3 Ways Dante Influenced C.S. Lewis | Part I
C.S. Lewis’s love for Dante Alighieri and The Divine Comedy was no great secret. Lewis first read Dante’s Inferno in the original Italian when he was in his teens and later read Purgatorio while he was in the hospital recovering from wounds received in World War I. He finally read Paradiso for the first time in 1930, before he became a Christian, but after he had reluctantly decided that there was a God. At this point, he was still very much conflicted as to the nature of God and whether or not there was an afterlife. After finishing Paradiso, he told … Continue Reading “3 Ways Dante Influenced C.S. Lewis | Part I”
Literature Done Right!
How is Old Western Culture “Literature done right”? —It is a CHRISTIAN approach to Literature; it integrates the story of History, Theology, and Philosophy, into THE GREAT STORY. —It is a CLASSICAL approach to Literature, spanning the literary and ideological traditions that have shaped the fabric of our cultural heritage. —It is a HOMESCHOOL approach to Literature: cost effective, structured, flexible, and just as much for parents as for students! Learn the story of Western Civilization from a master storyteller! Old Western Culture: A Christian Approach to the Great Books! Find out MORE.
The Greatest Roman | By Wes Callihan
Vergil’s Aeneid, the epic poem which tells the story of the wanderings of Aeneas on his way to becoming the founder of Rome, is propaganda. But such a statement would not have bothered Vergil a bit. “Propaganda” in Latin simply means “things which ought to be propagated,” and Vergil certainly believed that the values espoused in his story needed to be spread about a bit. Aeneas was the ultimate Roman, primarily because he revered the gods. “Pious Aeneas” is the epithet used of him throughout the poem, and if anyone missed the point, they were asleep during the reading. Aeneas modeled for … Continue Reading “The Greatest Roman | By Wes Callihan”
John Chrysostom on the temptations to both rich and poor
St. John Chrysostom talks about the temptations to both rich and poor. He points out that while the sins of the rich tend to be obvious, the sins of the poor are just as egregious, and are not as evident. Chrysostom was the archbishop of Constantinople in the late 300s AD, and is a very influential Church Father, often quoted by Reformers like John Calvin who appreciated his pastoral teaching. This is from a collection of his homilies called On Living Simply: The Golden Voice of John Chrysostom. Students of Old Western Culture will learn about Chrysostom in Romans: Nicene Christianity.
Cincinnatus and George Washington
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was a Roman farmer in the 5th century B.C. Because Rome was in dire need of a leader to fight off invaders, the Roman Senate asked Cincinnatus to be “Dictator” for a term of six months. The Roman Senate was worried that the person they chose as dictator might not return the power to the Senate when the time was up. But the reason they chose Cincinnatus was that he was known to be a man of virtue, who had proven himself as a consul. After two weeks, he had taken care of the situation with their … Continue Reading “Cincinnatus and George Washington”
Plundering the Egyptians | by Wesley Callihan
I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians. – Exodus 3:21-22; 12:35-36 Does secular literature have any value for a Christian? There are so many good books by Christians – why should we waste our time with anything else? For many … Continue Reading “Plundering the Egyptians | by Wesley Callihan”
2015 Great Books Challenge for Parents (and how to earn FREE curriculum)
Are you giving your kids (or have given them) the classical education you never had? My invitation to you this new year is to dive in yourself! Old Western Culture is for parents too! While it may be daunting to pick up the Great Books and start reading, make 2015 the year you do it YOURSELF, and earn some FREE curriculum in the process! So here is my NEW YEARS CHALLENGE TO PARENTS: As a parent, use our newly released unit of Old Western Culture, The Aeneid, YOURSELF (with your kids if they’re the right age) before May 15th, 2015 UPDATE: EXTENDING DATE … Continue Reading “2015 Great Books Challenge for Parents (and how to earn FREE curriculum)”
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!
Cathy Duffy's 102 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum
We’re thrilled that the Old Western Culture curriculum will be included in Cathy Duffy’s upcoming book “102 Top Picks“! You can read Cathy Duffy’s online review of Old Western Culture here: HERE.
The Relationship Woes of Dido and Aeneas
Advice for all men: When you mess up, fess up! Part of what makes the Aeneid such a timeless classic is that it captures so many aspects of human nature. Wes Callihan brings these alive in the Old Western Culture curriculum. This excerpt from The Aeneid (unit 1 of The Romans) is an example of how Wes Callihan brings the classics alive. This is learning literature re-imagined!