Christians Reading Classics

Cassiodorus and Classical Education with Joseph Griffith and Joshua Kinlaw

Thu, 21 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Cassiodorus is the kind of historical figure who should be famous and somehow isn’t: a high-level Roman statesman who walks away from power and spends his later life trying to save Christian learning from collapse. That turn gives us one of the most unusual education texts in the Western tradition, Institutions of Divine and Secular Learning, a “book about books” written to stand in for teachers when war makes schools impossible.

Nadya Williams talks with Joshua Kinlaw and Joe Griffith about what makes a book a classic, why classical education keeps resurfacing, and how the trivium and quadrivium were shaped in late antiquity.

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Petrarch's Canzoniere with A. M. Juster

Thu, 14 May 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Petrarch's Canzoniere — 366 poems written over 40 years in pursuit of a woman named Laura — introduced the sonnet to European literature and helped move poetry from Latin into the vernacular. It is also, as A.M. Juster's new translation makes plain, a deeply Augustinian collection: raw, confessional, and unresolved. Nadya Williams talks with Juster about the art of poetic translation, the discipline it demands, and why Petrarch still matters.

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Chapters
0:13 - Introduction to Petrarch's Canzoniere.
0:42 - Discussion on the arc of the story.
1:26 - Overview of Petrarch's themes.
2:23 - Introduction of Petrarch's work.
2:51 - Introduction of Mike Jester.
4:31 - Definition of a Classic.
5:42 - Petrarch's influence on European poetry.
6:41 - Challenges in translating Petrarch.
9:39 - Mike's journey with Petrarch.
15:16 - Mike's personal journey with poetry.
22:51 - Discussion on translation and Latin.
27:14 - Petrarch's confessional poetry.
30:15 - Importance of poetry for Christians.
33:13 - Spiritual aspect of poetry.
40:39 - Translating challenging poems.
46:40 - Upcoming Propersious collection.
53:23 - Final question about classic literature.

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The Great Gatsby with Katy Carl

Thu, 07 May 2026 10:20:00 -0400

A century after its publication, The Great Gatsby still demands more of readers than its first audience was prepared to give. This conversation explores why Fitzgerald's third novel flopped in 1925, how its three-act tragic structure works, and what it means to read its vices and virtues with Christian eyes. Along the way: Fitzgerald's complicated Catholic formation, the role of beauty in a moral imagination, the state of American Christian fiction since the mid-century, and the case for writing classics now. With Nadya Williams and novelist Katy Carl, editor of Word on Fire's literary imprint, Luminor.

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Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

Great American Sermons with John Wilsey and Daniel K. Williams [FULL EPISODE]

Fri, 01 May 2026 11:03:00 -0400

What does it mean for a nation to read its own sermons? This America 250 conversation takes up four of them — Winthrop's A Model of Christian Charity, Edwards's Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Lincoln's Second Inaugural, and King's Mountaintop Sermon — tracing covenant and city-on-a-hill exceptionalism, the personal terror of revival preaching, Lincoln's strange theological restraint amid civil war, and King's prescient final words. The episode closes on what it means to read the dead with charity, and on John Wilsey's new book, God and Country. With host Nadya Williams, John Wilsey (SBTS), and Daniel Williams (Ashland University).

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Chapters

00:00 - Reading Winthrop
02:12 - Welcome and Introductions
04:11 - Why Read Classic Sermons?
06:54 - Winthrop and the Puritan Errand
12:12 - City on a Hill: Promise and Warning
16:37 - Edwards and the Great Awakening
25:18 - Reading the Room in 1741
35:40 - Lincoln's Second Inaugural
43:31 - The Passive Voice and Providence
46:33 - King's Mountaintop Sermon
55:27 - Loving Our Historical Neighbors
1:03:06 - Why History Is Who We Are

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Thomas Aquinas For Protestants with Miles Smith

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:54:00 -0400

Can a Protestant read Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologiae without converting to Catholicism? Nadya Williams welcomes Miles Smith IV (Hillsdale College) to take up the question currently churning on social media. Miles argues yes — and that the more interesting question lies upstream: what do Christians do with Aristotle? Along the way, they consider the Summa's 13th-century context, its reception alongside Dante and through the Black Death, the Socratic shape of Aquinas's method, and why certain books (the Summa, Willa Cather's My Ántonia, Lewis's Till We Have Faces) break us open while others simply don't.

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00:00 - Aquinas's Prologue and Welcome
02:18 - Introducing Miles Smith IV
03:11 - What Makes a Classic?
04:18 - Reading Aquinas as a Protestant
08:34 - The Social Media Debate Behind This Episode
09:26 - Who Was Thomas Aquinas?
11:46 - Reason, Revelation, and What Evangelicals Already Assume
12:47 - The Aristotle Question
15:20 - Virtue, Flourishing, and the Knowledge of God
18:04 - How to Begin Reading the Summa
20:52 - The Socratic Method and Aquinas's Contemporaries
24:25 - The Summa, Dante, and the Black Death
29:02 - Theology, Philosophy, and Devotion
31:03 - Books That Break Us (and Till We Have Faces)
33:10 - The Classic Miles Wishes He Had Written

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The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne with Jeff Bilbro | American 250

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and Jeff Bilbro discuss Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter — its Puritan setting, Hawthorne's fraught ancestry, and the novel's three responses to sin: moralistic judgment, escapist relativism, and Hester's redemptive middle path. They also touch on Hawthorne's friendships with the Transcendentalists, the dangers of cancel culture, and Jeff's forthcoming book on AI and creaturely intelligence.

