PODCAST · society
Magnus Podcast: Conversations from the Catacombs of Liberal Education
by Albertus Magnus Institute, Inc.
Welcome to Magnus Podcast - a production of the Albertus Magnus Institute, Inc. Imagine an academy deeply rooted and committed to the classical liberal arts, stocked to the brim with well-known, world-class faculty, and universally accessible. Now imagine it being completely affordable, even free. This was the vision of St. Albert the Great, father of classical education: an education that is at once freeing and free. A true and human liberation has always been the promise of an education in the liberal arts. Indeed, for the better part of the last 3,000 years, it was no mystery where one could learn how to cast off the shackles of the world and what to study to achieve that liberated state. In no uncertain terms, the classical liberal arts undoubtedly served as the intellectual foundation of Western Civilization. However, we are no longer a society of free men. The tradition of the liberal arts was left behind in favor of a more “practical” alternative. Many were promised a “liber
Episodes
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Ep. 126 – Regula Basilii: The Memory of God in the Rule of St. Basil
In the fourth century, serious Christians often aspired to the ascetical life. Many even delayed Baptism until they were ready to embrace it, seeing Baptism not as the end of conversion, but as the beginning of a life wholly dedicated to Christ. Among the great architects of that vision was St....
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Ep. 125 – Christopher Nolan's Odysseus and the Attack on Western Literature
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has sparked renewed interest in Homer, but has also raised a deeper question. What happens when modern assumptions begin to reshape the great books themselves? Joshua Mazrin sits down with Liza Libes of Pens & Poison to discuss Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey…
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Ep. 124 – G.K. Chesterton's "The Everlasting Man"
In the opening seminar of our new series on G.K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man, Dale Ahlquist, Senior Fellow at AMI and Founder of the Chesterton Schools Network, explores one of Chesterton's most profound insights: before we know what prehistoric man believed, wore, or even ate, we know one...
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Ep. 123 – Enthymemes in the Gospel of John with John True Johnson
In this episode of the Magnus Podcast listen to John Johnson as guest leader of one of the Magnus Fellowship Cohort seminars as he explores the role of enthymemes—rhetorical devices that invite the reader to complete the argument for themselves—and argues that St. John uses them throughout his...
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Ep. 122 – Mythology Makes the Best Metal Songs: Mythology, the Classics, and Progressive Metal with Mike LePond of Symphony X
Explore the intersection of classical music, mythology, the Great Books, and progressive metal with Symphony X's bassist Mike LePond. Discover how complex musical structures and timeless stories like the Odyssey and Paradise Lost inspire artistic expression and intellectual curiosity. Listen to…
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Ep. 121 – AI and the Amputation of Human Expression with John Johnson
Magnus Podcast Episode 121 Does AI Dream of Electric Consciousness?: AI and the Amputation of Human Expression with guest (host?) John Johnson. Executive Director Emeritus and former host of the Magnus Podcast John Johnson joins Joshua Mazrin to discuss AI and our lessening ability to do things…
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Ep. 120 - The Household Academy: Raising Your Children in the Liberal Arts with David Arias
Join Joshua and David Arias as they discuss raising your children in the liberal arts. Is homeschooling worth it? Is it easy? Join the FREE Magnus Fellowship: https://magnusinstitute.org/fellowship/ Support AMI: https://magnusinstitute.org/give/ SUBSCRIBE where Podcasts are available
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Ep. 119 - Liberal Arts, What Are They Good For? with Steven Cortright
Join Joshua Mazrin and Professor Steve Cortright as they discuss what the name "liberal arts" actually means. Are they worthless? Are they tools? What's the point?
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Ep. 118 - Philosophy is More Valuable in Business than an MBA
Join Joshua and Eric Black as they discuss how each of their spiritual conversions came in a time in their lives when exploration of classical texts opened their minds to truth in deeper ways. They further their discussion sharing their experience in the private sector and how an education in the...
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Ep. 117 - Purgatorio and Love? with Dr. Anthony Esolen
When one thinks of Purgatory, especially as described in Dante's Purgatorio, love is not the first thing that comes to mind. In this episode, Dr. Anthony Esolen leads a seminar from his Magnus Fellowship course "Into the World Beyond, With Dante" on the theme of love through the purification in...
