Tactical Faith Podcast

The rebirth of belief in God and the search for a better story about life | Nov 2nd | 2025. Justin Brierley, Martin Shaw and Matthew Burford dialogue about the true myth and narratives surrounding Christianity.

An afternoon with Martin Shaw & Justin Brierley at Samford University

Why does Dante’s Divine Comedy still speak so powerfully today — even in a digital age that often flattens the human experience?

In this rich conversation, Dr. Jason Baxter (Director of the Center for Beauty and Culture at Benedictine College, author of Why Literature Still Matters and A Beginner’s Guide to Dante’s Divine Comedy) joins Dr. Travis Coblentz of Tactical Faith to explore the enduring wisdom of Dante’s masterpiece.

They discuss:

• How great literature integrates the senses, affections, and intellect — shaping not just what we think, but who we become

• Dante’s moral vision in the Inferno, the transformative journey of Purgatorio, and the role of Beatrice in pointing us toward divine love

• Why literature helps us recover attention, find our blind spots, and resist the abstracting pressures of modern culture

This dialogue serves as a wonderful preview of Dr. Baxter’s upcoming keynote at Tactical Faith’s Worldview Academy 2026 (July 17–18), themed “Finding Our Way with Dante.”

Whether you’ve read Dante or are simply curious about why classic literature remains vital for faith, formation, and cultural renewal, this conversation offers fresh insight into one of the greatest works in the Western tradition.

📚 Resources:

Why Literature Still Matters by Jason Baxter

A Beginner’s Guide to Dante’s Divine Comedy by Jason Baxter

Register for Worldview Academy 2026: https://tacticalfaith.com/worldview/world-view-academy-2026/

Follow Tactical Faith for more conversations at the intersection of faith, beauty, and culture.

Website: https://tacticalfaith.com

Instagram: @tacticalfaith

#Dante #DivineComedy #GreatBooks #Literature #Christianity #Worldview #TacticalFaith #JasonBaxter

Talk 6: “Liturgies of Meaning: The Mythic Mode and the Recovery of Meaning-Making in a Fragmented Age” with Dr. Burford.

Talk 5: “Uncertainty in Science: Why It’s Unavoidable and Why That’s Not Bad” with Dr. McCain.

Talk 4: “Sex Life, Death Drive: The Erotic & Thanatotic In and Out of Eden.” with Fr. Zack Clemmons.

Talk 3: “Justice and Tragedy” with Dr. DeVries

Talk 2: “Leisure and Contemplation” with Dr. Sutton.

Talk 1: “The Old Myth and the New: Meaning, World-Making, and Soul-Formation” with Dr. Coblentz

Matt and Jason Baxter discuss his upcoming book "Why Literature Matters"

We are a 501C3 organization and rely on your support. Please consider giving at

https://tacticalfaith.com/donate/

Thank You for listening!