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00:00 - Introduction & What Is a Classic?
05:10 - American Classics & the Year 250
07:15 - Short Books vs. Long Books
09:33 - Hawthorne: Life & Context
14:11 - The Plot: Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, Pearl
17:23 - Three Responses to Sin
25:08 - Dimmesdale & Self-Deception
29:10 - Pearl & Spiritual Formation
33:43 - Chillingworth: Truth-Hunting for Power
36:17 - What Christians Should Notice
42:16 - Creaturely Intelligence (Jeff's Forthcoming Book)
47:31 - What Classic Would You Have Written?

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain with Ivana Greco and Dixie Dillon Lane

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:37:00 -0400

Nadya Williams, Ivana Greco, and Dixie Dillon Lane discuss Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer — 150 years old this year — as a window into antebellum American childhood, the timeless challenge of raising boys, and what it means to read classics across generations. Why does Twain's rapscallion hero outlast Sid in the cultural imagination? What does Aunt Polly's long-suffering love reveal about providence and parenting? And which American classics deserve a second look in the year of America 250?

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Chapter

00:00 - Introduction & what makes an American classic
03:00 - Favorite American classics for children
04:15 - Can you hate a classic? What parents look for
06:52 - Books build culture
08:45 - How parenting changes reading habits
11:58 - Entering Tom Sawyer: the world of the novel
13:51 - Tom's misadventures (and Ivana's canoe confession)
18:06 - The cast of characters: Tom, Huck, Becky, Aunt Polly
24:12 - Reading Tom Sawyer historically: slavery, race, and context
26:50 - Who is really raising Tom Sawyer?
31:16 - What would you do if you were raising Tom?
34:51 - Tom, women, and the civilizing impulse
38:44 - How a book about mischief became a great American novel

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Moby Dick by Herman Melville with Christina Bieber Lake

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and Christina Bieber Lake discuss Moby Dick — why Americans should read it, what Melville understood about arrogance and the uncontrollable, and how the novel's humor, sprawling cetology chapters, and the famous doubloon scene all serve a single theme: the tragedy of trying to master what cannot be mastered.

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Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv (or M.Div., your choice) and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship: https://bit.ly/OurRisenLord

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00:00 - Introduction & Opening Reading
01:58 - Christina Bieber Lake's Background
05:17 - What Makes a Classic?
10:01 - Why Americans Should Read Moby Dick
14:02 - Melville: Who He Was and What He Believed
18:08 - Approaching a 625-Page Novel
21:54 - Plot, Characters, and the Ship's Crew
25:51 - The Doubloon Chapter: Melville's Theme of Reading
28:39 - Humor in Moby Dick
31:50 - The Cetology Chapters and Language
34:43 - Ahab, Job, and the Desire for Control
36:00 - Ishmael as Survivor and Narrator
39:39 - The Masculinity of the Novel
49:01 - Reception and Why It Flopped
50:15 - Long Books and the Muscle of Attention
54:30 - Closing Question: A Classic You Wish You'd Written

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Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand with David Kee

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and David Kee discuss Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged — its origins, philosophy, and enduring relevance for American Christians. Kee, a business professor at Harding University who teaches the novel, traces Rand's objectivism, the tension between individualism and collectivism, and what a Christian engagement with her work requires.

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Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Reading from Atlas Shrugged
01:10 - Guest Introduction: David Key
02:00 - David's Background: From Geneva to Entrepreneurship to Academia
08:10 - Defining a Classic
10:56 - How David First Encountered Atlas Shrugged
13:04 - Who Was Ayn Rand?
25:03 - Teaching Atlas Shrugged to Business Students
32:27 - Individualism, Collectivism, and the Christian Worldview
39:11 - The Mystery of John Galt
44:10 - Elevating the Entrepreneur
52:35 - Why Christians in America Should Read This Book
53:25 - What Classic David Wishes He Had Written

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Mansfield Park by Jane Austen with Beatrice Scudeler

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:53:00 -0400

Jane Austen's most underrated novel is also her most serious. In this conversation, books editor Nadya Williams and essayist Beatrice Scudeler explore what Mansfield Park has to say about virtue, vocation, wealth, and the formation of character -- and why Fanny Price, the novel's quiet, overlooked heroine, may be Austen's most carefully drawn moral portrait.

