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Christians Reading Classics

Mere Orthodoxy

Christians Reading Classics is a podcast about classic books being read through a distinctly Christian lens. Hosted by author and classicist, Nadya Williams, Christians Reading Classics introduces—or should we say—re-introduces listeners to classic works that have inspired generations. Interviewing experts who know these books well, the hope is to inspire listeners and awaken their imagination to God's world through literary, theological, and even children's works that have stood the test of time.

Christians Reading Classics is a Mere Orthodoxy podcast.

Find out more at mereorthodoxy.com

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  • 22 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 56 min
  • English

Episodes 22

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  • S2 · E16
    May 21 · 56 min

    Cassiodorus and Classical Education with Joseph Griffith and Joshua Kinlaw

    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. Christians Reading Classics is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Listen and read The Daily Liturgy by going to http://mereorthodoxy.com/daily-liturgy

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  • S2 · E15
    May 14 · 56 min

    Petrarch's Canzoniere with A. M. Juster

    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. — Christians Reading Classics is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — 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. Christians Reading Classics is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Listen and read The Daily Liturgy by going to http://mereorthodoxy.com/daily-liturgy

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Showing 21–22 of 22 episodes