs the question, ”What does it mean to explore reality?” He challenges educators and teachers to not become complacent, classical educators, but to seek the beautiful alongside their students and provide them with an education that grounds them in both tradition and reality. 

Dr. Jared Staudt is teaching a course in the Magnus Fellowship this summer on Newman's Idea of a University, the book that is the fruit of Newman's difficult venture as an Englishman creating a University in Ireland. Learn more, join the Fellowship, and register for the free 8 week course. 

Check out his recently published book.

 

 

 

Ep. 079 - Much Ado about a King12 May 202301:14:34

Across the sea, Charles III has just been coronated King of England and much ado was made in his and his country’s honor. 

On our homeland, America is, as always, in the throes of her own democratic controversies. 

Now on the podcast, we asked Dr’s Pavlos Papadopoulos and Joseph Pearce to discuss this question: Democracy or Monarchy: Is one the better form of government? You will want to listen to this conversation. 

Just announced: Dr. Papadopoulos will be teaching a course for us this summer on Plato’s Republic! Learn more!

More from Dr. Pearce here.

Enjoying the podcast? Please rate and review!

Ep. 078 - The Restless Soul04 May 202300:59:23

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Zena Hitz; tutor at St. John’s College, author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life, and Co-founder and President of the Catherine Project. Listen as she discusses what it means to live the good life.

Learn more about St. John's College & check out their own podcast, Continuing the Conversation

Ep. 077 - To View the Cheerful Skies27 Apr 202301:10:19

“The gates of hell are open night and day; Smooth the descent, and easy is the way: But to return, and view the cheerful skies, In this the task and mighty labor lies.”

- from The Aeneid of Virgil

The Magnus Podcast returns with Dr. Matthew Bianco of the CiRCE Institute. Listen to this enlightening discussion on Plato and the allegory of the cave, and wonder and the demise of a vacuous society. 

Dr. Matthew Bianco is the Chief Operations Officer for the CiRCE Institute, where he also serves as a head mentor in the CiRCE apprenticeship program. He is married to his altogether lovely high school sweetheart, Patricia. Dr. Matt Bianco has a PhD in Humanities from Faulkner University's Great Books Honors College. He is the author of Letters to My Sons: A Humane Vision for Human Relationships.

Learn more about CiRCE!

Join the Fellowship now! It’s free and always will be. 

Ep. 076 - In the End Was the Word05 Apr 202301:28:52

We now bring you Spy Wednesday Bonus Episode 2, continuing in the theme of Holy Week. This is an excerpt from our own John Johnson’s course in the Magnus Fellowship: In the end was the word: Eschatology, Mimesis, and the Beloved Disciple. 

Remember that all donors giving just $25/month have access to the recordings for the rest of this course, and all the rest of the courses in the Magnus Fellowship.

Join the Magnus Fellowship today; it's free and always will be. 

 

Ep. 075 - Tradition and Betrayal: Responding to the Scandal05 Apr 202301:24:54

In honor of Spy Wednesday, we are bringing you two back to back episodes today, both lectures by your favorite podcast host, the Founder and  Executive Director of our own institute, John Johnson.

The first comes from a talk John delivered at a recent convocation of Catholic leaders in New Jersey sponsored by the Diocese of Camden:Tradition and Betrayal: Responding to the Scandal 

Enjoy, share, and stay tuned for the second lecture!

Remember: 20 % off The Sufferings and Glory of Christ!

Magnusinstitute.org for more!

Ep. 101 - Refining the Renewal22 Aug 202400:51:59

Alex Lessard of Adeodatus joins John Johnson to talk about the ongoing Classical education renewal. Join them in this lively conversation where they discuss issues facing the movement and explore unique solutions and ideas to refine the renewal even more. 

Learn more about Adeodatus here!

Learn more about the Magnus Fellowship today!

Ep. 074 - Descartes and the Search for Certainty04 Apr 202300:56:52

"Wherever he can find any possibility of doubt, he is going to call it downright false."

Up now: Descartes and The Search for Certainty with Fr. Owen Carroll. 

Enjoy these lectures given by Fr. Owen Carroll to a small group of retired religious in his private retirement home. 

Purchase Fr. Carroll’s book, The Sufferings and Glory of Christ: A Meditation on Holy Week to Ascension today and get 20% off now through Ascension!

Head to the website to learn more!