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Chapters

00:03 -- Opening: Austen reads the opening lines of Mansfield Park; Nadya introduces the episode and season premise
01:48 -- Defining a classic: what makes a work speak across centuries without losing its rootedness in its own time
05:29 -- Why Mansfield Park for America's 250th: Austen, evangelical Christianity, and the values that crossed the Atlantic
08:48 -- The plot: Fanny Price, the Bertrams, and what happens when the Crawfords arrive from London
13:35 -- The problem of Fanny Price: why modern readers resist her, and why Lionel Trilling diagnosed the real issue in the 1960s
19:57 -- Fanny as a sympathetic character: what it means to be 10 years old, sent away from your family, and expected to be grateful
25:09 -- The absent adults: Sir Thomas, Lady Bertram, and the novel's indictment of parenting by principle without presence
27:09 -- Was Fanny autobiographical? The case for Jane Austen as observer, introvert, and moral compass
33:15 -- What money buys: education, time, space for contemplation -- and what it cannot buy
39:07 -- Marriage as formation: why Austen's vision of marriage is still revolutionary, and what we've lost by privatizing it
41:16 -- Why Mansfield Park may be Austen's best: constancy, prudence, and the virtue of being the quiet center that holds everything together
48:45 -- Closing question: what classic would Beatrice have written? Anne Bronte's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

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The Nichomachean Ethics by Aristotle with Sabrina Little | America 250

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and Sabrina Little explore Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics — its account of virtue as habit, the teleological shape of a good life, and how athletics and daily practice form character. Little connects Aristotle to Aquinas, parenting, and her own work as an elite ultramarathoner and philosopher.

00:00 - Introduction
02:35 - What is a classic?
03:51 - Why the Nicomachean Ethics for American Christians?
07:19 - Aristotle's aims: eudaimonia and virtue
10:24 - The contemplative life vs. the practical life
13:38 - How college life trains students in virtue
18:13 - Advice for first-time readers of Aristotle
22:27 - The Examined Run: athletics and moral formation
28:29 - Teaching virtue to young children
32:03 - Would Aristotle recognize our struggles today?
34:57 - Aristotle and women
36:07 - What classic do you wish you had written?

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Wuthering Heights with Evie Solheim

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Nadya Williams and Evie Solheim discuss Wuthering Heights, what makes it a gothic classic, why Emily Brontë's moral ambiguity still provokes, how the novel speaks to a generation starved for romance, and why the new film adaptation trades subtlety for TikTok-style spectacle. Also: Anna Karenina, Virginia Woolf, and Greta Gerwig's Narnia.

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Chapters

00:11 – Opening reading from Wuthering Heights and intro to the Brontë sisters
01:54 – Welcome to Season 2 of Christians Reading Classics; introducing Evie Solheim
03:25 – What makes a classic? Timelessness, breaking the mold, and the canon
06:35 – Plot summary: key characters, places, and the structure of the novel
08:43 – The gothic genre: origins, elements, and its American descendants
10:22 – Southern Gothic: Flannery O'Connor, Faulkner, and True Detective
13:12 – How we first meet Cathy — and the unreliable narrators telling her story
16:28 – Advice for first-time readers: Emily Brontë's biography and creative world
19:43 – Virginia Woolf's essay on Wuthering Heights and what it means to write like that
22:56 – Why Wuthering Heights resonates with Americans today: romance, apps, and longing
27:21 – The new film adaptation: competing with TikTok, not other movies
31:43 – Comparing Wuthering Heights to Gone with the Wind: land, love, and star-crossed tropes
36:28 – Good cinematic adaptations: Greta Gerwig's Little Women vs. Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights
41:10 – Is Wuthering Heights amoral? Reading Heathcliff's fate through a biblical lens
47:29 – Closing question: the classic Evie wishes she had written — Anna Karenina

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Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe with Obbie Tyler Todd | America 250

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Nadya Williams and Obbie Tyler Todd explore Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin as part of season two's focus on classics American Christians should read for America's 250th. They discuss the Beecher family's influence, the Fugitive Slave Law as the book's impetus, Stowe's deeply scriptural approach to critiquing slavery, the Christ-likeness of Uncle Tom, and why the novel's theological vision — not merely its abolitionism — gave it such enduring power.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Uncle Tom's Cabin

02:21 Defining a Classic

06:57 The Importance of Uncle Tom's Cabin for Christians

12:06 The Beecher Family Legacy

20:45 Harriet Beecher Stowe's Impact on American Sentiment

27:43 Introducing Uncle Tom's Cabin to New Readers

29:59 Moral Complexity of Slavery

32:17 The Christian Perspective on Slavery

35:32 Character Development and Redemption

38:50 Contrasting Narratives of Slavery

46:01 Evangelical Reception of Uncle Tom's Cabin

50:45 International Reception and Impact

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Brave New World by Aldous Huxley with Katelyn Walls Shelton | America 250

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Nadya Williams and Katelyn Walls Shelton discuss Aldous Huxley's Brave New World — its haunting parallels to embryo selection, reproductive biotechnology, and pleasure-maximizing culture — and what Christians should make of a novel that reads less like dystopian fiction and more like this morning's news.

