The Christian Humanist Podcast

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Episode 51: Archaeology Jun 17, 2011

Show notes

David Grubbs and special guest host Luke Chandler moderate a discussion with Michial Farmer and Nathan Gilmour on the topic of archaeology, especially as it concerns the excavation of Biblical sites and the effects that archaeology has had on the ways that Christians read the Bible and think about the lives of our forebears. Among the texts, ideas, and artifacts that we discuss are the Khirbet Qeiyafa site, the practice and disciplines of archaeology, David and Goliath, the Enuma Elish, the Chronicles of Narnia, Augustine, and modern theology.

Episode 50.1: Seven Nation Army May 24, 2011

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Michial Farmer and Nathan Gilmour have some great news. It won't take long--have a listen!

Episode 50: Christian Humanist University May 10, 2011

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Michial Farmer moderates a discussion with David Grubbs and Nathan Gilmour about Christian Humanist University, a Platonic ideal of a college, and what such an ideal might do for the way that we imagine and evaluate real colleges. Among the texts, ideas, and other realities we discuss are core curriculum, the purpose of a university, college athletics, specialization, relationships between college and society, and college architecture.

Episode 49: George Herbert May 03, 2011

Show notes

Nathan Gilmour moderates a discussion with David Grubbs and Michial Farmer about the seventeenth-century English poet George Herbert. In addition to readings from three of his poems, the discussion ranges from the nature of devotional poetry to the current MFA culture of active poets. Among the texts and artists we discuss are George Herbert, "The Pulley," "The Collar," "Holy Scriptures I," The Country Parson, and The Temple.

Episode 48: Literary Canons Apr 26, 2011

Show notes

David Grubbs moderates a discussion with Michial Farmer and Nathan Gilmour about the concept of canon and the ways that it affects the ways that we receive the Bible, teach literature, and otherwise engage important texts. We propose ways to think about the "great books" in our specialty areas and discuss expansions and contractions of the canon. Among the texts, ideas, and writers we engage are the Bible, Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Women's Studies, and Derrida.

Episode 47: Travel Apr 19, 2011

Show notes

Michial Farmer moderates a discussion with David Grubbs and Nathan Gilmour about travel, the relationships between home and the road, adn some historical changes in conceptions of travel. Our musings revolve around the imagination of travel, from wilderness wandering to pilgrimage to colonization to vacation. Among the texts, ideas, and historical figures we engage are Deuteronomy, the Vikings, Spring Break, cosmopolitanism on the cheap, truckers, pilgrimage, and Milton.

Episode 46: Cybernetics Apr 12, 2011

Show notes

Nathan Gilmour moderates a LONG discussion of cybernetics, those relationships between humanity and technology that define everyday existence. Our conversation ranges from ancient philosophies of technology to movie and comic book bad guys to modern philosophical engagements with the character of technology. Among the artifacts and writers we touch on are Plato, Paul, Edgar Allen Poe, Darth Vader, Captain Hook, Kobo Abe, Neil Postman, Martin Heidegger, and Genesis.

Episode 45: Language Is Sermonic Apr 05, 2011

Show notes

David Grubbs moderates a conversation with Michial Farmer and Nathan Gilmour about Richard Weaver's essay "Language Is Sermonic." Exploring the particular topoi of rhetorical construction and the philosophy that would elevate rhetoric to a place of prominence among the liberal arts, the Humanists wax analogical and say nice things about teaching composition. Among the texts and other subjects of discussion are "Language Is Sermonic," Richard Weaver, Plato, Thomas Aquinas, and rhetoric.

Episode 44: Richard Weaver and Ultimate Terms Mar 29, 2011

Show notes

Michial Farmer moderates a conversation with David Grubbs and Nathan Gilmour about Richard Weaver's essay "Ultimate Terms in Contemporary Rhetoric." The central idea, which the Humanists explore in some detail, is that modern discourse has some peculiarities in terms of our "god terms" and "devil terms" that make dialectic a more important helper to rhetoric than ever. Along the way we discuss Richard Weaver, so-called GI Rhetoric, evangelical devil-terms, and political rhetoric.

Episode 43: Richard Weaver and the Phaedrus Mar 22, 2011

Show notes

Nathan Gilmour moderates a conversation with David Grubbs and Michial Farmer about Richard Weaver's essay "The Phaedrus and the Nature of Rhetoric." Exploring Weaver's provocative connections between public speech, good and evil, and education, the discussion takes turns into philosophy, education, and all sorts of interesting places. Among the texts and authors we discuss are Richard Weaver, Plato, the Phaedrus, and Derrida.

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