 

Ep. 073 - Omnes Gentes30 Mar 202300:57:14

"We see that Abraham is chosen, Abraham this one man with his clan around him... it’s promised to him that in him all nations, that is, all the rest of humanity... will find their blessedness in him."

We now bring you Omnes Gentes, with Fr. Owen Carroll. 

Enjoy these lectures given by Fr. Owen Carroll to a small group of retired religious in his private retirement home. 

Purchase Fr. Carroll’s book, The Sufferings and Glory of Christ: A Meditation on Holy Week to Ascension today and get 20% off now through Ascension!

Head to the website to learn more!

 

 

 

Ep. 072 - The Amaryllis23 Mar 202300:58:01

“The Amaryllis has been doing many living acts within itself. Nourishing, growing, flowering itself, in the same way that when I take a sip of water,  am I not very much like the plant nourishing itself?” 

We now bring you episode 3, The Amaryllis with Fr. Owen Carroll. 

 

Lecturer Fr. Owen Carroll is one of the foremost experts on Thomas Aquinas and one of the greatest living teachers on the life of Christ. After praying to remain hidden his whole life, he has now entrusted his unpublished work and lectures with us.

We are pleased to bring you these lectures given to a small group of retired religious (many, like Fr. Carroll, in their 90s)!

We hope you will enjoy and share these lessons that are as charming as they are profound. Subscribe to get them throughout the season. 

Purchase Fr. Carroll’s book, The Sufferings and Glory of Christ: A Meditation on Holy Week to Ascension today and get 20% off now through Ascension!

Head to the website for more!

 

 

Ep. 071 - Liturgy, Authority, and Living Scripture08 Mar 202300:54:11

 As Great Lent continues… so do podcasts with Fr. Owen Carroll. 

Today’s being “Liturgy, Authority, and Living Scripture.”

Lecturer Fr. Owen Carroll is one of the foremost experts on Thomas Aquinas and one of the greatest living teachers on the life of Christ. As St. Bernard of Clairvaux is the last of the patristics, Fr. Carroll is said to be the last medieval schoolman. After praying to remain hidden his whole life, he has now entrusted his unpublished work and lectures with us.

We are pleased to bring you these lectures given to a small group of retired religious (many, like Fr. Carroll, in their 90s)!

We hope you will enjoy and share these lessons that are as charming as they are profound. Subscribe to get them throughout the season. 

Purchase Fr. Carroll’s book, The Sufferings and Glory of Christ: A Meditation on Holy Week to Ascension today and get 20% off now through Ascension!

Head to the website for more!

 

Ep. 070 - The Foundations of the Five Ways02 Mar 202301:08:54

As the season of Great Lent is upon us, we are offering you a gift that we hope will edify you in this time of preparation.

Lecturer Fr. Owen Carroll is one of the foremost experts on Thomas Aquinas and one of the greatest living teachers on the life of Christ. As St. Bernard of Clairvaux is the last of the patristics, Fr. Carroll is said to be the last medieval schoolman. After praying to remain hidden his whole life, he has now entrusted his unpublished work and lectures with us.

We are pleased to bring you these lectures given to a small group of retired religious (many, like Fr. Carroll, in their 90s)!

We hope you will enjoy and share these lessons that are as charming as they are profound. Look for them throughout this season.

The first is called, “The Foundations of the Five Ways.”

Purchase Fr. Carroll’s book, The Sufferings and Glory of Christ: A Meditation on Holy Week to Ascension today and get 20% off now through Ascension!

Head to the website for more!

 

Ep. 069 - What Are You Going to Do with That, Anyway?30 Dec 202201:07:02

In this final episode of season two, meet Eric, a Student Fellow, friend of the Institute, and successful business man who is here to discuss the value of a "useless" degree and the importance of a Liberal Arts education in any endeavor.

Stay tuned for season three, and in the meantime, use this break to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. 

You can give to the Great Campaign here: https://magnusinstitute.org/give/

Ep. 068 - On the Incarnation Webinar Discussion27 Dec 202201:05:39

Happy third day of Christmas!

Continue this joyous feast by listening to the first half of our recent webinar on On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius. 

Dr. David Arias, Dr. Matthew Walz and Mr. Dale Ahlquist joined us for an informative and beautiful conversation on the great text. 

You can watch the entire webinar on our YoutubeChannel here!

Give to the Great Campaign here.

Ep. 067 - Special Christmas Message21 Dec 202200:02:49

Please take a listen to this 3 minute announcement from the host of the Magnus Podcast and Executive Director of the Institute, John Johnson. 