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Ep. 116 - An Introduction
We are closing the year with a big introduction: meet our new Executive Director: Joshua Mazrin! Join John and Joshua as they discuss the excellent experience that Joshua is bringing to AMI, authentic Liberal Arts education, and the exciting future we have ahead of us. Join the Fellowship today:...
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Ep. 115 - Where Did We Go Wrong?: A Mediocre and Sentimental Education
Alec Bianco of the CiRCE Institute joins John to discuss the state of higher education. Where did colleges go wrong? Why are colleges choosing to drop their humanities programs in favor of niche degrees? What is the future of institutions who choose a mediocre and sentimental education over an...
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Ep.114 - On René Girard and Mimetic Desire
Producer Sam Sorich joins us to discusses his documentary Things Hidden: The Life and Legacy of René Girard, an award-winning and full length production about the French- American philosopher and historian. John and Sam discuss the importance of Girard’s work, mimetic theory, and the implications...
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Ep. 113 - Introductory Seminar: The Iliad and the Odyssey
Please enjoy listening in on the first seminar of the first Magnus Cohort! The 2027 Cohort began their three year journey with Dr. David Arias in September of 2024, and they will finish their third year in the summer of 2027! The 2028 Cohort will begin this September. Do you want to be apart of...
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Ep. 112 - On A Midsummer Night's Dream
Dr. Travis Cooper recently facilitated this lively discussion on Shakespeares classic, A Midsummer Night's Dream. If you weren't there live, here is your chance to listen! At AMI, we believe in the power of great questions that lead to more questions, in an education that focuses on discernment…
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Ep. 111 - Ad Fontes: Latin, Tradition & Faith
What is the value of Latin, really? John Johnson joins Father Peter Hannah to discuss why all the cool people are studying Latin, as well as the Novus Ordo vs traditional Latin mass; Father Peter reminds us how latin is a time honored way to return our culture to the traditions we have discarded....
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Ep. 110 - History: The Liberal Art
Happy 4th of July! Celebrate our country’s independence with this extra special discussion with Dr. Richard Ferrier, tutor at Thomas Aquinas College. John Johnson and Dr. Ferrier discuss the complex question of, “Is history a liberal art?” They discuss this question by looking closely at American...
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Ep. 109 - AI and the Free Mind Part II
John is back to discuss AI and the digital world, this time with AI thought leader and entrepreneur, Drago Dimitrov. They discuss how binary AI fits into our symbolic world and continue to tackle the difficult question, “How should Catholic Christians and liberal artists respond to this...
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Ep. 108 - AI and the Free Mind Part I
Ryan Khurana, AI technologist, strategist, and thought leader, joins John Johnson to discuss AI and the digital world. They compare the personhood, creativity, and relationships gifted to man to the counterfeit personhood of AI. They begin to tackle the difficult question, “How should Catholic...
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Ep. 107 - A Community of Learning for Liberal Education
“Of all the forms of education, there is one that is best and most perfected and that education has come to be known as liberal education.” - Dr. David Arias The Magnus Podcast season 5 has arrived! We open with the recording of our recent webinar where we discussed our Cohort Program and the…
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Ep. 106 - What is Knowing?
How do we know that what we know is true? What does it mean to participate in the truth? What is the object of the will? Dr. Thaddeus Kozinki joins John to discuss Plato’s divided Line and the levels of being and knowledge. Read his article Plato and Participation Learn more about the Albertus...
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Ep. 105 - Consecration of Self: Understanding the Order of Techne and Technology
Are digital tools inherently bad? How should we respond to the problem of tech? How do we know if what we are building is good? Don't be a tool...just use one. Join John Johnson and Austin Klise, the founder of Klise Consulting as they discuss techne and technology and the implications therein.…
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Ep. 104 - The Dignity of a Liberal Artist
Join John Johnson and Angel Adams Parham as they have a discussion about race befitting the dignity of a liberal artist. Angel Adams Parham is Associate Professor of Sociology, senior fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, and Associate Director for the major in Political and...
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Ep. 103 - Relationship Without Remainder
Dr. Ryan Messmore of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education joins John to talk about the foundation of the Catholic Faith, the nature of God, and the doctrine of the Trinity. Listen and hear about the good work of ICLE, the pillars of the Catholic Faith, and Christ's relationship with His...
