The Symbolic World

Jonathan Pageau

Jonathan Pageau looks at symbolism in all its forms, from its source in sacred stories and images to contemporary culture and ultimately how it shapes the world we encounter.

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20 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes20

Newest first

Thursday · 1 hr 14 min
468 - Universal History: Rohlin vs Pageau: The Problems With Nolan’s Odyssey
Deacon Seraphim Rohlin joins me for an emergency Universal History episode to debate Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey. We discuss what the film gets right and where it misunderstands the ancient world. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/lKIxTvWNDNw Join us September 24–26, 2026 for a summit, hosted by Symbolic World in St Giles’, Oxford, United Kingdom at Pusey House: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ Register now for the Universal History Masterclass: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass Price: $180 USD (Get 10% off if you're an Involved patron) Course Length: 6 weeks, 12 hours Live classes are on Wednesdays at 3-5 pm Eastern Time, starting August 5th through September 9th, 2026 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
July 21 · 1 hr 9 min
467 - Nolan’s The Odyssey Full Breakdown: The Post World War 2 Consensus Movie We Need
Spoiler alert. In this video, I offer a full symbolic breakdown of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, going through the entire film sequence by sequence to examine its use of trickery, guilt, hospitality, memory, and the return of the father. I explain that I think Nolan is deliberately unsettling both the left and the right, and why the story he tells is definitely a contemporary retelling, but ultimately more traditional than many viewers realize – and that’s exactly why it’s needed in our world right now. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/ESIzQNfmAo4 Register for Universal History Masterclass during the month of July and get 15% off: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
July 18 · 1 hr 3 min
466 - Malcolm Guite - Old Stories Know Secrets That We Have Forgotten
Malcolm Guite is a poet and Anglican priest. He is a Life Fellow of Girton College, Cambridge and lives in Norfolk, England. He lectures widely in England and North America on Theology and Literature. His books include Sounding the Seasons; Seventy Sonnets for the Christian Year (Canterbury 2012). The Singing Bowl; Collected Poems (Canterbury 2013) and Parable and Paradox (Canterbury Press 2016) and Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Hodder 2017) After Prayer (Canterbury Press 2019) and The Word Within the Words (DLT 2021) and Lifting The Veil, Square Halo, 2021. In 2023 he was awarded the Archbishop Lanfranc Medal for Education and Scholarship by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is presently working on Merlin’s Isle: an Arthuriad a four volume epic poem on The Arthurian legends He has a Youtube series called ‘A Spell in the Library’ at https://www.youtube.com/c/MalcolmGuitespell YouTube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/E5En6DZTYFk Galahad and the Holy Grail: https://store.rabbitroom.com/products/merlins-isle Patrons of The Symbolic World can watch the 30 minute documentary here: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/premium-content/merlins-isle Subscribe here if you’re not already a patron: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Register for Universal History Masterclass during the month of July and get 15% off: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Coming up 01:29 – Introduction 03:05 – Malcolm Guite’s Calling as Priest and Poet 06:39 – Can the Imagination Be Dangerous? 09:27 – Imagination as the Organ of Meaning 11:58 – Fantasy, Escapism, and Enchantment 15:46 – Why Arthurian Stories Resist Modernization 19:57 – Galahad and the Grail 21:20 – What Arthurian Stories Reveal About Human Brokenness 23:27 – The Scope of Malcolm’s Arthurian Project 26:05 – The Dolorous Stroke and the Origin of the Wasteland 30:54 – “You Live in Just Such a World” 33:20 – The Wasteland as a Pattern of Reality 37:51 – Recovering the Christian Meaning of the Grail 40:44 – Universal History Masterclass 42:42 – Why Malcolm Chose the Ballad Form 44:59 – The Collapse of the Materialist Worldview 49:41 – Remembering Without Falling into Unreason 51:46 – Tradition as Active Remembrance 53:19 – Tradition as the Roots of a Living Tree 54:40 – How Irony Destroys Old Stories 57:56 – Daring to Be Naive Again 58:28 – The Four-Volume Arthurian Series 59:54 – Why the Beauty of the Book Matters 01:01:10 – Chivalry, Masculinity, and the Civilized Warrior 01:02:23 – Fellow Travelers in the Recovery of Meaning Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
July 15 · 19 min
465 - The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan's Trick
In this video, I discuss Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated new film adaptation of The Odyssey after watching it at the premiere. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/K3wkrDbRgDs Sign up for the Universal History Masterclass during the month of July and get 15% off: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
July 10 · 27 min
464 - Logos Cinema: Orthodox films, TV shows, and documentaries - streaming now! Get a discount.
