The Sower

Theological, philosophical, and humanist reactions to the challenges of A.I.

Presentations by John Moore (Walsh College), Thomas Dias (Acton Institute), and Jeff Bristol (independent scholar). Panel chaired by Rachel Ferguson (Concordia University Chicago).

Audio recording of a panel from the 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, March 13, 2026.

0:00 The Sower Episode 97 Introduction by Christopher Anadale
1:00 Panel introduction by Rachel Ferguson
5:29 John Moore. Man and Machine: Catholic Thought on the Implications of Artificial Intelligence
26:55 Thomas Dias. A Maritainian Guide to Our Moment in History: the Open Society, Technology, and the New Christendom
42:18 Jeff Bristol. The Narcissist in the Machine
1:02:29 Q & A

======

The 2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI. Registration now open: https://ciceroniansociety.org/fall-symposium/

The 2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13. Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other weekly podcast, Cicero On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

In this episode, Josh Bowman welcomes Michael Lucchese, member of the Ciceronian Society, to talk about the work of Russell Kirk and his thoughts on the American Founding and political tradition.

Michael is Founder and CEO of Pipe Creek Consulting, as well as a contributing editor to Providence Magazine and an associate editor of Law & Liberty.

Michael is the editor of a new collection of writings by Russell Kirk, On America: How to Understand the Legacy of 1776, published by Creed and Culture.

On America (book). https://creedandculture.com/books/on-america-how-to-understand-the-legacy-of-1776/
https://www.amazon.com/America-How-Understand-Legacy-1776/dp/1967613044

Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal. https://kirkcenter.org/

Pipe Creek Consulting. https://www.pipecreekconsulting.com/

======

The 2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI. Registration now open: https://ciceroniansociety.org/fall-symposium/

The 2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13. Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other weekly podcast, Cicero On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Benjamin Rush, John Jay, and the promotion of republican virtue.

Presentations by Dennis Durst (Kentucky Christian University), Jonathan Den Hartog (Samford University), and Nick Blanda (Hillsdale College).

Audio recording of a panel from the 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, March 15, 2026.

0:00 The Sower Episode 95 Introduction by Christopher Anadale
0:50 Panel introduction by Ethan Alexander-Davey
2:15 Dennis Durst: Founder & Physician, Benjamin Rush & the Health of the New Republic
22:09 Jonathan Den Hartog: John Jay's Prudence & Virtue in the American Revolution
46:00 Nick Blanda: "A Vigilant and Manly Spirit," Founding-Era Efforts to Promote Republican Virtue

======

The 2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI. Registration now open: https://ciceroniansociety.org/fall-symposium/

The 2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13. Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other weekly podcast, Cicero On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Spring 2027 Conference at Regent University

In this episode, Josh Bowman welcomes back Simon Tarr, who is dean of both The Honors College as well as the School of Communication & the Arts at Regent University. We discuss Regent University’s Honors College and Christian identity while looking forward to the Spring 2027 conference to be held on their Virginia Beach Campus.

To learn more about the Honors College, visit: https://www.regent.edu/honors-college/

The Regent University Honors College was a Tulia Sponsor for our 2026 conference in Omaha, NE.

======

2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI

2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13

Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

To learn more about us, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other weekly podcast, Cicero On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Tracking religious liberty legislation & policy at the state level, the 2025 Religious Liberty in the States Report from the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy.

Audio recording of a plenary panel from the 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, March 15, 2026.

0:00 The Sower Episode 93 Introduction by Christopher Anadale
1:13 Panel Introduction, by Paul Mueller
3:12 A Theological Defense of Religious Liberty, by John Wilsey
17:02 Mark David Hall Introduction, by Paul Mueller
17:58 Why Religious Liberty in the States, by Mark David Hall
23:37 2025 Data on Religious Liberty in the States, by Paul Mueller
36:53 Concluding Remarks, by Mark David Hall

======

Dr. Paul Mueller is a Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, where he champions the principles of free enterprise, limited government, and individual liberty. He holds a PhD in economics from George Mason University and spent eight years teaching at The King’s College in New York City before shifting his focus to policy research and public commentary.