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Ep. 102 - From Tragedies to Comedies: The Journey of a Hero
Dr. Tiffany Schubert of Wyoming Catholic College joins Larissa to discuss the idea of the hero. From Virgil’s company of heroes and heroines to Jane Austen’s many female heroines, Dr. Schubert guides us to understand them in light of tragedies and comedies, fate and providence, and epics and...
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Ep. 101 - Refining the Renewal
Alex Lessard of Adeodatus joins John Johnson to talk about the ongoing Classical education renewal. Join them in this lively conversation where they discuss issues facing the movement and explore unique solutions and ideas to refine the renewal even more. Learn more about Adeodatus here! Learn…
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Ep. 100 - The Nous and the Polis
Grab a beer and celebrate our 100th episode with us! John Johnson discusses the soul, the city, and the citizen in this Three Beers Episode with Senior Fellow Palvos Papadopoulos and special guest Ryan Hammill of the Ancient Language Institute. Albertus Magnus Institute:...
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Ep. 099 - To Build and Behold: Recovering from Architectural Suicide
Who is man, what is he building, and why does this matter? Alan Cornett of Cultural Debris joins John Johnson to discuss mans relationship with architecture and both the worldly and eternal implications therein. Listen as they explore the architecture behind majestic Italian Cathedrals, bold...
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Ep. 098 - The Best and Most Noble Things
The Magnus Podcast is BACK and better than ever. If you’re a returning listener, you’ll notice that this season premiere is a change of pace from previous episodes as we announce a tier of courses in the Magnus Fellowship: The Cohort: A Community of Learning for Liberal Education. This three-year...
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Ep. 097 - Victory Has Defeated You
Today we bring you the 20th and final episode of season 3. This season we talked about all things liberal arts from music and monarchy to Plato and Socrates to freeing minds and humanizing humans. It only seemed right then, to finish this season with a return to our first guest, Professor Steven...
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Ep. 096 - Boethius and Business
“You creatures of earth, don’t you stop to consider the people over which you think you exercise authority?” This conversation between two ‘non- serial’ entrepreneurs, Christof Meyer and AMI’s own John Johnson, will change the way you view entrepreneurship and management, and give you a vision of…
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Ep. 095 - A Harmonious Home
Mother, grandmother, and author, Leila Lawler joins Larissa to talk about raising children faithfully. She explains how we can escape the traps of the modern world and provide something beautiful for our children to imitate, thus creating sacred spaces and harmonious homes. Read her blogs Like...
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Ep. 094 - What is Man?
Enjoy the first half of the first lecture in Senior Fellow, Dr. Arias' course, "Philosophy of Man." Building on Aristotle and St. Thomas's philosophical account of the human person, this class focused on St. Thomas's teachings on man's natural and supernatural ends and the means proportioned...
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Ep. 093 - The Light of Fidelity
Today, we are offering you another glimpse into the Magnus Fellowship; this time with Senior Fellow, Dr. Helen Freeh's course, "Friendship and Freedom in the Lord of the Rings." This is the first half of the first class of the final 8- week course on The Lord of the Rings, offered over three…
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Ep. 092 - Freedom from the Shackle
Blessed Feast of St. Albert the Great! On this special day, we spoke with Leigh Bortins of Classical Conversations who, like St. Albert the Great before us, shares our love for a liberating education. Education is never free, and, like all good things, the higher the quality of education, the...
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Ep.091 - Rousseau and the Imagination
Once again, we are offering you a quick glimpse into the Magnus Fellowship; this time with Senior Fellow, Dr. Finley's class, “Rousseau and the Diabolical and Moral Imagination." This course explores the moral dimensions of the imagination through an examination of literature and philosophy. The...
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Ep. 090 - Freeing Minds
Dr. Amir Sabzevary has spent the last thirty years teaching philosophy and religion. Today, he joins John to talk about the journey of both teaching and studying philosophy– how to trek through complicated lives as students and how to reach the unreachable students as teachers. Discover ever so...
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Ep. 089 - On Moral Conundrums
This week on the Magnus Podcast, John and Larissa talk moral theology with high school teacher, Rocky Brittain and attempt to answer difficult moral questions according to Catholic Theology and Thomas Aquinas, such as when is it permissible to kill? How should a priest respond when he hears a…
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Ep. 088 - On How to Communicate Rhetorically
In this fast paced world full of echo chambers and outrage machines, we are fooled into believing a misguided view of justice and rhetoric. Dr. Joshua Phillips joins us to talk about how we can properly understand the connection between justice and humility and the distinction between thinking...