I speak with Andrew Stokich, co-founder of Logos Cinema, about building a home for beautiful Christian storytelling. We discuss the limits of modern Christian film, the need to recover deeper symbolic stories, and Logos Cinema’s vision for supporting Orthodox filmmakers and audiences. Special discount link: https://www.logoscinema.com/the-symbolic-world-summit YouTube version: https://youtu.be/LATR7_QsQLY Paradise Imagined. Join us from September 24–26, 2026 for a summit, hosted by Symbolic World in St Giles’, Oxford, United Kingdom at Pusey House. Only 150 tickets will be sold. Don't miss out. https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe
July 8 · 55 min
463 - Universal History: What Was Noah's Ark Really?
In this episode (Part 3 on our series that will soon become about Persia), we continue reading The Cave of Treasures with Deacon Seraphim, looking at Noah, the world before the flood, the strange traditions around the Ark, and how Adam, Paradise, priesthood, and Melchizedek are all carried through the waters into the new world. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IMd160ye1OM Register now and get 15% off the Universal History Masterclass! https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass Part 1: https://youtu.be/f--wBUEAxjY?si=thM3QIB4jcwnqpzu Part 2: https://youtu.be/3D2bRWrbKUU?si=odQ6p9ehqS912PEb 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
July 3 · 1 hr 4 min
462 - Gregg Hurwitz - The Antihero Meets Christianity
In this conversation I speak with Gregg Hurwitz about his new Orphan X novel, Antihero, and the surprising role Orthodox Christianity plays in the story. We discuss the assassin who is forced to face mercy, the limits of violence, the exhaustion of modern storytelling, and why we may need a new kind of hero, one who can hold together justice, sacrifice, and humanity. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/lPpZnZWdPGk Gregg Hurwitz books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001IXPXTG Latest Novella, The Delivery: https://www.amazon.com/Delivery-Novella-Gregg-Hurwitz-ebook/dp/B0FX5Y9FQG Antihero: https://www.amazon.com/Antihero-Orphan-Novel-11/dp/1250479916 📢 Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
July 1 · 1 hr 4 min
461 - Rachel Wilson - Feminism Is the Political Arm of Witchcraft
In this conversation with Rachel Wilson, we discuss the strange inversion at the heart of modern feminism, its occult and anti-Christian roots, and the way it has turned women against motherhood, marriage, the family, and even the feminine itself. We also look at abortion, witchcraft, gender, the destruction of womanhood, and the vision of marriage as a path of sacrifice, love, and mutual self-giving. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/DKliIG90YDw Follow Rachel Wilson’s work: X: https://x.com/Rach4Patriarchy Substack: https://rwilson.substack.com/ Get her book, Occult Feminism: The Secret History of Women’s Liberation: https://www.amazon.com/Occult-Feminism-Secret-History-Liberation/dp/B09NGXZKHB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rachel.wilson 📢 Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
June 26 · 1 hr 15 min
460 - Dn. Seraphim Rohlin - Universal History: The Origin of the Nephilim
In this conversation with Deacon Seraphim Rohlin, we continue our exploration of Genesis through the Syrian tradition, looking especially at Seth (Adam and Eve’s son after Cain and Abel), the Nephilim, and the fall of the sons of God. What begins as a discussion of the descendants of Seth becomes a way of understanding the descent from the holy mountain, the corruption of Cain’s line, and the strange traditions around giants, demons, music, desire, and the second fall before the flood. YouTube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/3D2bRWrbKUU Episode 1 of this series: https://youtu.be/f--wBUEAxjY?si=cJE6aczhbDx13AoI Fr. Stephen De Young talking about Nephilim with Tucker Carlson: https://youtu.be/5x9vR5sKHFI?si=nBh9exyV3jkGYtWs 📕 Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ 📢 Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel Books (outside of the Bible) mentioned: The Cave of Treasures The Book of the Bee Book of Enoch Book of Adam Kebra Nagast Jubilees 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
June 24 · 1 hr 49 min
459 - The Future Belongs to Humans (Ottawa talk)
