Glenn starts off the discussion with “On Weeds and Fairy Tales,” an article in Touchstone by Vigen Guroian. Guroian argues that reason and imagination work together to help us make sense of the world, but only imagination lets us get beyond facts into the realm of meaning and helping us develop a moral sense. This was one of the functions of fairy tales traditionally. But Guroian notes a number of weeds that can choke out the moral imagination which he labels the Idyllic Imagination, the Idolatrous Imagination, and the Diabolic Imagination. As usual, Tom and Chris join in the exploration of all these ideas and more.

In today's show Chris reads portions of Leon R. Kass's, The Beginning of Wisdom. The book contains Kass's reflections on the book of Genesis. Kass is Jewish, and a conservative scholar teaching at the University of Chicago. His reflections on the impiety of Noah's son Ham, and how Ham's descendant Nimrod, the political leader behind the Bible's first political dystopia--Babel--are quite profound. His thoughts on the connection between impiety and totalitarianism provide the basis for discussion for Chris, Tom, and Glenn.  

This week Tom follows up his topic last week on Presentism. He introduces the topic of 'historicism' and looks at its role in setting the conditions for the current trend of turning against the past in the name of the present. Historicism comes about when the doctrine of providence gets ripped from the doctrine of creation, making human meaning and purpose merely what it is in terms of historical processes. Glenn and Chris add a plenitude of insights as the topic unfolds.

In this episode Tom introduces the topic of the intellectual fashion of making ‘present’ experience that which has utmost significance. He further shows how this idea has been wedded to the notion that the past has little significance other than being an outmoded relic of evil and oppression. This has contributed to current strands of moral zealotry unleashed against symbols and monuments from the past as well as an all out war on civilization. Chris and Glenn add further insights which shed light on this fashion from a variety of angles, making for a fascinating conversation on the topic.

Glenn starts off by talking about Tolkien and philology, the study of language to understand culture, and looks at its role in creating Middle Earth. He then notes that this idea has largely been reversed in the modern world, where we belief language shapes thought and culture. This leads to Political Correctness and the use of language as a form of thought control. Tom and Chris discuss theological and philosophical ideas surrounding this change and some of the practical effects of it in culture today.

In today’s episode Chris raises the subject of friendship for consideration. What is it? How many forms of friendship are there? What’s the relationship of friendship to citizenship? Can we have too many friends? What’s a bigger threat to friendship, good fortune or bad? These, and many other considerations are discussed while drawing on classical, medieval, and biblical sources.

Tom introduces the theme of ‘the Psychological Captivity of the Church’, setting the topic in relation to Evangelical Christian practice. Chris and Glenn chime in with a host of supportive details that highlight aspects of how the Church has gotten to this place and describing ways in which current teachings and practices have been impacted by this captivity. The group then offer insights from classic Christianity which demonstrate how far many evangelicals have strayed from the historic Christian vision.

What is Chivalry and why is it important? Glenn starts out with a history of the concept and its key elements. The group then reflects on the loss and even inversion of those elements within our culture before moving into a discussion of folk artist Howard Finster.

The Necessity of Chivalry by C.S. Lewis: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBT9LasyC3E&t=3s&fbclid=IwAR1xQgB0t5Kl3deTB_-knygHrP6-4LVx_Qmb6_SW_pDfdycZc830BYdS3n4

Who is the mysterious River-daughter, and how did Tom Bombadil make such a catch? Chris once thought that Goldberry was an afterthought in the story of Tom Bombadil, but after writing a chapter on her for his book on Bombadil, he’s pretty sure that she’s at the heart of his story in more ways than one. Join the conversation as Chris, Glenn, and Tom delve into philosophy of language, metaphysics, and the value of pagan stories.   

This week the Pugsters interview Brian Patrick Mitchell, Eastern Orthodox theologian, and friend of C. R. Wiley. Dr. Mitchell discusses the role of a peculiar strand of Platonism championed by Origen and later by Maximus the Confessor, and how it contradicted the Hebraic understanding of Male and Female within the Alexandrian school of Christianity. Dr. Mitchell believes that this particularly pernicious strand of Platonism is back, and is growing more influential in all branches of the Church.