I strongly encourage you to read the Iliad…out loud!
We had fun with this one 🙂 Wes Callihan really does encourage his students to read the Iliad out loud!
In what way is Old Western Culture a "Christian Approach" to the Great Books?
Old Western Culture is a distinctly Christian course. The creators of the course believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, the Providence of God working in history, and that all truth is God’s truth wherever it may be found. A Christian worldview is not “taught” as an afterthought, but assumed throughout and thoroughly integrated in the approach to the material. Below are two small excerpts from the course which demonstrate how this works itself out in Old Western Culture. Platonic Heresies and the Church (excerpt from The Philosophers). Why the Aeneid Mattered to Early Christians (and still matters today!) The … Continue Reading “In what way is Old Western Culture a "Christian Approach" to the Great Books?”
"Weren't the Greeks Pagans?"
Julian the ApostateIn the first clip below, Wes Callihan explains why Christians should study Greek pagan literature. In the second clip he gives an example of how the early Christians used the pagan epics. In fact,  the pagan emperor Julian the Apostate forbade the Christians from teaching these epics because the Christians were using them to preach Christ! Matt Bianco, of Classical Conversations, wrote an article giving some great background to the story of Julian the Apostate, and the outlawing of the pagan epics, which you can read HERE.Find out more about Old Western Culture.“Weren’t the Greeks Pagan?” Julian the … Continue Reading “"Weren't the Greeks Pagans?"”
The Republic: A Real City?
Wes Callihan explains that Plato’s Republic is not about a real city, or a blueprint for a real city, but rather a picture of the human soul, and how the soul should work. Many people throughout history have mistakenly treated Plato’s Republic as a guide to the perfect physical city, which is a gross mistake, and not what Plato had in mind. This is an excerpt from The Philosophers, unit 4 of The Greeks in the Old Western Culture series, a great books video course for high school students. YouTube version HERE.
Refuting the Syncretistic View of the Great Books | Wes Callihan
What is the source of truth? Wes Callihan explains the error of some proponents of the great books, who seek to find truth in a syncretistic approach to the Great Books.
Why Study the Ancient Greeks? Wes Callihan on Old Western Culture
Homeschoolers are increasingly thinking about classical education. The roots of classical education predate the incarnation of Christ, classical education flourished over the next 2,000 years, and was specifically developed by Christianity throughout the centuries. Yet it was abandoned in the last hundred years or so as Marxist teachings entered our schools. We now think of education as a means of getting a job, and in that mindset, studying Plato and Aristotle is a little hard to justify. After all, “What is the meaning of life?” doesn’t help you be an engineer. But there are many reasons why the Christian student … Continue Reading “Why Study the Ancient Greeks? Wes Callihan on Old Western Culture”
Scythians Distracted by a Rabbit | Tales from Herodotus – Wes Callihan
In this rather humorous story from Herodotus, Wesley Callihan tells the story of the fearless Scythians who left the field of battle for chase a rabbit. This clip is an excerpt from “Greeks: The Histories,” part of “Old Western Culture: A Christian Approach to the Great Books,” a highschool (and above) video course designed for the homeschool.
The Problem with Reading Shakespeare and Greek Plays
In this little excerpt from Greeks: Drama and Lyric, part of the Old Western Culture video course series, Wesley Callihan discusses the complications in reading plays that were meant to be watched, such as Sophocles (those currently being discussed) and Shakespeare. Having trouble with the video? Try the YouTube version.
Ancient use of "Tyrant" and "Despot" | Excerpt from Drama and Lyric
Here is a little snippet of fun information from lecture 5 of Greeks: Drama and Lyric, part of the Old Western Culture video course series by Roman Roads Media taught by Wesley Callihan of Schola Classical Tutorials. The Ancient Use of the word “tyrant” and “despot.” Having trouble with the video above? Try the YouTube version. This lesson was on Sophocles’ Oedipus the King.
Ask Mr. C: How has reading the Great Books affected you?
Introducing a NEW and FREE feature of Old Western Culture: A Christian Approach to the Great Books: Ask Mr. Callihan! One of the weak elements of a traditional video course is the inability to ask direct questions to the teacher. Not with Old Western Culture! Ask your questions, and we’ll try to get them answered on film for you and everyone else! They can be about the text, or about general things like “Why read old books?” These videos will be hosted on www.oldwesternculture.com (still under development). You can already ask questions by leaving a comment below. Enjoy, and ask … Continue Reading “Ask Mr. C: How has reading the Great Books affected you?”