 

Merry Christmas to our followers, fellows, and donors alike.

 

Stay tuned for a Christmas episode. 

 

Ep. 066 - The Battle for Beauty15 Dec 202200:54:29

If beauty awakens the Divine, what does it mean for a culture when it is deficient in beauty? How do we return beauty to its proper place in the quadrivium? How do we restore beauty to a culture void of wonder?

In this episode, John and Larissa discuss beauty (and the lack) in education with Dr. Shannon Valenzuela.

 

Shannon K. Valenzuela, Ph.D., is an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Humanities and English at the University of Dallas. She received her B.A. in English and Classics from the University of Dallas, and her Ph.D. in literature from the University of Notre Dame, where she specialized in the medieval period. She is an award-winning screenwriter and a novelist, and she is the writer, director, and narrator of the limited television series The Quest, which is produced by the University of Dallas and distributed by EWTN. 

 

Learn more about The Quest 

 

Please give to the Albertus Magnus Institute. Only with your help can we keep education as free as it is freeing. 

Ep. 065 - The Enchanting Lie of Democratism09 Dec 202200:54:56

“Our will is always for our own good, but we do not always see what that is; the people is never corrupted, but it is often deceived.” Jean Jacques Rousseau

True…or false? 

Listen to John interview Dr. Emily B. Finley, author of the newly released book, “The Ideology of Democratism," in which Finley posits that the west has been deceived into a false understanding of democracy that is far removed the true meaning of the word. This enchanting, imaginative “democracy,” has its roots in Enlightenment thinkers, specifically Rousseau and The Social Contract.

So what does this mean for America? What does this mean for democracy?  Listen now and learn more.

Check out the book here!

The Albertus Magnus Institute seeks to make a freeing education accessible to all. Please give to our annual fundraiser: The Great Campaign. 

Give more. Learn more.  https://magnusinstitute.org

Ep. 100 - The Nous and the Polis31 Jul 202401:29:30

Grab a beer and celebrate our 100th episode with us! John Johnson discusses the soul, the city, and the citizen in this Three Beers Episode with Senior Fellow Palvos Papadopoulos and special guest Ryan Hammill of the Ancient Language Institute.

 

Albertus Magnus Institute: https://magnusinstitute.org/

The Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/

Wyoming Catholic College: https://wyomingcatholic.edu/

Ep. 064 - On George Bernanos22 Nov 202201:14:12

The Magnus Fellowship continues!

Enjoy this glimpse into week one of Senior Fellow, Dr. Hudson's course, “George Bernanos: The Man and His Work.” This is much more than a sneak peak; it’s our longest glimpse yet as Dr. Hudson goes deep into the life of one of the most prominent French novelists of the 20th century. 

Find out here how you can watch the rest of this course and access all archived courses- over 40 hours of  exceptional classes with some of the top educators in liberal learning. 

Join the Magnus Fellowship for an education that is as free as it is freeing. 

Don't forget that we are in the thick of our annual fundraiser- The Great Campaign. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support the Magnus Fellowship and the Fellows and courses therein. 

Ep. 063 - The Great Campaign Launch16 Nov 202200:43:49

This week we turn three years old! 

This episode of the Magnus Podcast honors the Feast Day of our namesake, St. Albert the Great, celebrates our third birthday, and launches the Great Campaign.

Please consider joining the Magnus Fellowship and/or giving to the Great Campaign today! With your help, we can continue to liberate the Liberate Arts.  

Ep. 062 - The Waste Land Revisited10 Nov 202201:02:57

Revisit The Waste Land with us.

Once again, we are offering you a glimpse into the Magnus Fellowship; this time with Senior Fellow, Dr. Freeh’s class, “The Waste Land Revisited: T.S. Eliot’s Diagnosis of Modernity.”

Find out how you can catch the rest of this course AND access all archived courses- over 40 hours of exceptional classes with some of the top educators in liberal learning. 

Join the Magnus Fellowship for an education that is as free as it is freeing. 

Ep. 061 - In the Beginning04 Nov 202201:03:14

Enjoy this sneak peak into the Fellowship - week one of Senior Fellow, Dr. Esolen’s course, In the Beginning Was the Word: Poetry and Christology in the Gospel of John.

 

Find out how you can catch the rest of this course AND access all archived courses- over 40 hours of exceptional discussions and lectures with some of the top educators in liberal learning.