This is a talk I presented at Chesterton Academy of Ottawa earlier this year. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/ETaRAauDxS0 Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel Timestamps: 00:00 - Coming up 00:51 - Intro music 01:05 - Chesterton Academy introduction 03:28 - Jonathan begins: art, AI, education, and the Pope’s encyclical 05:53 - Why AI is not human intelligence 08:18 - AI lacks embodied understanding 10:47 - Money, efficiency, power, and the values behind AI 13:07 - The Moloch trap and the AI arms race 15:32 - AI’s impact on work and education 17:01 - The anti-human vision of technocracy 18:40 - What education is really for 21:05 - Why learn art in the age of AI? 23:50 - Little Red Riding Hood promotion 24:46 - Remember, celebrate, and create 25:57 - Remembering our stories and traditions 29:36 - Celebrate what is good 33:16 - Create in service of remembrance and celebration 37:11 - Sincerity after irony and cynicism 39:32 - Fairy tales, icons, and Christian visual language 42:58 - Graphic novels, saints, and medieval storytelling 44:28 - The challenge and opportunity of our time 46:27 - Q: Is pessimism about AI justified? 48:32 - Q: How can remembrance, celebration, and creation be transmitted practically in schools and families? 53:23 - Q: Should schools return to oral exams and oral presentations because of AI? 55:52 - Q: How much can we participate in or use AI without falling into the trap? 58:31 - Q: What does cave art reveal about the relationship between man and art? Is art the signature of man? 01:03:02 - Q: What is the difference between inventing something new and creating? 01:07:20 - Q: Do strict rules in art stifle creativity? Why do people say beauty is subjective? 01:10:04 - Q: How can we recover a true remembrance of the Middle Ages rather than seeing them as dark or backward? 01:14:55 - Q: What is the difference between reading traditional stories and watching movies for entertainment? 01:19:02 - Q: Why was beauty dismissed from art, and why is our built environment so ugly? 01:21:07 - Q: What is your favorite piece of art in your home? 01:23:28 - Q: Can AI be used as a Socratic interlocutor in education? 01:26:36 - Q: What is the value of teaching classical languages like Latin and ancient Greek? 01:27:45 - Q: How should young artists balance pursuing art with the need to make money? 01:30:50 - Q: What is the importance of boredom, rest, silence, and imagination? 01:33:15 - Q: Is re-enchantment, post-irony, and sincerity possible in an intentional way? 01:37:08 - Q: How can different traditions unite against AI without losing their distinctiveness? 01:41:39 - Q: How do we discern beauty in imperfect work, especially in a performative society focused on excellence? 01:44:02 - Q: Where do you think AI is going, especially in education and culture? 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
June 20 · 19 min
458 - What's at stake with The Odyssey (2026) by Christopher Nolan
There’s a lot of expectation and noise around Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie, The Odyssey (2026). For decades after WW2 we were unable to tell many stories about kingship and fatherhood. As we move through the turbulent end of the WW2 consensus, stories like this form part of how we process the return of the father and identity. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/6prGX3wZKI8 Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free. More than our other fairy tales, this one emphasizes the importance of the father’s role in protecting his family from the strange and subversive. https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
June 20 · 24 min
457 - Backrooms (2026): A Strange Return to Normal
Backrooms (2026) is a recent horror/thriller film based on a creepypasta —an internet urban legend— that emerged around the time of the Covid lockdowns. A man discovers an infinite, labyrinthine expanse of "backrooms" that becomes increasingly disturbing. In this video, I analyze the symbolism of the film and explore the deeper reasons why it is so popular, outshining major blockbusters with much larger budgets and marketing campaigns. Enjoy. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/ZK6NaFsBGaM Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
June 16 · 1 hr 46 min
456 - Gavin Ortlund - Who Can Be Saved?