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Chapters

00:00 — Introduction & what makes a classic
05:00 — Brave New World mirrors our world: embryo selection, Orchid, Gattaca
07:16 — Why Christians in America should read this book
14:19 — Plot overview: hatcheries, Bernard, Lenina, John the Savage
23:40 — Life in the World State: conditioning, sexuality, soma, death
35:40 — Huxley's own contradictions: Doors of Perception and his LSD death
39:17 — Current reproductive biotechnologies: embryo grading, gene editing, artificial wombs
49:43 — Closing: The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula Le Guin

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The Education of Henry Adams with Leah Libresco Sargeant | America 250

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Nadya Williams, Books Editor for Mere Orthodoxy, talks with Leah Libresco Sargeant, author of The Dignity of Dependence, about Henry Adams's The Education of Henry Adams—specifically the chapter "The Dynamo and the Virgin." They explore Adams's experience of the sublime at the 1900 Paris World Fair, his unresolved spiritual longings, what his Unitarian background reveals about American Christianity, and how Leah's work on embodiment and dependence offers a striking counterpoint to Adams's life of the mind. Plus: Leah's classic pick, Flatland.

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Chapters

00:00 – Introduction & Background on Henry Adams
03:44 – Memoir as a Genre
06:27 – Why Read Adams for America's 250th
09:21 – The Dynamo and the Virgin Explained
13:18 – Adams's Faith and Spiritual Longings
20:34 – Technology, Awe, and False Worship
26:45 – Tips for First-Time Readers
28:24 – The Dignity of Dependence
37:31 – Classic You Wish You'd Written

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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass with Shilo Brooks | America 250

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Dr. Shilo Brooks joins Nadia Williams to explore Frederick Douglass's Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845), examining how this 60-page masterwork remains profoundly relevant for understanding liberty, education, and authentic Christianity. Brooks illuminates how Douglass's self-taught literacy became an act of spiritual and intellectual liberation—proving that "education and slavery are incompatible." The conversation traces Douglass's journey from Maryland plantation to becoming America's greatest orator, while addressing his critique of slaveholding Christianity versus genuine faith and the enduring lessons on what liberal education requires for sustaining free citizenship.

Chapters:

00:05 Opening: Douglass's Unknown Birthday
04:14 Why This Book Is a Classic
09:49 Target Audiences: Then and Now
13:47 Adjusting to Freedom
16:32 Teaching Himself to Read (Illegally)
19:51 Education and Slavery Are Incompatible
23:04 Convincing Students That Reading Changes Lives
27:36 The Cast of Characters: Slaveholders and Fellow Slaves
33:11 The Wrestling Match with Covey
37:15 Teaching Bible School to Fellow Slaves
40:18 How Did He Become Such a Beautiful Writer?
42:21 Douglass's Theology and Providence
45:48 Noble Ambition: Brooks's Forthcoming Book
50:25 Classic Books I Wish I'd Written

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America 250: Books American Christians Should Read | Season 2 Preview

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0500

In this preview episode for Season 2 of Christians Reading Classics, host Nadya Williams sets the stage for an ambitious exploration of books that American Christians should read in honor of America's 250th birthday in 2026.

Opening with Thomas Jefferson's 1771 letter to Robert Skipwith about building his Monticello library, Williams frames the season around a central question: What role do books play in forming the American Christian imagination? Jefferson argued that fiction and classical works are "useful" because they "fix us in the principles and practice of virtue"—exercising our moral dispositions like muscles until they become habits.

This season examines how classic books—both American and those that shaped American thought—enrich our imagination while alleviating modern anxiety. As Williams puts it, "reading classic books really is the intellectual equivalent of touching grass."

Upcoming episodes include:

Frederick Douglass's Narrative with Dr. Shiloh Brooks
Henry Adams's The Education of Henry Adams with Leah Libresco Sargent
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World with Caitlin Walls Shelton
Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin with Obie Tyler Todd
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics with ultra-marathoner and virtue philosopher Sabrina B. Little (including discussion on teaching virtues to children)

Key Themes

How classic books form a "library of the mind" that shapes souls and affections
The timeless, good, true, and beautiful qualities that define a classic
How books grow with us, revealing new insights with each reading
The relationship between reading and virtue formation

About the Host

Nadya Williams is Books Editor at Mere Orthodoxy and author of Christians Reading Classics (Zondervan Academic).

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Reading Ancient Pagans As Modern Christians

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Nadya Williams explores the myth of Tantalus and its implications on the nature of success and temptation. She delves into how Tantalus' horrific actions reflect the seductive nature of victory and the potential consequences of testing divine powers. Nadya highlights the duality of success as both a reward and a burden, emphasizing the need for caution in the pursuit of greatness.

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The Scandal of the Christian Imagination

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0400

As we wrap up season 1 of Christians Reading Classics, Nadya reflects on the scandal of the Christian imagination and the role of reading classic books in forming a nourished imagination.

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T.S. Eliot - The Hollow Men with Eric Hutchinson

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 06:50:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and Eric Hutchinson delve into T.S. Eliot's poem 'The Hollow Men', exploring its themes, complexities, and the nature of classic literature. They discuss what defines a classic, the challenges of appreciating poetry today, and how to cultivate an appreciation for it. The conversation also touches on the role of poets in society and the importance of art and poetry in the human experience, concluding with reflections on the necessity of literature and the interconnectedness of past and present works.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to T.S. Eliot and The Hollow Men

03:09 Defining a Classic: What Makes Literature Timeless?

05:56 The Challenges of Appreciating Classics in Modern Times

09:03 Training Ourselves to Read and Appreciate Poetry

11:54 The Complexity of The Hollow Men: Analyzing the Poem

14:54 Imagery and Themes in The Hollow Men

17:51 Understanding the Spiritual Disease in The Hollow Men

21:01 The Role of Community in Appreciating Poetry

23:51 The Lasting Impact of T.S. Eliot's Work

33:32 Aeneas and the Underworld: Literary Connections

39:13 Intertextuality: Virgil, Dante, and Conrad

45:04 The Role of Tradition in Literature

49:51 The Poet's Purpose: Creation and Connection

57:51 The Necessity of Poetry in Human Experience

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C.S. Lewis - The Great Divorce with Dr. Leslie Baynes

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:02:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and Dr. Leslie Baynes explore the works of C.S. Lewis, particularly focusing on 'The Great Divorce.' They discuss the definition of a classic, the significance of free will, and the themes of choice and divine grace in Lewis's writing. The conversation also touches on Lewis's influences, his relationships with women, and the timeless messages found in his works that resonate with modern readers. Additionally, Dr. Baynes shares insights about her upcoming book on Lewis and the Bible.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to C.S. Lewis and His Works

02:47 Defining a Classic: The Enduring Nature of Literature

05:51 The Impact of C.S. Lewis's Works on Readers

08:46 C.S. Lewis's Life and Influences During WWII

11:57 The Great Divorce: Themes and Symbolism

14:51 Understanding Theosis and Its Significance

17:34 The Role of Language and Beauty in Lewis's Writing

20:48 The Evolution of Lewis's Poetry and Literary Style

22:47 The Lasting Legacy of C.S. Lewis

31:24 Theosis and Divine Reality

34:08 The Vignettes of The Great Divorce

37:26 Free Will and Self-Reflection

42:11 Universalism vs. Predestination

44:23 Timeless Lessons from The Great Divorce

47:11 Exploring Lewis's New Book

56:05 Literary Influences and Personal Connections

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Dorothy L. Sayers - Gaudy Night with Carolyn Weber

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and Carolyn Weber explore the literary significance of Dorothy L. Sayers' 'Gaudy Night', discussing its themes of women's roles in academia, the intersection of murder mysteries and theology, and the nature of what constitutes a classic. They look into Sayers' complex character, her contributions to literature, and the broader implications of her work in the context of 20th-century society.

Chapters

00:00 The Literary Landscape of 1935

03:15 Defining a Classic

04:53 Dorothy L. Sayers: A Complex Figure

09:42 Murder Mysteries and Theology

11:42 Exploring Gaudy Night

19:12 Oxford as a Character

22:37 Women in Academia

30:07 The Pursuit of Meaningful Work

32:47 The Unusual Mystery of Gaudy Night

40:04 Reading Murder Mysteries as a Christian

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Flannery O'Connor - A Good Man Is Hard To Find with Jon Parrish Peede

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and Jon Parrish Peede discuss the literary legacy of Flannery O'Connor, exploring her impact on American literature and the theological themes present in her work. They highlight the Southern Gothic genre, O'Connor's unique storytelling style, and the reader's engagement with her stories. It also touches on her reception over the years and personal reflections on her most significant works.

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

Sinclair Lewis - It Couldn't Happen Here with Daniel K. Williams

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and historian Daniel K. Williams examine Sinclair Lewis's 1935 novel "It Can't Happen Here," analyzing its treatment of democracy, authoritarianism, and religion's political role. Their discussion covers what qualifies a work as a literary classic, the historical circumstances surrounding Lewis's writing, and how his observations about democratic institutions' vulnerability and the manipulation of religious sentiment for political ends continue to resonate with contemporary American political debates and concerns about authoritarianism.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Sinclair Lewis and His Work

02:54 Defining a Classic: What Makes Literature Enduring?

05:56 Sinclair Lewis: The Man Behind the Novels

11:44 Exploring the Themes of It Can't Happen Here

20:34 The Role of Religion in American Politics

28:29 Reflections on Mainstream America in the 1930s

31:56 The Spiritual Crisis Behind Authoritarianism

33:59 Literary Merits and Critiques of Sinclair Lewis

36:04 Public Reception and Political Context of the Novel

39:37 Huey Long and the Threat of Authoritarianism

43:00 Reading the Novel as Christians in 2025

47:06 The Attraction to Authoritarianism and Hyper Patriotism

50:20 Preserving Democracy: A Call for Self-Critical Patriotism

52:03I nfluential Classics and Historical Understanding

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The Heart of a Dog - Mikhail Bulgakov with Vika Pechersky

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and Vika Pichersky delve into Mikhail Bulgakov's 'Heart of a Dog,' exploring its themes, characters, and the critique of Soviet society. They discuss the nature of classics, the challenges of translation, and the moral questions raised by the transformation of a dog into a human. The conversation highlights the relevance of Bulgakov's work in contemporary discussions about humanity, morality, and the role of fiction in conveying complex truths.