Dr. John Wilsey is Professor of Church History and Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Church History and Historical Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Wilsey’s primary areas of teaching are in modern church history, history of Western thought, and American history. He supervises PhD dissertations in the areas of American church history and history of philosophy.

Mark David Hall joined the faculty of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University in 2023. He is one of the most outstanding scholars of early America, whose many distinguished publications have argued persuasively for the crucial importance of Christianity in the flourishing of America’s experiment in ordered liberty. He is also widely regarded as a leading student of religious liberty and church-state relations in America. Dr. Hall earned a B.A. in Political Science from Wheaton College (IL) and a Ph.D. in Government from the University of Virginia. Hall’s primary research and writing interests include American political theory, the relationship between religion and politics, and religious liberty/church-state relations.

======

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Center for Research, Culture, and Democracy: https://crcd.net/

CRCD's Religious Liberty in the States Project:
https://religiouslibertyinthestates.com/
https://crcd.net/projects/religious-liberty-in-the-states/

2025 RLS Report: https://religiouslibertyinthestates.com/downloads/

Dr. Paul Mueller: https://aier.org/people/paul-mueller/

Dr. John Wilsey: https://www.sbts.edu/faculty/john-d-wilsey/

Dr. Mark David Hall: https://www.regent.edu/faculty/mark-david-hall/

======

The Ciceronian Society's 2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI

The Ciceronian Society's 2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13

Proposals are due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other weekly podcast, Cicero On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

A paradigm for Christian leadership & engagement with the secular world.

Josh Bowman interviews Dr. Stephen O. Presley, the Director of Education and Engagement at the Center for Research, Culture, and Democracy (CRCD) as well as a Senior Fellow for Religion and Public Life. The CRCD was one of the Tullia Sponsors for the Ciceronian Society’s 2026 conference in Omaha, and a long time partner and friend.

Looking at two of Presley’s recent books, we specifically consider the role of the church in biblical theology, and the notion of “cultural sanctification” as a paradigm for Christian engagement in the secular world.

======

The Center for Research, Culture, and Democracy: https://crcd.net/

Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the Early Church (Eerdmans, 2024):
https://www.eerdmans.com/9781467468343/cultural-sanctification/

https://www.amazon.com/Cultural-Sanctification-Engaging-World-Church/dp/0802878547

Biblical Theology in the Life of the Early Church: Recovering an Ancient Vision (Baker, 2025):
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781540966414_biblical-theology-in-the-life-of-the-early-church

https://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Theology-Life-Early-Church/dp/1540966410/

Dr. John Wilsey: https://www.sbts.edu/faculty/john-d-wilsey/

======

0:00 Introduction to The Sower Episode 92
2:02 What the CRCD Is
7:12 Why These Two Books, and Why Now
11:31 Why We Should Care About the Early Church
15:44 Today's vs the Ancient Church, Similarities & Differences
20:28 What "Ecclesial Biblical Theology" Means
25:10 What "The Church" Is
29:04 How This Method Can Be Extended to Pagan Texts
32:44 Leadership & Sanctification, Virtue & Faith
37:16 Why We Need Christian Intellectuals
47:19 "Grieving the Loss of Christendom"
54:24 Real Hope or Fool's Hope?
58:53 Stephen Presley's Next Projects

======

The 2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI

The 2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13

Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other weekly podcast, Cicero On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

An Oakeshottian view of the Declaration of Independence. And a historial look at the Declaration's relation to the Articles of Confederation. Presentations by John Grove (Liberty Fund) and Adam Tate (Clayton State University). 

Audio recording of a panel from the 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, March 15, 2026.

