Category Archives: slavery

The Civil War Did Not End These Four Kinds of Slavery.

Posted on July 8, 2020 by marklangley

The bad news is that the Civil War did not put an end to slavery. Sure, the Civil War did end the apparent and visible slavery that made legal the ownership of human beings by other human beings, whereby the … Continue reading →

Posted in education, liberal education, slavery, Socrates | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Are You a Slave to Fashion?

Posted on June 16, 2020 by marklangley

I don’t have any strong objection to men dressing according to the fashions of the 12th or 13th century if they happen to live in the 12th or 13th century. I assume the gentleman in the picture thought that he … Continue reading →

Posted in classical education, fashion, liberal education, slavery | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Don’t Follow Your Passions

Posted on February 26, 2018 by marklangley

As the Israelites wandered forty years in the desert before entering the promised land, so Christians traverse the forty days of Lent (which might seem like 40 years to some of us!). God led the The Israelites out of Egypt through … Continue reading →

Posted in catholic education, classical education, fashion, liberal education, slavery, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Other Statues to Pull Down

Posted on August 18, 2017 by marklangley

While we are busily engaged in the sanctimonious and largely symbolic act of pulling down statues of various confederate generals and others who promoted slavery directly or indirectly, I have a few suggestions for some other “statues” that need pulling … Continue reading →

Posted in education, liberal education, Modernists, Shakespeare, slavery | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Why Does Christ Say His Yoke Is Easy?

Posted on July 10, 2017 by marklangley

Every couple of years I ask my students: Can any of you think of a set of rules or instructions about how to live that would make life easier than those which are embodied under the name of Christianity? And … Continue reading →

Posted in Homer Sightings, Metaphysics, Shakespeare, slavery | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Posted on August 30, 2016 by marklangley

I have often repeated the words of a wise teacher, who has now passed on from this dusty earth straight to heaven. (nonetheless I will still continue to send prayers up for his soul in grateful memory of the benefits … Continue reading →

Posted in beauty, liberal education works, Sacred Music, slavery, summer vacation, Work | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Homerus Omnes Docuit

Posted on November 10, 2013 by marklangley

Every serious discussion about Catholic Liberal Education (which I call “Catholic Classical Education” sheerly for marketing purposes) must perforce dwell at considerable length from time to time on Homer and his works- especially the Iliad and the Odyssey. And this is because, as … Continue reading →

Posted in classical education, Literature, Newman, slavery, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dickens on Custom

Posted on March 28, 2013 by marklangley

A wise philosopher asked “what has more power in directing the course of our lives, reason or custom?” Reading A Tale of Two Cities cannot but convince one that custom is by far the predominant influence. Take this passage for … Continue reading →

Posted in Custom, slavery | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Wisdom is Liberal

Posted on December 30, 2012 by marklangley

Well I hate to say it, but the second (or third) characteristic of wisdom is that it is liberal. But of course we don’t mean ‘liberal’ as in ‘Teddy Kennedy liberal.’ We mean liberal as opposed to servile or what … Continue reading →

Posted in classical education, education, slavery, truth for its own sake, Uncategorized, Wisdom | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Liberal Education Works

Posted on December 24, 2012 by marklangley

The late philosopher Marcus Berquist once made a remark about how working with ones hands has a significant value for the one pursuing philosophy. I wish I could remember his words exactly- but the point was that hard work never … Continue reading →

Posted in ad libitum, liberal education works, slavery | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment