The Old Western Culture Great Books List
Old Western Culture is a great books curriculum with a distinctly Christian “great books” reading list. It includes all the famous favorites you’ll recognize from series like the Britannica Great Books of the Western World, but also includes books that are often left out of modern editions for various reasons, most often because they are from the “Age of Faith.” We include more works from the early Church Fathers, Medieval period, and the Reformation. These are deeply influential and formative books on Western civilization, and worthy of inclusion in great books series. These books are part of our Christian and cultural inheritance, and … Continue Reading “The Old Western Culture Great Books List”
Fitting Words Rhetoric: Sample Lesson (Lesson 12)
Here is one full lesson from the Fitting Words Rhetoric curriculum so you can get a feel for how the course works. Each lesson of Fitting Words Rhetoric has two videos: Lesson and Application. In addition, there is an exam prep video for each of the nine exams throughout the course. We recommend students follow these steps while going through Fitting Words: Read the lesson in the textbook Watch the Lesson portion of the video course Work on the exercises in the Student Workbook. Watch the Application portion of the video course (workbook open). Where appropriate, put the application/workbook to … Continue Reading “Fitting Words Rhetoric: Sample Lesson (Lesson 12)”
Rhetorical Figures covered in Fitting words
The video course that accompanies Fitting Words Rhetoric begins each lesson with a review of a rhetorical figure. These are covered again in detail in lesson 27, but students will already be familiar with them and using them. Here is the list of what figures are emphasized (with examples) in each lesson. The Glossary/Index at the back of the textbook has definitions for each of these. Fitting Words – Rhetorical figure per Lesson1. Parallelism / isocolon2. Antithesis3. Ellipsis / zeugma4. Asyndeton5. Polysyndeton6. Parenthesis7. Alliteration / assonance8. Antimetabole / chiasmus9. Anaphora10. Epistrophe11. Climax12. Epanalepsis13. Anadiplosis14. Polyptoton15. Metaphor16. Simile17. Metonymy18. Synecdoche19. Personification20. Apostrophe21. … Continue Reading “Rhetorical Figures covered in Fitting words”
What do we mean by “Liberal Arts”?
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s Christians recover classical Christian education, they are unearthing old treasures, once the possession of every educated man. Some of these treasures are words and descriptions–terms like “Trivium” and “Quadrivium,” “paideia,” and “liberal arts.” Of all these terms, “liberal arts” lays at the heart of what classical education is all about. So what did our forefathers mean by “liberal arts”? “Liberal” [dropcap]T[/dropcap]he word liberal has nothing to do with our modern use of the word in politics and culture. Liberal means “free,” and historically described the kind of education expected of a freeman–especially one in a position of leadership, like … Continue Reading “What do we mean by “Liberal Arts”?”
St. Crispin’s Day Speech Contest
Tomorrow is St. Crispin’s Day! Record yourself reciting Shakespeare’s famous St. Crispin’s Day Speech, and post it to the Roman Roads Facebook page or email us the link. The best recitation of the speech will win a $20 Amazon Gift card, and a free Old Western Culture: Rise of England video set ($56 value) when it comes out aext year!nce UPDATE: New “Kids Edition” of this contest. Children 12 and under can recite 12 lines or more, with the best recitation winning a separate $10 Amazon Gift Card. OR, tag-team 12+ lines with siblings and/or a parent, completing the speech, and become … Continue Reading “St. Crispin’s Day Speech Contest”
Augustine on the use of Rhetoric
Christians need to learn the tools of Rhetoric both to persuade and to gain wisdom and understanding of our times. “Since, then, the faculty of eloquence is available for both sides, and is of very great service in the enforcing either of wrong or right, why do not good men study to engage it on the side of truth, when bad men use it to obtain the triumph of wicked and worthless causes, and to further injustice and error?” —Augustine, On Christian Teaching (quoted in Fitting Words: Classical Rhetoric for the Christian Student by James B Nance).
Elie Wiesel, RIP
Elie Wiesel died today. He is one of the 30 famous orators featured in Fitting Words: Classical Rhetoric for the Christian Student. Elie Wiesel (1928–July 2nd, 2016). Wiesel was a professor, author, political activist, and Holocaust survivor. He has received numerous awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize. Wiesel has delivered speeches before several U.S. presidents. “I learned the perils of language and those of silence.” —Speech to Ronald Reagan objecting to his visit to a German cemetery, 1985 Find out more about Elie Wiesel in this CNN video, and this one. His gentle demeanor and kind disposition were … Continue Reading “Elie Wiesel, RIP”
Fitting Words: Classical Rhetoric, illustrated
Fitting Words: Classical Rhetoric for the Christian Student is a comprehensive high school rhetoric text by James B Nance, author of the best-selling Introductory and Intermediate Logic curriculum. It is beautifully illustrated by George Harrell. Here are a few of the illustrations. All the illustrations below are from the “Famous Orators” marginalia of the textbook. There are a total of 30, one for each chapter.
Could your child enter Harvard in 1869?
Harvard University adopted the following words, based on their mission statement, as part of their “Rules and Precepts” in 1646: Let every Student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the maine end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore to lay Christ in the bottome, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and Learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisedome, Let every one seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seeke it of him (Prov. 2:3). Thoroughly dedicated to Scriptures as … Continue Reading “Could your child enter Harvard in 1869?”
A Survey of the History of Rock and Roll
[dropcap]J[/dropcap]oin Dr. Chris Schlect and the students of Logos High School as they explore the origins and progression of rock and roll through the first few decades of its existence, and the part it played in our culture, ending with a live performance of “Stairway to Heaven” by the Logos Dad’s Band. More On Classic Rock: Wes Callihan on Rory Gallagher, Pinkerton Detective Agency, and Clint Eastwood… Logos Benefit Concert: Where Classic Rock Meets Classical Education Logos Dad’s Band Concert 2013 Image by Jay Niemeyer.