Claim OwnershipThe Optimistic Curmudgeon
Subscribed: 8Played: 68
Subscribe
© Copyright 2021 All rights reserved.
Description
The Optimistic Curmudgeon is an interview podcast where Josh Herring interviews expert guests whose credentials and experience help listeners understand truth in a confusing world. We discuss issues under seven areas: economics, politics, education, philosophy, business, virtue, and leadership! May the best ideas win.
107 Episodes
Reverse
Graham Dennis is a Dean of Academics for Veritas Academy and an elder in the CREC; he also holds a PhD in philosophy. In this wide ranging conversation, he introduces a particular way of reading culture through the lens of "procreative" and "decreative." From there, the conversation turns to C.S. Lewis, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength, gender, transgender, Phillip Rieff, Life among the Deathworks, Narnia, literary theory, Augustine's ordo amoris, and a host of other topics. Enjoy!
Nathan Gwinn of Freedom of Education tells his story as a teacher, a principal, and an author of the Franklin Standards, a new approach to reinvigorating science education.
The way we teach science matters. In avoiding biological truth, all kinds of social problems emerge. One primary way to counteract bad ideas is to rediscover the wonder and beauty that lie at the root of good scientific exploration. With discussion of birth, death, and sex, this is a conversation to enjoy.
Freedom in Education - https://freedomined.org/
Larissa Phillip's essay "Dreaming about Going Back to the Land? I did it" in @thefreepress - https://www.thefp.com/p/larissa-phillips-going-back-to-farm-from-brooklyn
The Franklin Standards: Model K-12 State Science Standards - https://www.nas.org/storage/app/media/Reports/Franklin%20Standards/Franklin_Standards_9.25.pdf
Frank Clement of America's Christian Credit Union joins Josh for a discussion of classical education, Christian banking, and the role that financial institutions can play helping new organizations begin. Check out their work here: https://americaschristiancu.com/
Martin Cothran, co-founder of @memoriapress , discusses his entry into classical education, the challenges facing classical education today, and the reason he and Cheryl Lowe founded Memoria Press. Cothran is the author of two logic books, many, many articles, and teaches for @MemoriaCollege . We also discuss Kentucky politics, and reflect on the future of the classical education renewal movement. The liberal arts are essential to forming the next generation, and classical education is the best way for students to learn the timeless truths that form human potential into actuality.
Memoria Press: https://www.memoriapress.com/
Memoria College: https://memoriacollege.org/
Martin Cothran Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Martin-Cothran/author/B00J249LUA
Junius Johnson discusses Edmund Spenser's great poem, The Faerie Queene. With a great focus on allegory, symbolism, pageantry, and characters, this conversation is a great place to start if you want to get into Spenser. And if you've made the journey to Faerie, this conversation will be a great refresher on the best poem in 16th century England! Redcrosse Knight, Una, Duessa, Archimago, Britomart, Venus, Cupid, Athegall, Arthur, the Garden of Adonis, the Cantos of Mutabilities, and more! When is the right age to read The Faerie Queene? How should one approach it? We discuss these questions, and a lot more.
Definitely check out Junius Johnson Academics - https://academics.juniusjohnson.com/
Here is Josh's preferred edition of The Faerie Queene - https://www.amazon.com/Spenser-Faerie-Queene-2nd-Edmund/dp/1405832819/
Josh interviews his students in Modern Communications as part of a bonus episode commemorating the Fifth of November. Guy Fawkes, traditions, integralism, constitutional order, "Jeeniors," and more. What happens when you have a good conversation with alert, well read students? Listen, and find out!
And if you enjoy this one, be sure to check out Anya and Matthew's show, Broke but Balanced here: https://www.youtube.com/@BrokeButBalanced
Thaddeus Kozinski makes a compelling case for why every student should read Plato's Republic with an excellent teacher. Plato discourses on justice, reality, the human condition, and highlights the possibilities philosophy extends for comprehending our place in the cosmos. Kozinski explicates the Allegory of the Cave, and illustrates throughout the conversation the importance of classical education for recovering a healthy civilization.