Chapters

00:00 Exploring the Context of Bulgakov's Work

02:37 Defining Literary Classics

05:34 Navigating Russian Literature in Translation

08:51 Understanding Heart of a Dog

11:38 Character Analysis and Themes in Heart of a Dog

17:34 The Role of Science and Morality

23:28 Bulgakov's Critique of Soviet Society

29:33 The Purpose of Fiction and Its Relevance Today

Links

Vika Pechersky, "Dostoevsky: Prophet and Radical Visionary for an Apocalyptic Future"

Vika Pechersky, "What Dostoevsky Taught Me About Sending My Son to College"

Vika Pechersky, "Dostoevsky and Euthanasia"

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

C. S. Lewis - That Hideous Strength with Philip D. Bunn and Ronni Kurtz

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams discusses C.S. Lewis's novel 'That Hideous Strength' with experts Philip Bunn and Ronni Kurtz. They explore the themes of the book, its place in Lewis's Space Trilogy, and the significance of literary classics. The theological implications of Lewis's work, character analysis, the role of academia, and the ethical considerations surrounding technology are discussed as well. The conversation highlights the relevance of Lewis's ideas in today's context, particularly regarding the nature of humanity and the purpose of fiction.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to C.S. Lewis and 'That Hideous Strength'

02:55 Defining a Classic: What Makes Literature Timeless?

05:55 Exploring C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy: Themes and Structure

09:01 Theological Underpinnings in 'That Hideous Strength'

11:52 Character Dynamics: Mark and Jane's Journey

15:09 Academic Settings and Their Critique in Lewis's Work

17:59 Technology and Education: A Modern Reflection

21:07 The Dangers of AI and Its Philosophical Implications

24:08 Corruption of Thought: The Impact of Misrepresentation

27:09 Philosophical Questions: The NICE and Its Convictions

28:45 Exploring the NICE Mentality

31:28 The Role of Finitude in Humanity

34:18 Ransom: The Unremarkable Hero

40:09 C.S. Lewis: A Reflection of His Character

42:31 Resonance of Lewis's Work Today

48:40 The Purpose of Fiction

55:13 Classic Literature Aspirations

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

Alexis de Tocqueville - Democracy in America with John Wilsey

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Nadia Williams speaks with church historian John Wilsey about Alexis de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America," marking its 190th anniversary. They explore what makes this political work a classic, Tocqueville's aristocratic background and surprising observations about American equality, religion's central role in preserving democratic freedom, and why American conservatives should appreciate his insights about the balance between individual liberty and community responsibility.

Chapters

0:00 - What Makes a Classic
7:30 - Tocqueville's Aristocratic Background
23:17 - The Prison Reform Pretext
26:16 - Structure of Democracy in America
39:56 - Religion's Surprising Role in Democracy
55:24 - The Book's Reception Then and Now
57:53 - Why Conservatives Should Read Tocqueville
1:06:19 - Freedom Requires Responsibility
1:09:20 - The Book John Wishes He'd Written

Links

1. John D. Wilsey's abridgment of Democracy in America

2. George Wilson Pierson, Tocqueville in America

3. Gustave de Beaumont, Marie, Or Slavery in the United States

4. Year-long Vital Remnants season on Democracy in America

5. Robert Tracy McKenzie, We the Fallen People

6. This podcast is based on this edition of Democracy in America--it is the Liberty Fund edition translated by James T. Schleifer and edited by Eduardo Nolla.

7. John D. Wilsey, Religious Freedom: A Conservative Primer

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

The Nicene Creed with Shawn Wilhite and Coleman Ford

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams talks with theologians Coleman Ford and Shawn Wilhite about the Nicene Creed, marking its 1700th anniversary. They explore what makes a theological work a "classic," the historical background of the Council of Nicaea, the meaning of key Christological terms, and how to "think Nicenely" in the Christian life. The discussion blends history, theology, and practical discipleship, showing how the Creed shapes Christian identity and worship.

