The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind

The Jacksonian era would mark a turning point in American politics, particularly regarding the power of the presidency. As we move forward in history, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:

1. Why did the Democratic-Republican party split during Andrew Jackson's presidency?
2. What was the primary goal of the newly formed Whig party?
3. How did the railroad help shift the American economy away from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture?

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.

The beginning of the nineteenth century would continue to test the American experiment. As we explore some of those tests, we'll seek answers to the following questions:

1. In what way did Jefferson break with traditional Federalists in his attitude towards tradition?
2. What was the crux of the disagreement between Jefferson and Chief Justice John Marshall?
3. Why were Federalists discredited in national politics following the Hartford Convention?

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.

Although she was relatively unknown and unappreciated in her time, Jane Austen has since rightfully taken her place as a beloved author. As we survey her life and works, we'll answer the following questions:

1. What did Sir Walter Scott find so compelling about Austen's writings?
2. Why are Austen's books—and, in particular, their lack of grand adventure—so important to the development of Western literature?
3. What did Austen contribute in her novels to the development of the romantic relationship?

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.

The great Romantic author Sir Walter Scott is today considered the father of the historical novel. As we learn more about him, we'll unpack the following questions:

1. How was Scott's Scottish background particularly influential in his development as a writer?
2. What distinguished Scott's criticism of the past from that of his Enlightenment contemporaries?
3. How is Ivanhoe an example of Scott's masterful blending of Enlightenment and Romantic ideals?

Recommended Reading: Scott, Walter. "The Lady of the Lake." 1810.

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.

The second generation of Romantics would move beyond their predecessors, emphasizing the emotional longings of the human soul. As we learn more about these writers, we'll take a look at the following questions:

1. What was Byron trying to accomplish by his travels that differs from the type of tourism we engage in today?
2. How did Percy Shelley attempt to reinvent the poet's role, breaking away from the classical notion of the poet?
3. Why was beauty so important for Keats?

Recommended Reading: Poetry of Lord Byron Keats, John. Ode on a Grecian Urn. 1819.

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Reactions to the Enlightenment emphasis on cold, hard reason would result in the Romantic era, which emphasized the emotional dimension of the human person. On today's episode, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:

1. How did the French Revolution, which was steeped in Enlightenment thought, also end up giving rise to Romanticism?
2. What role did Wordsworth's upbringing in the Lake District play in his development as a Romantic poet?
3. In what sense does Coleridge's poetry, with its emphasis on the interconnectedness of nature, lead to the notion that God is not a loving, covenantal God?

Recommended Reading: Poetry of William Wordsworth Poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.

While Friedrich Schiller was a paragon of optimism, E.T.A. Hoffmann saw a darker side of human nature. To help us explore these two writers, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:

1. Why does tyranny feature so prominently in Schiller's early writings?
2. Why was Schiller concerned with the general rejection of mythology and imagination that he perceived in society?
3. In what way did Hoffmann lay the groundwork for the detective novels that would become popular in the nineteenth century?

Recommended Reading: Schiller, Friedrich. "Ode to Joy." Schiller. "The Power of Song." Schiller. "The Gods of Greece."

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.

The viability of the newly formed United States would be tested in its early years. As we go back to those first few years of the republic, we'll answer the following questions:

1. Why did slavery become such a divisive issue in the early years of the United States?
2. What was unusual about the ministers whom Washington selected?
3. What was so controversial about Hamilton's proposed national bank?

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.

The United States Constitution remains a brilliant legal document as significant today as it was in 1789. To help us understand why, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:

1. Why did the Founding Fathers prefer the term republic over democracy when framing the Constitution?
2. Why did the Framers insist on a clause that forbids Congressmen from adopting titles of nobility?
3. What did James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton accomplish with the Federalist Papers?

Recommended Reading: The United States Constitution

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.

The Declaration of Independence was far from unanimous, yet it became the backbone of the Revolutionary War. As we dive into the Declaration and its ripple effects, we'll address the following questions:

1. Aside from declaring independence, what were the founders looking to accomplish with the Declaration of Independence?
2. If the English Parliament was largely responsible for the injustices against the colonies, why was the king blamed in the Declaration of Independence?
3. What finally convinced France to join the American colonists in their stand against the British?

Recommended Reading: The Declaration of Independence

If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.