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Ep. 087 - On The Idea of a University
AMI exists because we, like so many, see a problem with the current university system. What is the modern university providing to its students in comparison to what it ought to be providing? What is the purpose of a university? We just completed an 8 week summer course on John Henry Newman's…
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Ep. 086 - On Plato’s Republic
"What is the best way of life for a human being?" The Republic is the most complete attempt by Plato to articulate and answer this question. It is characteristic of Plato that, in the Republic, questions about human happiness ultimately cannot be separated from questions of education, of the…
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Ep. 085 - On Music & Ratio
Musician and composer, Greg Wilbur of New College Franklin contemplates music within the quadrivium; he explains why music ought to be ordered rightly in education and how it rests in harmony with the other Liberal Arts. He even discusses a little bit of conspiracy theories. Gregory Wilbur is...
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Ep. 084 - Opening the Eyes to See
“Take courage daughter, the world is not as strong as it seems.” From the diary of Maria Faustina Brian Fink has returned to the Magnus Podcast to discuss what it means to see reality as it is: to see oneself in order to better understand the enemy, to see the hope in the midst of losing, to see...
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Ep. 083 - A Prudent Education
This conversation with Dr. Gary Hartenburg looks at education from a bird’s-eye view before zooming into talk about virtue, specifically the virtue of prudence, according to Aristotle, and ends with little bit of theology. Dr. Gary Hartenburg is the Director of the Honors College and an Associate...
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Ep. 082 - A Magnus Webinar: The Nun’s Priest’s Tale of Chanticleer and the Fox
Earlier this spring, we hosted a lovely webinar on one of the most playful of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, The Nun's Priest's Tale of Chanticleer and the Fox. Now we're releasing it as a podcast so you too can enjoy it! Listen as Dr. Shannon Valenzuela of UD guides us through this delightful...
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Ep.081 - How Does One Know?
How does man know? What are the roles of signs in knowing? What does “meaning” mean? What does man want to know? What are the objects to knowing? In this episode, Dr. Brian Kemple of the Lyceum Institute discusses these questions and opens the door to many, many more. Come join us down this…
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Ep. 080 - Humanizing Humans
“We can’t teach the humanities unless the students have been humanized." In this episode, Dr. Jared Staudt discusses the text, Newman’s Idea of A University, and begs the question, ”What does it mean to explore reality?” He challenges educators and teachers to not become complacent, classical...
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Ep. 079 - Much Ado about a King
Across the sea, Charles III has just been coronated King of England and much ado was made in his and his country’s honor. On our homeland, America is, as always, in the throes of her own democratic controversies. Now on the podcast, we asked Dr’s Pavlos Papadopoulos and Joseph Pearce to discuss...
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Ep. 078 - The Restless Soul
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Zena Hitz; tutor at St. John’s College, author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life, and Co-founder and President of the Catherine Project. Listen as she discusses what it means to live the good life. Learn more about St. John's...
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Ep. 077 - To View the Cheerful Skies
“The gates of hell are open night and day; Smooth the descent, and easy is the way: But to return, and view the cheerful skies, In this the task and mighty labor lies.” - from The Aeneid of Virgil The Magnus Podcast returns with Dr. Matthew Bianco of the CiRCE Institute. Listen to this…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Magnus Podcast - a production of the Albertus Magnus Institute, Inc. Imagine an academy deeply rooted and committed to the classical liberal arts, stocked to the brim with well-known, world-class faculty, and universally accessible. Now imagine it being completely affordable, even free. This was the vision of St. Albert the Great, father of classical education: an education that is at once freeing and free. A true and human liberation has always been the promise of an education in the liberal arts. Indeed, for the better part of the last 3,000 years, it was no mystery where one could learn how to cast off the shackles of the world and what to study to achieve that liberated state. In no uncertain terms, the classical liberal arts undoubtedly served as the intellectual foundation of Western Civilization. However, we are no longer a society of free men. The tradition of the liberal arts was left behind in favor of a more “practical” alternative. Many were promised a “liber
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Welcome to Magnus Podcast - a production of the Albertus Magnus Institute, Inc. Imagine an academy deeply rooted and committed to the classical liberal arts, stocked to the brim with well-known, world-class faculty, and universally accessible. Now imagine it being completely affordable, even free....
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