Archive for February, 2013


Jason Jewell on Why Christians Should Read the “Great Books”

How could reading Plato’s “Euthydemus” have helped a Protestant pastor avoid seriously embarassing her profession and faith at an Applebee’s restaurant? Returning guest, Prof. Jason Jewell of Faulkner University, explains how Christians should not rely upon just The Bible for helping to frame their worldview. Jason explains how he is in the process of reading through the Great Books, what constitutes a Great Book, what Great Books can tell us, and how you can join him on this intellectual journey. A fantastic podcast interview for homeschoolers.

Visit Jason Jewell’s blog for more information (click [read more] to access the blog) about how you can read along with the Great Books at home.

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Christopher Grenda on Religious Satire during the Enlightenment (and Today)

Can satire be used to prompt religious reform? Prof. Chris Grenda (CUNY) discusses the role of humor, parody, irony, and satire in the changing religious landscape of the English Enlightenment (circa 17th and 18th centuries). We discuss the nature and role of satire in society and review a number of major historical satirists including Jonathan Swift and Thomas Paine, as well as the lesser known figures such as Ralph Wallis, Charles Blount, and Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the Third Earl of Shaftesbury. All of these satirists used their wit to advance the frontiers of religious toleration in an environment of growing religious pluralism and institutional corruption. How the “powers that be” — both ecclesiastical and secular — react to being the focus of ridicule is also discussed. We further bring the discussion into the contemporary era with references to Mark Steyn, Monty Python, and George Carlin. Prof. Grenda provides a number of interesting observations on what is happening to the rhetorical device of satire in our contemporary era.

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Margarita Mooney on Her Monastic Vacation

Would you ever consider taking a vacation in an actual, working Catholic monastery? Prof. Margarita Mooney did … and not just once! Prof. Mooney shares her experience of living among the Servants of the Lord convents in Washington DC and Italy, as well as a visit to the Belmont Abbey in North Carolina. We talk about the monastic life in the Catholic Church from a sociological point of view at first, discussing various trends in who joins religious orders. Then Margarita shares her own experiences in living for short periods of time among nuns and monks, revealing what daily life is like for many of these folks and what it is like to be an “outsider” living amongst them. She notes how enlightening such trips can be, how welcoming many of these religious orders are, and how you could schedule your own such visit. Click on “read more” for relevant links.

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Podcasts on Pope Benedict XVI

Given the recent news about Pope Benedict XVI’s looming resignation, some of our listeners might enjoy two earlier podcasts: Margarita Mooney on Pope Benedict XVI and Cuba; and Jon M. Sweeney on The Pope Who Quit. Search under “Mooney” or “Sweeney” in our search engine above, or click [read more] below for the direct links.

And please share these free educational podcasts with your friends using our social media links.

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Rick Walston on Distance Learning & Seminary Education

How does someone who grew up in a religiously apathetic household and who was not interested in school become the president of a theological seminary? And how does that same person challenge the typical norms of academia by promoting theological education via distance learning and online education? We talk with Dr. Rick Walston, founder and president of Columbia Evangelical Seminary, as he discusses his history and the challenges associated with creating a seminary where students are not physically present on campus. We discuss what type of students are interested in such education as well as how academic accreditation factors into online learning. We also reflect upon the utility of studying theology as it pertains to connecting with everyday folks who sit in the pews on Sunday.

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