I had a discussion with Gavin Ortlund about the Orthodox Church's position on salvation outside the church. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/RtC8ENpbOW4 Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and background to the discussion 03:08 Steelmanning each other’s positions 04:12 Gavin summarizes the Orthodox view of salvation 05:37 Jonathan explains salvation as healing and theosis 06:36 Normative and non-normative ways of salvation 08:13 Jonathan summarizes Gavin’s historical argument 10:53 Gavin clarifies his thesis about Orthodoxy, Catholics, and Protestants 16:40 Is the modern Orthodox view a return to earlier tradition? 18:32 Gavin explains why the 9th–19th century period matters 20:20 Disagreement over whether individuals can be declared damned 22:57 Jonathan responds on Orthodox theological boundaries 24:54 Debate over the 9th century and the Photian schism 31:32 The question: Is Gavin a Christian brother? 38:37 The Synod of Jerusalem and Protestant theology 41:36 Jonathan reads from the Synod of Jerusalem 43:56 Gavin responds to Jonathan’s use of an old blog post 46:42 Gavin outlines the Synod’s language about Protestants 49:12 Jonathan argues synods define norms, not individual destinies 52:28 Gavin challenges the “normative” reading of the Synod 55:20 Normative texts, dogmatic authority, and qualifications 58:13 Theophan the Recluse and hope for the non-Orthodox 01:04:16 St. Philaret of Moscow and leaving souls to God’s mercy 01:09:35 Protestant missions in Orthodox lands 01:11:23 Gavin defends Protestant missionary theology 01:13:30 Jonathan critiques Protestant evangelism and denominationalism 01:16:21 The Eucharist, communion, and institutional exclusivism 01:18:16 Gavin explains why he is not Orthodox 01:20:44 Jonathan on Christ’s presence and God’s desire to save all 01:21:59 Are Protestants categorized like Buddhists or Muslims? 01:25:36 Salvation as transformation into the image of Christ 01:28:55 Theophan’s advice: focus on your own salvation 01:30:06 Personal holiness and evangelism 01:32:18 Calvinism, evangelism, and divine decree 01:36:52 Predestination, foreknowledge, and the River of Fire 01:39:59 Closing the theological discussion 01:40:33 Gavin’s apology and reflections on online discourse 01:42:59 A call for patient Protestant-Orthodox dialogue 01:44:12 Jonathan’s closing thanks 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
June 11 · 22 min
455 - Disclosure Day: The Last Boomer Propaganda Movie
I went to see Spielberg’s Disclosure Day and found myself watching a strange, late-stage piece of boomer propaganda about aliens, media, religion, and who we are supposed to trust. Here are my thoughts on the symbolism of the film. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SBGPLaGfVTc Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
June 9 · 18 min
454 - The Enemy Who Pretends to Be Your Friend
We often think of enemies as those who attack us openly, but fairy tales also warn us about another kind of enemy: the one who comes close, pretends to be our friend, and destroys from within. I also discuss how this pattern appears in Scripture, culture, identity, and even technology, and why discernment is so important in our current moment. Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ YouTube version: https://youtu.be/U8VXqPX1-0Q Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
June 2 · 49 min
453 - Seraphim Hamilton - Isaiah: The Fifth Gospel
