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    History

    The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind

    Welcome to The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind, a podcast that tells the story of the prophets, philosophers, and poets who created the West.

    In this podcast, Rabbi Dr. Mitchell Rocklin guides listeners through more than 3,000 years of Western history, offering a coherent, civilizational story of how the West came to be—along with a deepened understanding of the challenges it now faces. While many of the texts discussed will be familiar to students of the humanities, Rabbi Rocklin offers a new framework for understanding them—a framework in which the teachings of the Jewish religious tradition play a central role. For, as Rabbi Rocklin explains, Western civilization can only be understood as the product of a transformative and ongoing collision between the great traditions of Jerusalem and Athens—between the religious spirit of the Jews and the philosophical spirit of the Greeks.

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    Copyright: © 2024

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    Latest Episodes:
    A Mature Nation: The United States from 1829-1840 Oct 14, 2026
    Show notes

    The Jacksonian era would mark a turning point in American politics, particularly regarding the power of the presidency. As we move forward in history, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:

    1. Why did the Democratic-Republican party split during Andrew Jackson's presidency?
    2. What was the primary goal of the newly formed Whig party?
    3. How did the railroad help shift the American economy away from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture?

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    A Young Republic: The United States from 1800-1828 Oct 07, 2026
    Show notes

    The beginning of the nineteenth century would continue to test the American experiment. As we explore some of those tests, we'll seek answers to the following questions:

    1. In what way did Jefferson break with traditional Federalists in his attitude towards tradition?
    2. What was the crux of the disagreement between Jefferson and Chief Justice John Marshall?
    3. Why were Federalists discredited in national politics following the Hartford Convention?

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    Jane Austen: The Dignity of Ordinary Life Sep 23, 2026
    Show notes

    Although she was relatively unknown and unappreciated in her time, Jane Austen has since rightfully taken her place as a beloved author. As we survey her life and works, we'll answer the following questions:

    1. What did Sir Walter Scott find so compelling about Austen's writings?
    2. Why are Austen's books—and, in particular, their lack of grand adventure—so important to the development of Western literature?
    3. What did Austen contribute in her novels to the development of the romantic relationship?

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    Novelist, Poet, and Scholar: Sir Walter Scott and the Jews Sep 16, 2026
    Show notes

    The great Romantic author Sir Walter Scott is today considered the father of the historical novel. As we learn more about him, we'll unpack the following questions:

    1. How was Scott's Scottish background particularly influential in his development as a writer?
    2. What distinguished Scott's criticism of the past from that of his Enlightenment contemporaries?
    3. How is Ivanhoe an example of Scott's masterful blending of Enlightenment and Romantic ideals?

    Recommended Reading: Scott, Walter. "The Lady of the Lake." 1810.

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    The Romantic Era II: Byron, the Shelleys, and Keats Sep 09, 2026
    Show notes

    The second generation of Romantics would move beyond their predecessors, emphasizing the emotional longings of the human soul. As we learn more about these writers, we'll take a look at the following questions:

    1. What was Byron trying to accomplish by his travels that differs from the type of tourism we engage in today?
    2. How did Percy Shelley attempt to reinvent the poet's role, breaking away from the classical notion of the poet?
    3. Why was beauty so important for Keats?

    Recommended Reading: Poetry of Lord Byron Keats, John. Ode on a Grecian Urn. 1819.

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    The Romantic Era I: Wordsworth and Coleridge Sep 02, 2026
    Show notes

    Reactions to the Enlightenment emphasis on cold, hard reason would result in the Romantic era, which emphasized the emotional dimension of the human person. On today's episode, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:

    1. How did the French Revolution, which was steeped in Enlightenment thought, also end up giving rise to Romanticism?
    2. What role did Wordsworth's upbringing in the Lake District play in his development as a Romantic poet?
    3. In what sense does Coleridge's poetry, with its emphasis on the interconnectedness of nature, lead to the notion that God is not a loving, covenantal God?

    Recommended Reading: Poetry of William Wordsworth Poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    Schiller and Hoffmann: The Supernatural and the Sinister Aug 26, 2026
    Show notes

    While Friedrich Schiller was a paragon of optimism, E.T.A. Hoffmann saw a darker side of human nature. To help us explore these two writers, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:

    1. Why does tyranny feature so prominently in Schiller's early writings?
    2. Why was Schiller concerned with the general rejection of mythology and imagination that he perceived in society?
    3. In what way did Hoffmann lay the groundwork for the detective novels that would become popular in the nineteenth century?

    Recommended Reading: Schiller, Friedrich. "Ode to Joy." Schiller. "The Power of Song." Schiller. "The Gods of Greece."

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    Trials and Tribulations: A History of the Early American Republic Aug 19, 2026
    Show notes

    The viability of the newly formed United States would be tested in its early years. As we go back to those first few years of the republic, we'll answer the following questions:

    1. Why did slavery become such a divisive issue in the early years of the United States?
    2. What was unusual about the ministers whom Washington selected?
    3. What was so controversial about Hamilton's proposed national bank?

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    We the People: The US Constitution and Federalist Papers Aug 12, 2026
    Show notes

    The United States Constitution remains a brilliant legal document as significant today as it was in 1789. To help us understand why, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:

    1. Why did the Founding Fathers prefer the term republic over democracy when framing the Constitution?
    2. Why did the Framers insist on a clause that forbids Congressmen from adopting titles of nobility?
    3. What did James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton accomplish with the Federalist Papers?

    Recommended Reading: The United States Constitution

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


    Join or Die: The Declaration of Independence and Revolutionary War Aug 05, 2026
    Show notes

    The Declaration of Independence was far from unanimous, yet it became the backbone of the Revolutionary War. As we dive into the Declaration and its ripple effects, we'll address the following questions:

    1. Aside from declaring independence, what were the founders looking to accomplish with the Declaration of Independence?
    2. If the English Parliament was largely responsible for the injustices against the colonies, why was the king blamed in the Declaration of Independence?
    3. What finally convinced France to join the American colonists in their stand against the British?

    Recommended Reading: The Declaration of Independence

    If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.


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