Dr. Kozinski's Books
Modernity as Apocalypse: Sacred Nihilism and the Counterfeits of Logos - https://www.amazon.com/Modernity-Apocalypse-Sacred-Nihilism-Counterfeits/dp/1621384837/
Covid 19 and the War Against Reality - https://www.amazon.com/Covid-19-War-Against-Reality/dp/B0F131LDHS/
Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thaddeus-J.-Kozinski/author/B00448NFJC?ccs_id=504bf5ee-4d59-43a5-b58d-8807a3692ed2
Timothy Knotts of @Classical_Conversations explains the latest CC textbook: Reasoning Together Philosophy. He outlines the nature, tradition, and value of philosophy, highlighting the need for homeschool families to be well versed in philosophy. Along the way, he discusses the nature of classical education, the role classical ed plays in creating culture, and the need for increasing biblical literacy. With much discussion of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Rousseau, and a few others, this is a conversation not to miss! And be sure to check out Tim's other role as a founder of the New England Consortium of Classical Educators Conference!
Links: Classical Conversations: https://classicalconversations.com/
The New England Consortium of Classical Educators: https://www.newenglandcce.com/
Buy the book here: https://tinyurl.com/5569uhcy
Larissa Phillips, columnist at @thefreepress , shares her journey into and out of feminism. Raised in a radical Leftist family, Larissa experienced first hand the limitations of her own physiology. Over the course of her adulthood, she found peace and joy with her husband, her children, and now her farm. This is a rambling conversation that concludes with a discussion of Larissa's work teaching adults essentials of literacy. Check out her work via links below.
"How I Became a Wife" - https://www.thefp.com/p/larissa-phillips-becoming-a-wife-marriage
Larissa's Free Press author page: https://www.thefp.com/w/larissa-phillips
"Toward Ruin or Recovery" on @Quillette (Warning: paywalled) - https://quillette.com/2024/03/20/toward-ruin-or-recovery-celeste-marcus-liberties-journal-yascha-mounk-feminist-metoo/
The Volunteer Literacy Project - https://www.volunteerliteracyproject.org/
C.R. Wiley of @TheTheologyPugcast explains who Tom Bombadil is. Wiley wrote In the House of Tom Bombadil with @CanonPress , and that book opens a wide ranging conversation about masculinity, femininity, dominion, domination, dating, Adam, and the work of the logos in Tolkien's Legendarium. It's a wonderful discussion mostly grounded in The Fellowship of the Ring. Enjoy!
Links: In the House of Tom Bombadil - https://canonpress.com/products/in-the-house-of-tom-bombadil
The Theology Pugcast - https://thetheologypugcast.com/
Touchstone Magazine - https://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/author.php?id=939
Joseph Holmes advances his theory of feminism in contemporary Hollywood: only women are allowed to be positive spiritual figures. Holmes argues that Hollywood has shifted from "men bad, women good" and the "religious or atheist" dichotomy to "men are religious, women are spiritual." As such, Holmes thinks it fits Greta Gerwig's pattern to cast a female voice (rumored to be Meryl Streep) for Aslan in Netflix's forthcoming adaptation of The Magician's Nephew. If you love Narnia, enjoy thinking about Christian filmmaking, or have opinions about the Kendrick brothers' films, don't miss this one!
Topics of discussion include: Barbie, Little Women, House of David, and more.
This episode was inspired by Holmes' essay, "Greta Gerwig’s Aslan And The Coming Faith-Based ‘Gender Culture War’" on Religion Unplugged - https://religionunplugged.com/news/2025/5/9/greta-gerwigs-aslan-and-the-coming-faith-based-gender-culture-war
Also - Check out Joseph Holmes's podcast The Overthinkers here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-overthinkers/id1510271421
Joseph's website: https://www.josephholmesstudios.com/
Coming Soon - Jim vs. the Future - check out the IMBD listing here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33087557/
Dr. Josh Herring reflects on Season 8: The Re-Enchanting Inklings, drawing out connections between guests and suggesting what this season of The Optimistic Curmudgeon says about modernity, the Inklings, and our need to encounter reality.
