The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss how the concept of natural rights informed the American Founding before introducing Thomas G. West.  The United States Constitution was designed to secure the natural rights proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. Signed by Constitutional Convention delegates on September 17, 1787—Constitution Day—it was ratified by the American people and remains the most enduring and successful constitution in history.  In this twelve-lecture course, students will examine the political theory of the American Founding and subsequent challenges to that theory throughout American history. Topics covered in this course include: the natural rights theory of the Founding, the meaning of the Declaration and the Constitution, the crisis of the Civil War, the Progressive rejection of the Founding, and the nature and form of modern liberalism. The principle of equality—which means no person may rule over another without his consent—is central to the political theory of the American Founding. Not only did it justify the Revolution, it also led to the creation of a government whose purpose is securing the natural rights of its citizens.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan introduce the course "Constitution 101". The United States Constitution was designed to secure the natural rights proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. Signed by Constitutional Convention delegates on September 17, 1787—Constitution Day—it was ratified by the American people and remains the most enduring and successful constitution in history.  In this twelve-lecture course, students will examine the political theory of the American Founding and subsequent challenges to that theory throughout American history. Topics covered in this course include: the natural rights theory of the Founding, the meaning of the Declaration and the Constitution, the crisis of the Civil War, the Progressive rejection of the Founding, and the nature and form of modern liberalism. The form of government prescribed by the Constitution is based on the timeless principles of the Declaration of Independence. These two documents establish the formal and final causes of the United States and make possible the freedom that is the birthright of all Americans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss C.S. Lewis' explanation of hell before introducing Michael Ward.  C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. C.S. Lewis writes that “we know much more about heaven than hell, for heaven is the home of humanity.” The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce vividly illustrate the meaning of this statement, as Lewis shows that heaven was prepared for humans to become most fully themselves, while hell is a place for those who have abolished their humanity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the film Shadowlands before introducing Michael Ward.  C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. The Problem of Pain and A Grief Observed offer two very different approaches to suffering. In the former, Lewis addresses the intellectual problem raised by the existence of pain in a world created by a good and all-powerful God; and, in the latter, he presents a deeply personal account of his own suffering.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss C.S. Lewis' understanding of prayer before introducing Michael Ward.  C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. C.S. Lewis’s distinction between contemplation and enjoyment extended to his practice of the Christian faith through prayer and reading the Bible. Lewis viewed prayer as a challenge—a task to be completed—until he recognized prayer as our participation in the cycle of God talking to and for creation. Moreover, Lewis recognized that the Bible is best understood and enjoyed by focusing on Christ as the interpretive key that unites the written Word.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the multifaceted nature of C.S. Lewis' worldview before introducing Michael Ward.  C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. C.S. Lewis’s account of his conversion in Surprised by Joy  makes a crucial  distinction between contemplation and enjoyment. While Lewis understood the place for theoretical knowledge in the Christian life, he believed it was secondary to the enjoyment of participating fully in the experience of the faith.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss how we often reach our lowest point before understanding our need for God before introducing Michael Ward.  C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. The universal human experiences of shame and guilt attest not only to the existence of an objective moral law, but also a moral law giver. Christian conversion calls believers to live according to the moral law by first dying to their old life and then rising to a place higher than before. C.S. Lewis illustrates this bittersweet, downward-then-upward pattern of conversion in several of his fictional and philosophical works. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan introduce the course "C.S. Lewis on Christianity". C.S. Lewis’s writings bring the great questions of the Christian faith to life. Through his imaginative and invigorating style, Lewis answers these questions in ways that are compelling to those outside Christianity and energizing to those within the Christian faith. Lewis argues that morality is not only objective, but also that it is universally understood as such. He explains that the awareness of these axiomatic moral truths—what he calls “the Tao” in The Abolition of Man—is what makes us human, and thus our very humanity is threatened by the rise of subjectivism in the West. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visit hillsdale.edu/course to view the paintings referenced in this lecture. On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah Regan and professor emeritus of art Sam Knecht discuss what we can learn about America's greatest victories through paintings of famous battles. Great artists perceive something that is difficult to capture and portray it with a beauty that makes it easier for us to grasp. These American paintings present the American character and make us proud to be Americans. This course explores inspiring portraits of statesmen, cherished images of common citizens, breathtaking landscapes of the American countryside, the hidden beauty of America’s city streets, and harrowing but fortifying glimpses of battle. American art is characterized by honesty. These artists attempt to balance a faithful replica of reality with a depiction of the ideal we seek. The color, light, and movement captured in brushstrokes on canvas provide a unique glimpse of the American character.   American freedom was won and is maintained on the field of battle. Artists capture the courage and valor so characteristic of Americans in these war paintings. Click here to enroll in this course: http://hillsdale.edu/courseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visit hillsdale.edu/course to view the paintings referenced in this lecture. On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah Regan and professor emeritus of art Sam Knecht discuss what paintings of everyday Americans can tell us about the American character. Great artists perceive something that is difficult to capture and portray it with a beauty that makes it easier for us to grasp. These American paintings present the American character and make us proud to be Americans. This course explores inspiring portraits of statesmen, cherished images of common citizens, breathtaking landscapes of the American countryside, the hidden beauty of America’s city streets, and harrowing but fortifying glimpses of battle. American art is characterized by honesty. These artists attempt to balance a faithful replica of reality with a depiction of the ideal we seek. The color, light, and movement captured in brushstrokes on canvas provide a unique glimpse of the American character.   