I’m joined again by Seraphim Hamilton to discuss his upcoming Symbolic World course on Isaiah, beginning June 15th. We talk about why Isaiah is central for understanding Christ in the Old Testament, the relationship between prophecy, exile, the suffering servant, the gentile nations, and the deep symbolic unity between Scripture, liturgy, and creation. Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now to get 15% off before the early bird sale ends: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel YouTube version: https://youtu.be/lPpBFh2-V90 Timestamps: 00:00 - Coming up 00:47 - Intro music 01:01 - Introducing Seraphim Hamilton and the Isaiah course 01:48 - Seminary, liturgy, and returning to Scripture 02:39 - Why Isaiah? 03:02 - Isaiah as a Christological book 05:27 - High Christology in the Old Testament 06:52 - Leviathan, Revelation, and the Angel of the Lord 07:51 - Isaiah 27 and the serpent of Genesis 08:22 - Sennacherib, Hezekiah, and the Angel of the Lord 10:51 - Are Old Testament prophecies taken out of context? 11:18 - Exile, Assyria, Babylon, and biblical prophecy 14:57 - Course promo: The Fifth Gospel 15:47 - Isaiah 14 and the fall of Satan 16:44 - The king of Babylon and the Daystar 19:06 - Isaiah 14, Isaiah 53, and the suffering servant 22:46 - Venus, Lucifer, and Christ as opposite images 24:22 - Angels, humanity, and the transfer of authority 25:57 - Is the suffering servant Israel or the Messiah? 26:23 - The Messiah as the son of David 28:50 - The servant, the seed, and the restoration of Israel 32:13 - How the nations participate in the promise 32:41 - The Old Testament and the redemption of the nations 34:54 - The mountain of the Lord and divine fire 37:34 - The heavenly Jerusalem and Isaiah 60 38:02 - Isaiah 59, incarnation, and the redemption of Israel 40:19 - The nations coming to honor the Jewish Messiah 43:14 - What the Isaiah class hopes to offer 43:56 - Seeing Christ disclosed in the Old Testament 46:36 - Symbolism, the Fathers, and the tight weave of Scripture 47:44 - Course details: five classes on Isaiah 48:49 - Closing and where to sign up 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
May 29 · 1 hr 20 min
452 - Hillsdale talk - Mythological Thinking: The Crossroads of Psychology and Theology
This is a talk I did at Hillsdale College in March 2026. In this talk, I explore mythological thinking as a way of understanding how facts become meaningful. Facts do not present themselves to us neutrally. They are always organized by care, relevance, attention, and story. I look at examples from Genesis, Icarus, Spider-Man, the Tower of Babel, and modern science to show how myths preserve deep patterns of human experience. Rather than treating myth as fiction or primitive explanation, I argue that myth reveals the structures by which we perceive reality, understand purpose, and connect psychology with theology. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/DEShUddn8HY Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now to get 15% off before the early bird sale ends: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Timestamps: 00:00 Coming up 01:38 Intro music 02:03 Introduction at Hillsdale College 06:59 Talk begins: hope, fragmentation, and new conversations 09:19 “Facts don’t care about your feelings” 12:12 Care organizes facts 16:50 Facts are always contained in a story 19:15 The Fifth Gospel course announcement 20:10 Why stories survive across generations 24:04 Mythological stories vs. scientific descriptions 27:14 Origin stories and why we care 30:37 Genesis as more than a scientific text 33:34 Genesis, relevance, and human categories 37:38 Why the mythological story should be primary 39:36 Myths are not primitive explanations 41:47 Babel, Icarus, Prometheus, and repeated patterns 44:16 Applicability vs. allegory 47:40 All remembered stories are mythological 49:24 Psychology, theology, and human care 51:27 The Incarnation as the myth that came true 54:34 How story unites psychology and theology 58:29 Returning to mythological thinking 59:55 Q&A: Bringing mythological thinking into science education 01:02:58 Q&A: How to recognize false myths 01:07:37 Q&A: Speaking truth in hostile circles 01:08:53 Q&A: Original sin as a true myth 01:11:13 Q&A: How artists discover truth through story 01:13:42 Q&A: Why live by Christ’s story rather than another? 01:18:21 Q&A: The modern fall into cold, hard reality Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