With shoutouts and callbacks to Annie Crawford, Andrew Lazo, Christiana Hale, Holly Ordway, Landon Loftin, Austin Freeman, Brent Weeks, Steve Beebe, Michael Ward, Sarah Waters, and Rhys Laverty.
Many thanks to this season's sponsors: The C.S. Lewis Institute, and America's Christian Credit Union!
https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/
https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/
We'll be back in the fall of 2025 with Season 9! Until next time, seek the good, live the true, and enjoy the beautiful.
Annie Crawford explains Dr. Michael ward's theory of "donegality," and shows how reading The Silver Chair as C.S. Lewis's lunar novel helps explain the difference between Aslan's Country and the muddled world below. This conversation is largely based on an article Annie wrote for An Unexpected Journal entitled "Finding Faith in Fairy Tales: Answers for Modern Skeptics from C.S. Lewis's The Silver Chair" and Annie explains the nature of modern skepticism and how Lewis works in philosophical responses in the Green Lady's temptation and then Puddleglum's response. Pascal's Wager, the Ontological Argument, Plato's Cave, Freud, Marx, Feurbach, and more---all nestled within The Silver Chair.
Link to Annie's article: https://anunexpectedjournal.com/finding-faith-in-fairy-tales-answers-for-modern-skeptics-from-c-s-lewiss-the-silver-chair/
Sponsor link - America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/
Fr. Andrew Lazo offers his interpretation of C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces as Lewis's "best book." Lazo reads the novel through The Four Loves, and contends that Lewis's entire project, as it develops across a lifetime of spiritual writing, culminates in this final novel. This conversation also features discussion of the Mere Christians conference, differing views on definitions of love, and lots of Lewisian details. With shoutouts to Michael Ward, @PintsWithJack , @C.S.LewisUndiscovered , and many friends, this is an episode to savor.
Link to Mere Christians: Inspiring Stories of Encounters with C.S. Lewis - https://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christians-Inspiring-Stories-Encounters/dp/1946708321
Sponsor Link: America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/
Christiana Hale, author of Deeper Heaven: A Reader's Guide to C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy, discusses her essay on pleasure and contemplation in Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. Medieval cosmology, Perelandra, closing out the teaching season, the Un-Man's temptations of the Green Lady, right and wrong femininity, and more feature in this wide-ranging conversation. With shoutouts to Canon Press, New Saint Andrews College, Thales College, and the Undiscovered Lewis Conference, this conversation ties together a variety of institutions.
Link to Deeper Heaven: https://www.amazon.com/Deeper-Heaven-Readers-Lewiss-Trilogy/dp/1944482563/
Link to Life on the Silent Planet: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Silent-Planet-Christian-Trilogy/dp/1949716252/
Sponsor Link: https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/
Dr. Holly Ordway discusses her essay "Arthur in Edgestow" in Life on the Silent Planet: Lessons in Christian Living from C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy. She explain Lewis's love of Arthurian legends, the choices Lewis makes in incorporating, adapting, and tweaking elements of the Arthurian legendarium in That Hideous Strength. With discussion of Charles Williams, Roger Lancelyn Green, and Merlin, this is a delightful interview with one of the foremost Inklings scholars. Enjoy!
