Christians Reading Classics
Christians Reading Classics
Podcast Description
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
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores significant literary works and their theological implications, covering a range of themes such as morality, culture, and imagination. Specific episodes include discussions on Tolkien's The Return of the King focusing on good and evil, Carroll's Alice in Wonderland highlighting whimsy and morality, and Wilder's Little House on the Prairie addressing nostalgia and virtue.
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
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
Disclaimer
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