Category Archives: classical education

On March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry made a famous speech. Would he repeat it today?

Posted on March 20, 2020 by marklangley

In the face of COVID-19, one wonders if Patrick Henry would have repeated today the sentiment that he uttered before the second Virginia convention on 23 March 1775. Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What … Continue reading →

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The Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well: Who Were Those Five Husbands?

Posted on March 15, 2020 by marklangley

[I could not resist reposting this – the original may be found here with a number of great comments!] The Gospel for the third Sunday of Lent offers a special little gem for the classically minded church-goer. As Jesus is … Continue reading →

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Learning in Virus Time

Posted on March 9, 2020 by marklangley

In a sermon delivered in the Fall of 1939 titled Learning in Wartime, C.S. Lewis asserts, every Christian who comes to a university must at all times face a question compared with which the questions raised by the war are … Continue reading →

Posted in catholic education, Christendom, classical education, education, Latin, Liberal Arts, liberal education | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Why I do not want to be the King of Scotland

Posted on February 25, 2020 by marklangley

I’m not so certain that I want to be king of Scotland anymore. After reading The Tragedy of Macbeth with my students, I am having a difficult time shaking off a sense that life is meaningless when worldly ambition is the governing principle. … Continue reading →

Posted in classical education, Literature, Shakespeare, Temptation, truth for its own sake | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sin is first in the will: a brief lesson in morality from Lady Macbeth

Posted on February 20, 2020 by marklangley

Of all the authors we should compel our students to read, surely no one is so foolhardy as to demand a reason for reading Shakespeare. I can forgive the one who asks, Why should students read Aeschylus? Or Why do you force them to … Continue reading →

Posted in aeschylus, Augustine, catholic education, classical education, Literature, Shakespeare, Temptation | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The True Purpose of Catholic Education

Posted on September 18, 2019 by marklangley

Well, I wish this was an interview with Jordan Peterson about Pope Pius XI’s FANTASTIC encyclical on Christian education Divini Illius Magistri. But alas he was not available, so I was more than happy to fill in for him.

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Concerning the ill-advised changes to the Lord’s Prayer. Lionandox meets “The Catholic Current”

Posted on September 14, 2019 by marklangley

In light of the recent ill-advised yet “approved” inept translations/changes to the Lord’s Prayer (and the Gloria) by the Holy See for both French and Italian Catholics…what else can one do but argue for accurate translations on the radio with … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Augustine, catholic education, classical education, The Lord's Prayer | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

There are no teachers.

Posted on September 10, 2019 by marklangley

At the outset of a new academic year those of us who have the privilege of working with students in that mysterious process that we call ‘education,’ are again confronted with the question about how we might succeed a little … Continue reading →

Posted in classical education, education | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Two Reasons Why Things Are Difficult to Understand

Posted on July 12, 2019 by marklangley

As has been thoroughly set forth and expounded by the inimitable philosopher, the late great Duane Berquist, in a beautiful succinct and brilliant paper on this very subject, there are seven times when we need to go wisely and slow in … Continue reading →

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The first two places we need to go “wisely and slow”(ly)

Posted on July 10, 2019 by marklangley

 I can tell when a topic is so fascinating that people are just not ready to move on. And you, O fortunate reader, are lucky that I have this gift! Many would have long since abandoned the interesting topic of … Continue reading →

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