Dr. Ordway's website - https://hollyordway.com/
Books discussed in the interview
Link to Life on the Silent Planet: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Silent-Planet-Christian-Trilogy/dp/1949716252/
Link to The Inklings and King Arthur: https://www.amazon.com/Inklings-King-Arthur-Williams-Barfield/dp/1944769897/
Link to Taliessin through Logres: https://www.amazon.com/Taliessin-through-Logres-Region-Arthurian/dp/0802815782/
Sponsor link: America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/
Landon Loftin, author of What Barfield Thought: An Introduction to the Work of Owen Barfield with Max Leyf, discusses Barfield's role in the Inklings, focus on language, and friendship with Lewis. The conversation draws mostly from Barfield's History in English Words. Loftin goes into specific detail about Barfield's pro-life work, and the connection between humans as rational, linguistic beings and protecting them from abortion. Lewis dedicated The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to Lucy Barfield, Owen Barfield's daughter (and Lewis's goddaughter); their friendship was rich, and Barfield's theory of language and human consciousness sits behind much of what Tolkien and Lewis wrote. Where is meaning? What is language? How does human consciousness relate to words? For these questions, Dr. Loftin is our best guide into Barfield.
Link to What Barfield Thought: https://www.amazon.com/What-Barfield-Thought-Introduction-Work/dp/1666736767
Link to The Rediscovery of Meaning - https://www.owenbarfield.org/selected-books/the-rediscovery-of-meaning/
Sponsor Link: https://americaschristiancu.com/personal
Dr. Austin Freeman discusses his book, Tolkien Dogmatics. Doctrines of creation, eschatology, angels, demons, and Christian living all receive major consideration. Along the way, we discuss Kevin Vanhoozer, reflect on the 2024 election (we recorded on November 5, 2024), "Leaf by Niggle," what's happening theologically in the act of creating a story, and more. Austin tells us his view of Amazon's Rings of Power, and we discuss the nature and role of imaginative apologetics. Austin takes on woke Tolkien, and explains just how significant Tolkien's faith was for the legendarium.
Books referenced in the show:
Tolkien Dogmatics - https://www.amazon.com/Tolkien-Dogmatics-Theology-Mythology-Middle-earth/dp/1683596676/
Apologetics and the Christian Imagination - https://www.amazon.com/Apologetics-Christian-Imagination-Integrated-Defending/dp/1945125381
The Drama of Doctrine - https://www.amazon.com/Drama-Doctrine-Canonical-Linguistic-Christian/dp/0664223273/
Theology, Fantasy, and the Imagination - https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Fantasy-Imagination-Religion-Culture/dp/1978712189/
Sponsor link: America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal
Don't forget the book giveaway contest - details are in the show introduction!
Bestselling author Brent Weeks explains how he got into writing, from where he draws inspiration, how he builds characters, and details hidden in the Night Angel trilogy, the Lightbringer series, and the Kylar Chronicles. Brent comments on issues in modern publishing, Brandan Sanderson, and in general welcomes viewers into his world as an author. Brent is one of the best living fantasy authors; he is deeply shaped by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and his years at Hillsdale College. How do you write strong female characters with authentic femininity? What advantages are there to writing male characters for reading men? Where does Dante come in? As a sincere, convictional Christian, Brent writes excellent mainstream epic fantasy. Don't miss his story about publisher responses to Kip the Brave being fat!
Links to Brent's Books:
Night Angel - https://shorturl.at/N8QCN
Lightbrigner - https://shorturl.at/qU92o
Kylar Chronicles - https://shorturl.at/KYqtq
Brent's website - https://www.brentweeks.com/
Sponsor Links:
America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/
Dr. Steve Beebe, author a variety of communication textbooks and discoverer of a Lewis project co-written with Tolkien about language, discusses C.S. Lewis's methods of communicating in both written and verbal communication. Beebe argues that Lewis followed five habits that helped him be a powerful communicator. We too can learn to communicate like C.S. Lewis.
Here is Dr. Beebe's book, C.S. Lewis and the Craft of Communication - https://www.amazon.com/C-S-Lewis-Craft-Communication/dp/1433172348
Sponsor Links America's Christian Credit Union - https://americaschristiancu.com/personal/
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States