Chapters
00:04 – Introduction and Reading of the Nicene Creed
02:18 – Guests' Backgrounds and Book Collaboration
02:57 – What Makes a Theological Classic?
07:19 – Defining the Work of Theologians as "Doctors of the Soul"
17:18 – Historical Background of the Council of Nicaea
22:47 – Why the Debate over Christ's Relationship to the Father Mattered
28:21 – Constantine's Role and Political Context
32:23 – Structure of the Creed and Differences Between 325 and 381 Versions
38:25 – Christology in the Creed: Begottenness, Substance, and "Light from Light"
49:50 – Visual Imagery and Theological Language
54:32 – Thinking "Nicenely" and Why It Matters Today
01:00:18 – Writing Together as Friends
01:04:21 – Classics the Guests Wish They Had Written

Links

Coleman Ford and Shawn Wilhite, Nicaea for Today: Why an Ancient Creed (Still) Matters

Coleman Ford and Shawn Wilhite, Ancient Wisdom for the Care of Souls

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

J.R.R. Tolkien - The Return of the King with Kirsten Sanders

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams talks with theologian Kirsten Sanders about J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King, exploring its vision of good and evil, the tragic imagination, and the "faith of hobbits." They discuss why classics endure, the theological depth of Tolkien's world, the moral resonance of small acts of faithfulness, and the book's bittersweet ending.

Chapters
00:03 – Tolkien's life, The Hobbit, and the birth of The Lord of the Rings
02:44 – What makes a book a classic?
05:19 – A reluctant Tolkien reader finds unexpected resonance
10:53 – The quest, the ring, and the nature of evil
14:11 – Evil's hunger and the metaphors of light and darkness
17:56 – Frodo's smallness and the anthropology of humble creatures
20:49 – The tragic tone of The Return of the King
23:02 – Denethor's despair and Gandalf's call to do good
28:30 – The faith of hobbits and resisting nihilism
30:38 – Tolkien's gift for character and detail
31:42 – Gandalf, Tom Bombadil, and the mystery of the unaffected
34:27 – Elves, tradition, and the long memory of history
36:46 – Everything is theological: why the story works
39:03 – Sanders' current and future book projects
41:21 – The faith of hobbits in daily life
42:40 – The power of tangible care and the visible good
44:06 – The devastating beauty of Kristin Lavransdatter
44:59 – Rethinking feminist novels and facing "big books"

Links

Kirsten Sanders, "For Eowyn"

Jake Meador, "What I Saw in the Shire--JRR Tolkien and the Love of Little Things"

Holly Ordway, "Hobbits and Empire: Geography and the Life of Nations in Tolkien's Writings"

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

Lewis Carroll - Alice in Wonderland with John Shelton

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Nadya Williams and guest John Shelton explore Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland on its 160th anniversary. They discuss what makes a book a "classic," the balance between whimsy and seriousness, Carroll's satirical brilliance, and the enduring cultural impact of Alice. The conversation highlights themes of logic, absurdity, moral imagination, and the shaping of children's literature.

Chapters
00:03 – Introduction to Lewis Carroll and Alice's enduring appeal
03:00 – What makes a literary work a "classic"?
06:16 – Why Alice's humor still works
07:43 – Iconic phrases and cultural influence
09:19 – Whimsy as serious work
11:42 – The sacredness of delight
13:38 – Influence on later works and pop culture
14:58 – The importance of the written form and illustrations
24:30 – The challenge of adapting Alice to other media
25:08 – Children's classics and parental reading traditions
27:27 – Violence, absurdity, and what's "too scary" for kids
31:16 – The rise of children's literature in Carroll's time
36:49 – Logic, madness, and education
37:18 – Carroll's faith and the spiritual dimension of whimsy
39:14 – The purpose of children's literature
41:20 – Selecting books for children and moral lessons from stories
45:13 – Learning the right use of force and justice
46:34 – Recognizing and mocking true absurdity
50:27 – Subtle moral norms in Alice
52:17 – Books the guest wishes he had written
54:56 – The relational nature of children's books
57:27 – Stories as moral frameworks for life

Links

John Shelton, "Stories After Virtue: Reading As A Moral Enterprise"

Tara Thieke, "Cats and Sixty Foot Whales: Reflections on Children's Literature"

Lewis Carroll, An Easter Greeting to every child who loves Alice - Alice-in-Wonderland.net

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Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House on the Prairie with John Fry and LuElla D'Amico

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 11:58:00 -0400

In this episode of Christians Reading Classics, Nadya Williams talks with historian John Fry and children's literature scholar LuElla D'Amico about Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie. They explore what makes a children's book a classic, Wilder's life and historical context, the collaboration with her daughter Rose, and the enduring moral and cultural resonance of the series. The conversation touches on themes of virtue, nostalgia, cross-cultural appeal, and the complexities of reading historical works through modern eyes.

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Little House on the Prairie and Guests
02:18 – What Makes a Classic in Children's Literature?
07:54 – Personal Connections to the Little House Books
12:02 – Laura Ingalls Wilder's Life and Historical Context
22:02 – Story Overview and Thematic Highlights
31:38 – Advice for First-Time Readers
37:17 – Why Wilder Wrote the Books and the Role of Rose Wilder Lane
48:32 – Wilder's Faith and Its Influence in the Series
52:02 – Reading with a Theological Imagination
55:19 – Closing Thoughts and Books the Guests Wish They Had Written

Links

John Fry, A Prairie Faith: The Religious Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder

LuElla D'Amico, "The Art of Good Gossip: Unexpected Lessons About Virtue and Community from Little Women"

LuElla D'Amico, "Wondrous Reading"

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

Ignazio Silone - Bread and Wine with Geoffrey Kurtz

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 11:55:00 -0400

Nadya Williams talks with Geoffrey Kurtz about Ignazio Silone's Bread and Wine, exploring its political, spiritual, and literary significance. They discuss what makes a classic, Silone's shift from communism to a more open-ended moral vision, the novel's blend of politics and clandestine faith, and the transformation of its protagonist, Pietro Spina, through solitude and friendship.