 

Join the Magnus Fellowship for an education that is as free as it is freeing. 

Ep. 060 - What Is Metaphysics?27 Oct 202201:01:21

What is metaphysics? Is it philosophy or science? Is it witchcraft or wizardry? Is it inalterable or constantly changing? Why has it been reinterpreted and misunderstood in today’s culture? How do we return metaphysics to its proper place in the order of knowing and learning?

Dr. David Arias is a professor of philosophy at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, NE. Prior to coming to Nebraska, Dr. Arias taught philosophy, theology, natural science, mathematics, literature, and various other subjects for eleven years at Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, CA. Dr. Arias has published in both scholarly and popular venues. His main areas of scholarly interest are natural philosophy and metaphysics.He is happily married to Jennaya Arias and together they are the blessed parents of fourteen children.

Dr. Arias will be teaching his fourth course for the Magnus Fellowship this coming spring! You can find snippets of his past courses, Metaphysics I, Metaphysics II, and Philosophy of Nature, on earlier episodes of the Magnus Podcast. Donors giving just $25/month have access to ALL archived courses.

Subscribe to the emails and/or become a fellow, donor, or both here.

 

Ep. 059 - Becoming Polymaths20 Oct 202201:02:45

"Humankind, full of all creative possibilities, is God's work. Humankind alone is called to assist God. Humankind is called to co-create."

-Hildegard Von Bingen

This week's episode features Dr. Matthew Smith - the founder and president of the new Hildegard College. Named for Hildegard Von Bingen, Hildegard College was founded to create both exceptional thinkers and extraordinary creators; at Hildegard College the desire is that all students become polymaths. Learn now how they're setting out to accomplish this goal.

The college is currently accepting applications for its inaugural freshman class. Learn more @ Hildegard.college 

 

Ep. 058 - Contemplating the Divine, or the Study of Numbers12 Oct 202200:39:38

     The modern understanding of mathematics is disenchanting and fragmented. Dr. Andrew Seeley is here to talk about mathematics within the ancient understanding of the quadrivium and the greater context of the human person. 

    Dr. Andrew Seeley is a Tutor at Thomas Aquinas College in California, Director of the Arts of Liberty Project at University of Dallas, Executive Director of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education, and on the Board of Directors for the Albertus Magnus Institute. A 1987 graduate of Thomas Aquinas, Dr. Seeley received his Licentiate from the Pontifical Institute in Medieval Studies (Toronto) and a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from the University of Toronto (1995). His dissertation was a study in St. Thomas’s teaching about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. He is also on the National Policy Advisory Board for the Catholic High School Honor Roll, Wyoming Catholic College’s Catholic Scholars Advisory Board, and a number of Catholic liberal arts schools around the country. 

https://artsofliberty.udallas.edu

https://catholicliberaleducation.org

Find out how you can watch his Euclid course in the Magnus Fellowship https://magnusinstitute.org/courses/a-tour-of-euclids-elements/

Ep. 057 - Hope and the Will05 Oct 202200:52:09

What is the difference between a wanderer and a wayfarer? What does it mean to have hope? How do we live the proper journey of wayfarer?

In this episode, John and Larissa talk with Chelsea Niemiec about the virtue of hope and the journey of a wayfarer. 

Chelsea is the Director of College Partnerships at The Classic Learning Test and a University of Dallas graduate student studying Classical Education. She recently founded the Catholic Education Invitation. 

Follow her on instagram @ classicallychels

Learn more about the The Catholic Education Invitation.

To learn more about The Classic Learning Test email her @ cniemiec@cltexam.com  

You can read her essay "The Hope in Being a Wayfarer" by joining the Fellowship Courtyard (It's like a facebook page for fellows). Apply to the fellowship, join the courtyard, and read her paper- it's quick, easy, and free!

Courses begin this week in the Magnus Fellowship and its not too late to enroll!  Apply today!

 

Ep.056 - On Leadership27 Sep 202200:50:04

Alexander the Great once said, “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.”

 

Ali Ghaffari has dedicated his life to this type of leadership, beginning with playing sports as child to becoming a career Naval Officer as an adult, and most recently, to founding a K-8 Classical school in Pasadena MD. Find out how he now runs a thriving school that focuses on the good and the beautiful and a leadership consulting firm that gives organizations the leadership skills to perform exceptionally. 

 

https://www.thefrassaticompany.com https://divinemercy.md

Ep. 055 - Reason, Nature, and the Romantic Poets20 Sep 202200:58:31

“Once again

Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,

That on a wild secluded scene impress

Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect

The landscape with the quiet of the sky.”

 

Excerpt from “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey,” by Williams Wordsworth

This past summer, we offered our first round of Summer Symposiums in the Magnus Fellowship; enjoy this excerpt from Helen Freeh’s course comparing the views of the early and late romantic poets William Wordsworth and Percy Bysshe Shelley. 

You can catch the rest of this symposium, and all other course recordings,  by donating just $25/ month. https://magnusinstitute.org/give/

Ep. 099 - To Build and Behold: Recovering from Architectural Suicide15 Jul 202401:02:54

Who is man, what is he building, and why does this matter?

Alan Cornett of Cultural Debris joins John Johnson to discuss mans relationship with architecture and both the worldly and eternal implications therein. Listen as they explore the architecture behind majestic Italian Cathedrals, bold American Art Deco and oppressive modern urbanism. 

Follow Alan @ @culturaldebris or @alancornett

Learn more about Cultural Debris Excursions!

Learn more about the Albertus Magnus Institute!

 
Ep. 054 - On Kingship.13 Sep 202200:59:50

"We were born not to sue but to command." - William Shakespeare

Dr.Joe Wysocki of the Belmont Abbey College is here to discuss the making of monarchies, kings, statesmen and families through the lens of Shakespeare's Henriad.

 

Check out the Belmont Abbey Honors College- the newest of our endorsed institutions: https://belmontabbeycollege.edu/academics/honors-college/

 

Dr. Joseph Wysocki is Dean of the Honors College at Belmont Abbey College where he has also served as Assistant Academic Dean, and Chair and Associate Professor of the Politics Department since 2010. He is interested in all of the great books in the Honors College curriculum but has a particular focus on classical political philosophy and American political thought, especially the thought of Alexis de Tocqueville. Dr. Wysocki received his B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Belmont Abbey College and his M.A. and Ph.D in Political Science at Baylor University. He serves on the Council of Scholars for the American Academy for Liberal Education and CLT’s Board of Academic Advisors. He lives in Gastonia, NC with his wife Jeanne and his six children.

Ep. 053 - The Sacramental Life02 Sep 202200:51:13

What does it mean to be an integrated human? How do we live well-ordered lives? How does this lead to peace and harmony in both the home and the soul?

Brian Fink is husband, father, farmer, and teacher creating an integrated life for himself and his family. In this discussion, he talks about farming goats, homeschooling kids, raising boys, and instilling virtue while demonstrating how can find peace in the ordinary and live a sacramental life.

 

Find Brian on Twitter @b_fink Find Brian on Substack @ bfink.substack.com

EP. 052 - There Bade Me Gaze.26 Aug 202200:57:56

Today's guest, Oscar Ortiz, is both a brilliant thinker and incredible achiever who has transformed crumbling schools into sanctuaries for students.

Listen as he tells John and Larissa how he plans to continue to bring wonder to students all over America.

Oscar has devoted his career to classical education and over the course of ten years has gone from the classroom, to head of school, to Superintendent. He is known for being a passionate advocate for various classical charter organizations, lending his assistance and expertise to all. With an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and a master’s in the Liberal Arts. Oscar is well-versed in classical themes bringing his knowledge into every new endeavor. Originally from Honduras, Oscar’s vocation has always been creating access to classical education to diverse and disadvantaged populations believing that the true, the good, and the beautiful paves the way for all to lead flourishing lives.

 

To join courses live and become a Fellow today, visit MagnusInstitute.org .

Ep. 051 - THREE BEERS - Saving Our Democracy19 Aug 202201:12:04

Season 2 of the Magnus Podcast begins with this very special Three Beers episode with Pavlos Papadopoulos. Listen as John, Larissa, and Pavlos discuss Alexis De Tocqueville's great work, Democracy in America. Pavlos Papadopoulos is Assistant Professor of Humanities at Wyoming Catholic College. He holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, Annapolis, as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. in Politics from the Institute of Philosophic Studies at the University of Dallas. At Wyoming Catholic, his teaching focuses on courses in the great works of literature, history, rhetoric, and political philosophy. He is currently teaching a course on Democracy in America in the Magnus Fellowship. To join courses live and become a Fellow today, visit MagnusInstitute.org .

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