May 26 · 1 hr 41 min
451 - Universal History: What Really Happened in Eden - Dcn. Seraphim Rohlin
A telling of the events in Genesis that you might never have heard before. In this episode of Universal History, Deacon Seraphim Rohlin and I return to Genesis through the Syriac tradition, especially the Cave of Treasures. This is the groundwork for understanding the universal history of Persia. Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now to get 15% off before the early bird sale ends: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel YouTube version: https://youtu.be/f--wBUEAxjY Universal History playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVX4HUUPrIY_M2uZP3yW6EEiod3fGD6FD Timestamps: 00:00 - Coming up 00:38 - Intro music 01:03 - Why return to Genesis before Persia 05:54 - Syriac sources and the Cave of Treasures 08:21 - Tradition, Scripture, and how ancient stories are received 12:55 - Melchizedek, Moriah, and hidden biblical patterns 17:41 - The first day: creation, waters, and the leaven of life 24:37 - The second day: the firmament and the waters above 28:45 - The third day: earth, seeds, and creation’s hidden potential 34:22 - Sterility, power, and modern artificial systems 38:21 - The fourth day: sun, moon, stars, heat, and life 43:45 - The sixth day: the formation of Adam 45:23 - Adam’s glory and the angels’ fear 52:17 - Satan refuses to venerate Adam 56:56 - The chariot of fire and ascent into paradise 59:19 - Eve, Adam’s side, and ancient wedding symbolism 01:02:09 - Paradise as the Church 01:06:47 - Jerusalem, the cross, and universal history 01:10:55 - The fall, the serpent, and the mirror of temptation 01:17:42 - Garments of skin and the body after the fall 01:22:13 - Adam and Eve expelled from paradise 01:27:00 - The Cave of Treasures and the first temple 01:29:21 - Cain, Abel, and the first sacrifice 01:31:42 - Cain’s jealousy and the first murder 01:35:40 - Abel as the first martyr and first relic 01:37:50 - Genesis as the pattern of the whole world 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
May 21 · 26 min
450 - An Exploration of Modern Dysfunction: What Pluribus is Actually About
In this video, I look at the symbolism of the recent TV show, Pluribus. There's a lot of speculation about whether it's an allegory for AI, the internet, totalitarianism, or resisting tyranny. But I would argue that it's not allegorical at all, rather it's an exploration of a deeper ontological problem: the relationship of the one and the many, the inside and the outside, sameness and difference. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JIk5jpmf5D0 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
May 8 · 23 min
449 - Decapitation Symbolism: The Glory of Losing Your Head
In this video, I explore the symbolism of decapitation in the Bible and Christian tradition. Beginning with Joseph’s interpretation of the baker and cupbearer in Genesis, we trace a pattern of “lifting up the head” through Scripture, martyrdom, the Eucharist, and ultimately the crucifixion and ascension of Christ. Along the way, we encounter Saint John the Baptist, the mystery of sacrifice, and the astonishing story of Saint Denis of Paris, who carried his own head while preaching after his martyrdom. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/uwRsUj30URk Join us at the Symbolic World Summit | May 14-16 | Ohio | Keynote speakers: Jonathan Pageau, Fr. Josiah Trenham, Mary Harrington, Dcn. Seraphim Rohlin, Kale Zelden, Annie Crawford, and Heather Pollington Buy your tickets: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ Virtual tickets are now also for sale, and Involved+ patrons can get 10% off: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/virtual-summit-2026 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/