0:00 The Sower Episode 91 Introduction by Christopher Anadale
0:52 Panel introduction by John Grove
2:41 John Grove: The Declaration and Rationalism
33:50 Adam Tate: The Declaration, Union, and Confederation

Mentioned in this Episode:

Willmoore Kendall, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willmoore_Kendall

George W. Carey, https://government.georgetown.edu/carey-tribute/

Basic Symbols of the American Tradition, https://archive.org/details/the-basic-symbols-of-the-americ-kendall-willmoore-1909-1967

Michael Oakeshott, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Oakeshott

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Are liberalism and Christianity compatible? Is the American tradition of liberty at odds with Christian teaching? What role might the church have in the civic and economic formation of citizens?

Josh Bowman interviews Dylan Pahman and John Pinheiro about a new reader they’ve edited called The Christian Roots of American Liberty.

The Christian Roots of American Liberty: A Reader
https://shop.acton.org/collections/featured-products/products/the-christian-roots-of-american-liberty

https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Roots-American-Liberty-Reader/dp/B0GR8WTJB8

======

2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI

2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13

Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

0:00 Introduction to The Sower Episode 90
2:12 Why Write This Book (Christian Roots of American Liberty) Now?
11:26 What Does Liberalism Mean?
25:39 Does Liberty Require Christianity?
37:00 Private Property Rights
40:52 Submission to Authority
48:38 The Church's Role in Civic and Economic Formation

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other weekly podcast, Cicero On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

Hillsdale College historian Wilfred McClay discusses: the Sorcerer's Apprentice, allusion, Ariadne, Peter Lawler, Walker Percy, Ted McAllister, Blake, Burke, Chesterton, Emerson, Jaroslav Pelikan, tradition, heritage, Dana Gioia's poem "Planting a Sequoia," Mary Austin, WH Auden, Tocqueville, The Golden Thread, and the nightmarish possibility of an AI Thomas Jefferson.

Poem: https://danagioia.com/planting-a-sequoia/

Keynote address from the 2026 Ciceronian Society Conference in Omaha, Nebraska, March 13, 2026. Introduction by Claire Aguda-Baker, presentation by Wilfred McClay, question & answer period.

0:00 Claire Aguda-Baker introduces Wilfred McClay
7:44 Wilfred McClay, Dreaming of Ariadne: Thoughts on Cultural Restoration
53:54 How can we teach allusion to college students?
1:05:27 Orality is hard for us
1:10:25 History as Legend vs Fact

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

The widely circulated first draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights was a key influence on the Declaration of Independence.

Chris Anadale interviews law professor Nathaniel Fouch about the influence of the Declaration of Independence on state constitutions, the authority of America's founding principles, different responses to Jefferson's egalitarian rhetoric, and more.

Nathaniel Fouch is Assistant Professor of Law at Capital University School of Law in Columbus Ohio, where he teaches Criminal Law and Torts and studies state constitutional law, legal history, jurisprudence, appellate law, and religious liberty and conscience rights. He earned his Juris Doctor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. He was also a Nisbet Fellow at our society's March 2026 conference in Omaha, where he presented a paper titled "The Relationship Between the Declaration of Independence and State Constitutions."

Christopher Anadale is podcast editor for the Ciceronian Society, and Associate Professor of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

======

0:00 Introduction to The Sower Episode 88
1:24 Summary of the Declaration of Independence's Influence on State Constitutions
10:44 Why the Declaration's Authority is Still Relevant in 2026
15:55 PAUL DEHART FAN CLUB CHECK IN
19:22 George Mason's First Draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights
24:37 Three Responses to Jefferson's Claim in the Declaration
31:47 Two Tools for Learning More About State Constitutions
38:35 What Parents and Teachers Can Do Now

Avalon: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/

State Constitutions: https://stateconstitutiontool.org/

======

The 2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI

Proposals due June 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/fall-symposium/fa26cfp/

2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13

Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other podcast, Cicero On Duties, publishing weekly throughout 2026: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3