Why should we read? In this episode, Difff and James discuss the startling statistics on the decline of reading across the West, as well as the power that developing our reading capacity can hold.

Please consider becoming a founding donor for St John Henry Newman College, a new independent classical school in South Brisbane.

Check out Difff's other podcast: Chiron, conversations about the past to help make sense of the present.

And James' other podcast: The Art of Inquiry, inquiries into the nature of the world and humanity with expert level guests passionate about their field.

Music: 'Inspiring Dreams' by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

Difff explains his PhD, The Paradox of Enchantment: Syncretising Meteorology, Humoralism, and Demonology on the Early Modern English Stage. The discussion covers questions of enchantment and the 'discarded image' of the medieval mind, Shakespeare, astrology in King Lear, the role of enchantment in education, the importance of continuing to pursue learning into adulthood, and much more.

Please consider becoming a founding donor for St John Henry Newman College, a new independent classical school in South Brisbane.

Check out Difff's other podcast: Chiron, conversations about the past to help make sense of the present.

And James' other podcast: The Art of Inquiry, inquiries into the nature of the world and humanity with expert level guests passionate about their field.

Music: 'Inspiring Dreams' by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode was recorded live at the 2025 Education for Human Flourishing Conference. James was joined by Dr Brian Williams (Templeton Honors College) and Peter Crawford (Institute for Catholic Liberal Education) to discuss poetry and the poetic mode.

Please consider becoming a founding donor for St John Henry Newman College, a new independent classical school in South Brisbane.

Check out Difff's other podcast: Chiron, conversations about the past to help make sense of the present.

And James' other podcast: The Art of Inquiry, inquiries into the nature of the world and humanity with expert level guests passionate about their field.

Music: 'Inspiring Dreams' by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

In this talk from the Education for Human Flourishing Conference in 2025, Difff discusses the ways that artificial intelligence offers a false promise of restoring the logos, which has been systematically eroded and dismissed over the past millennium. Drawing on history, philosophy, and literature, including C.S. Lewis' That Hideous Strength and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Difff suggests that classical education in the liberal arts is by definition the introduction of students to reality, and as such it connects us to the logos and forms a shield against the false promises of artificial intelligence.

Please consider becoming a founding donor for St John Henry Newman College, a new independent classical school in South Brisbane.

Check out Difff's other podcast: Chiron, conversations about the past to help make sense of the present.

And James' other podcast: The Art of Inquiry, inquiries into the nature of the world and humanity with expert level guests passionate about their field.

Music: 'Inspiring Dreams' by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

Difff interviews Sarah Flynn, founder of Logos Australis and The Liberal Arts Project in anticipation of the upcoming National Classical Education Conference: Educating for Human Flourishing.

Get your tickets to the conference here.

Please consider becoming a founding donor for St John Henry Newman College, a new independent classical school in South Brisbane.

Check out Difff's other podcast: Chiron, conversations about the past to help make sense of the present.

And James' other podcast: The Art of Inquiry, inquiries into the nature of the world and humanity with expert level guests passionate about their field.

Music: 'Inspiring Dreams' by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

Joseph Pearce, the critically acclaimed Catholic author and biographer, addressed the community of St John Henry Newman College and the Brisbane Oratory in Formation in May 2025. His topic of 'Shakespeare and Tolkien: Literary Giants and Why the Great Books Matter' spoke to the centrality of the great works of literature in a classical education in the Liberal Arts.

You can find out more about Joseph Pearce and his publications here.

With thanks to Hartford College for organising Joseph Pearce's tour of Australia.

Please consider becoming a founding donor for St John Henry Newman College, a new independent classical school in South Brisbane.

Check out Difff's other podcast: Chiron, conversations about the past to help make sense of the present.

And James' other podcast: The Art of Inquiry, inquiries into the nature of the world and humanity with expert level guests passionate about their field.

Music: 'Inspiring Dreams' by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

Dr Simon Kennedy joins the podcast to discuss his book Against Worldview. Critiquing the 'worldview project' as a governing intention of Christian education, Simon proposes an active growth in wisdom as an alternative to an intellectual formation of 'getting the right answers'. This podcast discusses virtue ethics, church history, sectarian differences in approaching education, and a whole lot more.

You can get the book here.

Please consider becoming a founding donor for St John Henry Newman College, a new independent classical school in South Brisbane.

Check out Difff's other podcast: Chiron, conversations about the past to help make sense of the present.

And James' other podcast: The Art of Inquiry, inquiries into the nature of the world and humanity with expert level guests passionate about their field.

Music: 'Inspiring Dreams' by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

In the final episode about Josef Pieper's Leisure the Basis of Culture, we discuss the connection between leisure and worship and why secular holidays don't cut it. We also compare the totally consuming world of work to the one ring to rule them all.

Please support St John Henry Newman College by donating at www.newmancollege.qld.edu.au

Please consider becoming a founding donor for St John Henry Newman College, a new independent classical school in South Brisbane.

Check out Difff's other podcast: Chiron, conversations about the past to help make sense of the present.

And James' other podcast: The Art of Inquiry, inquiries into the nature of the world and humanity with expert level guests passionate about their field.

Music: 'Inspiring Dreams' by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0