Chapters
00:02 – Silone's author's note and the idea of rewriting one's "soul book"
02:29 – Defining a classic: resonance across time and place
04:24 – Silone's life, politics, and exile
08:54 – From political collapse to becoming a novelist
11:00 – The 1936 and 1955 editions: from didactic to subtle
13:13 – Setting and premise of Bread and Wine
14:35 – Disguise, solitude, and unexpected friendships
17:45 – Growth in character and writing craft
18:10 – How much is Spina autobiographical?
21:51 – Political and religious dimensions rooted in the same moral impulse
24:53 – Don Benedetto as a bridge between action and contemplation
29:33 – God's clandestine presence in the novel
31:08 – Solitude as the seed of transformation
35:48 – Loneliness, community, and the longing for safe relationships
36:30 – Reception in Italy, the U.S., and among leftists and Catholics
43:50 – Politics bounded by love and human dignity
47:26 – Kurtz's intellectual journey and democratic socialism
50:55 – On "democratic socialist" vs. "social democrat"
51:38 – Current reading: Wendell Berry and parallels to Silone
54:21 – A classic Kurtz wishes he'd written

Links

Geoffrey Kurtz, "How to Be a Liberal-Socialist-Conservative"

Geoffrey Kurtz, Jean Jaurès: The Inner Life of Social Democracy

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

A. A. Milne - Winnie the Pooh with Ivana D. Greco and Dixie Dillon Lane

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 11:52:00 -0400

Nadya Williams is joined by Ivana Greco and Dixie Dillon-Lane to explore Winnie-the-Pooh as a children's classic. They discuss what makes a book timeless, how Milne's humor and characterization capture the child's mind, the role of family lore and shared cultural touchstones, and how to navigate classics that don't click with every child.

Chapters
00:03 – Origins of Winnie-the-Pooh and its enduring appeal
03:19 – Defining a "classic" in children's literature
07:11 – Story plots, character development, and the child's perspective
09:16 – Humor, literal thinking, and being "in on the joke"
13:10 – Power dynamics, Christopher Robin, and imaginative escape
15:32 – Re-reading classics through different life stages
17:05 – Songs, riddles, and the child's interior life
21:25 – The instinctive music of childhood
24:55 – Character archetypes: Eeyore, Tigger, and self-recognition
29:46 – Literary touchstones in family culture
33:43 – When classics don't click with your kids
41:22 – Encouraging literacy in homeschooling
47:12 – Adapting teaching methods to your child and yourself
49:51 – Avoiding power struggles in reading instruction
54:20 – Recognizing slow, steady progress
58:00 – Classics the guests wish they had written
01:07:18 – Books that become part of who we are

Links

Alexander Lenard, Winnie Ille Pu (the Latin translation)

Ivana D. Greco, "The Home Front"

Dixie Dillon Lane, "The Hollow"

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

G.K. Chesterton - The Everlasting Man with Timothy Larsen

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:10:00 -0400

Nadya Williams interviews Dr. Timothy Larsen on G.K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man, exploring its enduring insights on humanity, Christ, and the joy of Christian apologetics. They discuss what makes a "classic," Chesterton's playful paradoxes, his cultural context after WWI, and how to approach the book today.

Key Idea:
Chesterton re-narrates the human story and the gospel with wit, joy, and surprise, inviting readers to see faith anew.

Chapters:
00:00 – Chesterton's Introduction: Seeing Home for the First Time
02:20 – What Makes a Classic Book?
05:15 – Chesterton's Life and Many Roles
07:30 – Why The Everlasting Man Was Written
10:05 – Part One: The Creature Called Man
12:30 – Part Two: The Man Called Christ
14:40 – Paradox and Wit in Apologetics
19:00 – Chesterton as an "Earthy" Christian
21:30 – Reception and Legacy
26:30 – Advice for First-Time Readers
29:40 – Larsen's Upcoming Book on WWI Clergy
33:15 – The Classic Larsen Wishes He'd Written
35:20 – Nadia's Choice of a Classic

Links:

Timothy Larsen, "The Full-Bodied Apologist"

Timothy Larsen, "When H. G. Wells Found God"

Forthcoming book: The Fires of Moloch: Anglican Clergymen in the Furnace of World War One

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships

Introducing: Christians Reading Classics

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:24:00 -0400

Welcome to Christians Reading Classics! A new Mere Orthodoxy podcast hosted Nadya Williams. In this introductory episode, you'll learn what this podcast is all about and what you can look forward to. If you love classic books, or are even interested in learning more about them, you're in the right place.

Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships