Liberal Arts Education is a classical academic discipline that focuses on educating the whole person and is rooted in a lifelong study of transcendent, interdisciplinary knowledge. In June 2021, Dr. Margarita Mooney, an associate Professor in the Department of Practical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary and Executive Director of the Scala Foundation, published her book “The Love of Learning: Seven Dialogues on the Liberal Arts” to promote liberal arts education for the improvement of education and human virtue.

In this episode, Dr. Mooney discusses the purpose of a classical education, its preservation of moral virtue and human goodness, and its place in schools and society. Some schools and universities have built their base curriculum from a foundation of the Liberal Arts, while other individual teachers and professors are swimming against the stream by promoting its ideals: the pursuit of holistic, transformative knowledge, in their classroom.

“The Love of Learning” tells the story of seven scholars who fell in love with learning, explores the roots that the Liberal Arts has in Western Tradition, and considers the beauty it offers our contemporary education. It also offers discussion questions between chapters to foster discussion in reading groups or for personal reflection.

The Love of Learning: Seven Dialogues on the Liberal Arts 

Liberal Arts Education in a Free Society 

About Margarita Mooney 

Scala Foundation 

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