America exists of, by, and for the people. These paintings feature ordinary American citizens exercising their freedom, defending their rights, laboring for their property, and loving their neighbors.  Click here to enroll in this course: http://hillsdale.edu/courseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visit hillsdale.edu/course to view the paintings referenced in this lecture. On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah Regan and professor emeritus of art Sam Knecht discuss the unique character of American landscape paintings. Great artists perceive something that is difficult to capture and portray it with a beauty that makes it easier for us to grasp. These American paintings present the American character and make us proud to be Americans. This course explores inspiring portraits of statesmen, cherished images of common citizens, breathtaking landscapes of the American countryside, the hidden beauty of America’s city streets, and harrowing but fortifying glimpses of battle. American art is characterized by honesty. These artists attempt to balance a faithful replica of reality with a depiction of the ideal we seek. The color, light, and movement captured in brushstrokes on canvas provide a unique glimpse of the American character.   America’s sprawling countryside, majestic waterfalls, and soaring mountains inspire our artists to capture the freedom that suffuses the very air. Bustling cities, meanwhile, are fertile settings for presenting the beauty of everyday life. Click here to enroll in this course: http://hillsdale.edu/courseSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visit hillsdale.edu/course to view the paintings referenced in this lecture. On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah Regan and professor emeritus of art Sam Knecht introduce the course "American Paintings." Great artists perceive something that is difficult to capture and portray it with a beauty that makes it easier for us to grasp. These American paintings present the American character and make us proud to be Americans. This course explores inspiring portraits of statesmen, cherished images of common citizens, breathtaking landscapes of the American countryside, the hidden beauty of America’s city streets, and harrowing but fortifying glimpses of battle. American art is characterized by honesty. These artists attempt to balance a faithful replica of reality with a depiction of the ideal we seek. The color, light, and movement captured in brushstrokes on canvas provide a unique glimpse of the American character.   The American patriots depicted in these paintings, from our Founding Fathers through our more recent statesmen, inspire us to live up to the principles and promise of America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the long-term ramifications of the fall of the Soviet Union before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, America was left as the sole great power on the world stage, which led many Americans to expect a return to noninterventionist policies. But the foreign policy establishment argued that America as the sole great power left in the world had a responsibility of leading in a new international order. The threat of global terrorism entrenched this new role.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the long-term ramifications of the fall of the Soviet Union before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, America was left as the sole great power on the world stage, which led many Americans to expect a return to noninterventionist policies. But the foreign policy establishment argued that America as the sole great power left in the world had a responsibility of leading in a new international order. The threat of global terrorism entrenched this new role.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad.  The rise of nuclear power and the doctrine of mutually assured destruction kept the Cold War from erupting into outright war between the great powers. The superior industrial and technological capacity of the United States enabled America to outlast the Soviet Union. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the unique threat of international communism before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad.  After World War Two, Europe was weakened and America was the only power capable of standing against Soviet communism. We pursued a policy of containment and intervened in smaller nations to stop the spread of communism rather than directly confront the Soviet Union. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the legacy of World War Two before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad.  America was officially neutral during the first two years of World War Two, but in many important ways our “neutrality” violated the nonintervention principles of the American Founders. The attack on Pearl Harbor led Americans to accept war. And with the rising Soviet threat at the end of the War, American public opinion accepted interventionist policies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss American foreign policy in the wake of World War One before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad.  World War One marks the rise of the new progressive foreign policy among American elites who sought to spread American principles abroad and make the world safe for democracy. But the American public still largely opposed foreign interventions, and after the Great War, they elected presidents who promised to avoid foreign entanglements and return to a noninterventionist policy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the birth of American empire before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad.  In the Spanish-American War, America intervened in the internal affairs of a European colony in the Western Hemisphere. As a result of the war, America acquired territories that it ruled with no intention of admitting to statehood, fundamentally changing the nature of American foreign policy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the early foreign policy decisions of the American republic before introducing Michael Anton. We often treat foreign policy as a mystery that can only be understood by an enlightened few who have committed their lives to understanding the complexities of international life. This view is dangerous because it encourages citizens to ignore a critical aspect of American political life that it’s our duty to understand. And it’s false because the basics of foreign policy are commonsense and a joy to learn. For the Founders, the basic premise of foreign policy is simple—we must make every decision with a view towards securing the equal, natural rights of American citizens. This understanding requires that America’s leaders remain accountable to the people, and it places essential limits on our interventions abroad. Yet, for over a century, this traditional understanding of American foreign policy has been challenged by new and more ambitious doctrines that argue for increased American involvement and leadership abroad.  American foreign policy remained fairly consistent throughout the first century of the republic. The early policies centered on growing into a strong nation and maintaining our unique position by preventing European powers from becoming powerful threats in the Western Hemisphere.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.